The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-24

door upon it, and exclude it from Territories
to which its approach has been forbidden.
The attempt will be made to persuade those
who would identify themselves with this cause,
that there is no necessity to make sacrifice OF
minor differences TO make Kansas a Free
State-that the proclamation Of the President
has put down all danger of invasions-that
General Atchison and his banditti and armed
allies from the South have given up all idea OF
torcIble interference-that they mean TO acqui-
esce In the peaceable settlement Of the question
in favor Of that section which has shown that
1t can furnish the greatest number of emigrants,
and this pacific attitude IS TO be held until after
the Presidential election. If the nulllfers Of
the South shall then triumph in the election of
President nominated BY them at Cincinnati,
the usurpation established by Atchison will be
found in full activity-its laws introducing
Slavery into the Territory, and protecting II
from reversal at the ballot-box, by the disfran-
chisement of the settlers by test oaths, will be
enforced, and Constitution, framed by defeat
ing the Suffrages of the Free State settlers by
disabilities, will be adopted, and the whole pro
ceeding will be sustained by the military force
OF the United States, upon the principles and
under the authority of the Presidents procla-
nation.
Here we might close our Circular; but NAV
we not treSpaSs upon the patience Of those We
address, by exposing the workings Of the insii-
tuition which those who arrogate TO themselves
the character of Democrats are laboring to i'm
pose upon our virgin Territories, and upon the
principle asserted by them, that il is a Nation
al institution? The movement to open the free
Territories to Slavery, by repeating the com
pactS upon the subject began with the nullif-
erS of South Carolina. We will begin with
that State, to make an exhibition Of the sort Of
government it will enforce in the West, from
Its results in the South.
| Popular sovereignty in South Carolina thus
exhibits itself: Six districts in that State. In
the rice and long staple cotton region, where
/ the slave population is most dense containing
a population of 40 ,503 whites, elect a majority
OF the Senate, leaving in minority those rep
resentlng 209,0S4 whites in the rest of the
State In eleven districts, II ,939 whites elect
2S Senators and 64 Representatives. while
eighteen districts, having ISL AS whites, are
represented by IL Senators and 60 Representa-
tves. Thus less than one-third of the free
! population IN the negro quarter region have
the supreme control of the State The Legs
lature, elected by this third, appoints the judi
clary-from the Supreme bench to the common
Justices Of the Peace; elects Senators in Con
greSs, and the electors of President and Vice
| President of the United States for the people
are not allowed TO vote at all for the electors of
the President and Vice President of the United
States, this being done by the rotten borough
Legislature, IN defiance Of the spirit of the
Constitution, and the Interpretation Of every
other State.
The Governor of the State is also elected by
this body, which represents a minority of the
Stae-and negroes and land, excluSively-for
no man is eligible TO it unless he has real estate
TO the value of 500, clear of all debt, or FIVE
hundred acres of land and ten negroes. Nor
can this state OF things be changed, unless two
thirds Of this and-negro-quali6ed body
| consent TO the alteration Of the Constitution
a thing never to be expected
In Virginia and Maryland, the system of mi
norty government, TO give the control to the
| slave section over the greater white population
IN other portions of the State, prevails, but in a
less degree; but in all the Slave States, whether
| contrved by constitutional provision OF not,
the result is that the slavehOlding class is soy
ereign Throughout the South
Ii results from the concert produced among
the masters, by their common interest in am
institution which can only stand by force of ar
uhclal means. The slaves themselves and the
SEE FOURTH PACE.
The apportionmsnt OF representation showing
the peterborough System Of South Carolina which
in effect makes the masters OF slaves masters OF
the State, exercising tho whole sovereign authority
through the Legislature constituted by them. is
taken from a publication in the S3nth CarolfaE1H
Columbia, S. c. 1t was republished in Washington
city in lS49 soon after il appeared 10 South Caro-
lima. The next ap0ortionment does not take place
until 1852 under the census Of 1850 when the dis
proportion will be increased, inasmueh as the white
population, In ten years preceding the last census
increased not quite per cent, whereas tho slaves
increased nearly Is per cent the slaves increasing
three times fast the whites and as the rate of
| apportionment in South Carolina is to favor the
masters who WELD the legislative power and is To
give representation in greater proportion to the dis
tricts in which Slavery most predominates IL is not
improbable that the inequality already existing viii
in 1882 be increased according to the ratio OF the
increase of the slaves over the poor whites
! This superstition is based upon the idea that thu
policy which has heretofore controlled will be con-
tinued. And as the Shareholders of South CarOlins
amounting only TO IS 500, have the absolute leeis-
ative power in their haGd and dispose Of the dsst
MES Of the pa SOB whites Of the 35 9S4 slaves aud
the 800 free mUlatoes and blacks at pleasure thew
will not fail to make the representative appOrtion
ment such as will render their sway more secure.
and put out of hope all who may dream of reform
The following extracts from tho Constitution oF
South Carolina, as 20 qualifications of all who are
permitted to hold place in the Government prove
that its soul is Slavery IL will be observed that
"a settled freehold estate and ton negroes is the
starting point and the lowest degree Of qualification
required. This is put upon par by the Constitu-
ton with qualification of ono hundred and fifty
pounds of real estate clear of debt FROM this the
scale of qualification rises with the grade of Offices
until it reaches fifteen hundred pounds Of real estate
clear Of debt according to the data of the Constitu
ton, which makes ten negroes and freehold equiv
aent to unoncumbered real estate of the value of n
hundred and fifty pounds-and for most part real
estate in plantations is only valuable in proportion
to the slaves that work l.: man who has the quAli-
fcations Of fifteen hundred pounds will on the data
of the Constitution, probably own one hundred ne
groes
Extracts from the CoHstautio1. Of South Carolina
By Article /, Section 6, of the Constitution il is
provided in reference TO members Of the House:
"If resident in the election district he shall not
be eligible to scat in the House of Repre entatyes
unless he be legally seized and possessed in his own
right Of settled freehold estate and ten negroes or
of real estate of the value of hundred and fifv
pounds sterling clear of debt. II nonresident he
shall he legally seized and possessed Of settled
freehold estate therein, of the value OF five hundred
pounds sterling clear of debt"
By Article = Section s. it is provided in rsferenc
to Senators
IF resident in the election district. he shall ROT
be eligible unless he be legally seized and possessed
in his own right, of settled freehold estate of the
value OF three hundred pounds sterling clear of debt
Ii nonresident in tho election district he shall not
be eligible unless he be seized and possessed in hs
own right, of settled freehold estate in the said
district Of the value Of thousand pounds sterling
clear Of debit q
By Article 2. Section 2 il is provided. that no per
son shall be eligible as Governor, unless he hath
resided within the State and been a citizen therein
ten years and unless nc be seized and possessed Of
settled estate within the sans. in his own right of
debt"
By Article 2, Section 3 the same Qualifications are
prescribed for the Lieutenant Governor as for tho
Governor.
By amendments of the Constitution, ratified on the
18th OF December 1893 the basis of Representatives
In the House and Senate was fixed and has not been
chan0sd