Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-04-09
VIRGINIA, March 9th, 1856.


VIRGINIA, March 9th, 1856.
MeSsrS. Editors: am sure you will be
pleased to learn that the slavery doctrines,
held and promuged by the statesmen and
the press Of South Caroiua thirty years ago,
have become the doctrine of all parties iu
Virginia | a,n acquainted with no native
Virginan who does not consider domestic
slavery natural, riyhtful, and legitimate
institution-wilh but few, who, looking to
the fan,ines and revolutions of Western
Europe, and the islns, foreboding like events
in our North, do not consider it normal and
and necessary. Within twenty years, u dis.
tinguished Virginian declared from his seat
in the Senate Of The United States, that he
held slavery to be a mora, social, and po.
lticaI evil" The sentiment did not then
CRATE harshly on Southern ears, and the Sem
alor continued to rise in public estimation.
He is still admired and esteemed by the
South; for no one suspects that he enter.
,ains such opinions now. suppose he
would he the last man in America to coun.
tenance them; for he had the best opportu.
mites Of Witnessing the Instructions Of La.
bor against Capital in Europe in lS4S, and
the intolerable suh'erings Of the laboriug
classes that proceeded, aud JUSTIFIED, those
Instructions. He we'll knows that slavery
is good, because it relieves the laborng
class from the greatest oI all evis-the heart
less, grinding, and exac,ing, d.spo'ism Of
Capital; despotism which even our .Abo-
lilionists have pronounced to be intolerable ;
-lor know no Abolitionist who is not d
Socialist, and prepar. d to modify or destroy
the right TO private property.
But do not mean to congratulate your
State for mere originality of though and
speculative aculnen. She has mucu higher
claim to National regard and admiration.
The ensuing Presidential canvass, which will
probably determine the fate Of the Union,
%ililmn almost solely on the question of
State equality. None can consistently or
effective Iy contend for State equality, who do
not hold that the institutions: Of the South,
aud the social forms Of the South, are equally
rghtful, Legitimate, moral, and promntive of
human happiness aud well.being, with those
of the North. If slave society be inferior in
these respects to free society. we of the
South are wrong and criminal in proposing
10 extend it to new territory, aud the North
right in sxerting itself to the utmost TO pre-
vent such extension. Nay, more; if slave
society he an inferior social organization,
we should all become at least gradual eman.
ciualioui.,s. But 80 farther with the South
Carolina politicians. Wemust coutend that
ours is the best form of society: for social
organisms, so opposite as those OF the North
aud the South, cannot be equally well suited
to people in all other respects so exactly
alike. We must surrender The d"ctrine Of
State equality and Of slavery extension, un.
less We are prepared to meet the attacks of
Black Repuhlicanism on our institutions, by
making equally vigorous assaults OIL theirs.
The President, in his annual message, has
clearly indicated this rs The proper mode Of
defence, the true answer TO Abolition.
Let not the South longer rely on the half
way, apologetic grounds OF negro slavery, or
of constitutional slavery. We may thus ex.
cuse or extenuate the temporary continuance
of slavery, but cannot justify its extension.
If all other forms OF slavery but negro slave.
ry be wrong, then is the Bible untrue, and
the history and experience Of mankind worth
nothing. Besides, by such admission we
offer premium to anal gamation that in
few generations might change the Ethiop's
skin. We condemn, too, our own laws,
which retain in slavery men whose skins are
whittier than the Spanard's or Italians, simply
because they are of distant negro extraction.
Far worse will it be for US to rely on the
Constituti"n-thereby admitting that all sla.
very is immoral, unjust, and inexpedient, but
contendng that the Constitution is a bargain
or contract between the North and South,
which, although it violates The laws OF God
and the ordinary notions Of right and wrong,
jusli6es US not only in holding our slaves,
but in ilfic,ng the institution on new socie-
ties. The Constitution will not be respected
when those who invoke its protection admit
that it is the guarantee of iniqnity and crime.
We have abundant materials in the history
of all emancipaied slaves, or serfs, in the
famines aud revolutions Of " estern Europe
in The prevalence of Socialism and inf.
deity in Europe, and Of all kinds of isns in
our North, and in The better moral and ply
sical condition OF the South, as exhibited by
The census, TO enable US to vindicate and jus.
tily our institutions: The North will he sure
to continue TO denounce savery. and hold
up theirs as model and pattern social fornis,
although their politicians, their clergy, their
philosophers, their mobs, and their women,
are equally busy with "assiduous wedges"
in knocking those forms to pieces.
If our common agent, the Federal Gov.
ernlnent, finds the North thus buas,ihg of
its institutions, and the South admitting sla.
very to be moral, social, and political
evil" another Missouri Compromise is the
best we can expect for The present; with
certain Abolition in the not distant future.
The worst enemies of the South are its half.
way friends; Tor their admissions furnish un.
answerable arguments to the North. peo.
Ole who do not consider their institutions
and government better than those of any
other State, invite and justify aggression,
and should he ashamed to propose 10 inhict
on others what they cannot recommend.
If the press of the South will do its duty
compare and weigh the evils Of Northern