The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-01-24
Necessity of Southern Union.

the country has never witnessed the disor-
ganizing factions, the refractory and ire
concilable clements, of which the House of
Representatives is composed. The House,
though lamentably so, is divided against it.
self; and we have gloomy forchodings that
unless the spirit Of patriotism which ami
mated our rulers in the PALMER days of the
Rcpublic, is soon to commence the noble
work of concession and reconciliation, that
the Constitution-which should command
obedience and inspire reverence in the heart
of every American ci,iLen--will he dsman-
tied, stripped of its authority, and displaced
10y the dark reign of confusion and ;snar-
c!y.
us there no balm in Gicad! Is there
no physician there z" Is there no cure for
the ,nisconccivel, diseased and rotten polit-
ical sentiment that, like an all-prevailing
epidemic, has vic,mized and possessed the
minds Of the Northern people? We an
swer THAT the South has the remedy, and
nothing is wanting to maintain her rights,
to perpctuaie the Union, and save her from
political degradation, but the strong nerve
and stern patriotism to administer it. But
this remedy consists of Il perfect union of
political scntmcn. in the Sou,h-a total
abnrgation of all party lines and party dis
tinc;I"n; and if We would purge out the
blind ftna;icism intcs,ing the brain of the
Northern people, we must unhrsi:a;ingy
discard from our political vocabulary every
ism which leads to di,corl and division in
our household, and move in an unbrolcn
and solid plalanx against the tide that
threatens to ovcrwhrm u.s.
The Legislative history Of the past, affords
numerous instances in which division at the
South has enabled the North to foist anti
Southern measures upon us; and future
history will rccor'l the party contests of the
present Congress as another instance in
which the division Of the South enabled
Northern Frccsulism to elect an Abolition
Speaker, who, from his pledge to pack COM
mlttecs favorable to the views of his party,
coupled with his extreme uIiraism upon the
question of slavery, would en.lcavor to
palm upon lis an odious system Of measures
Which could but result in consequences
most d:sas: ro,,s to the Union. But for the
political antag"nism of Southern R'.prescn-
ta1ivcs, the House could have organized the
first day OF the session, and thus saved
100000 Of the peoples money, and six
weeks of vain and pro.itlcss discussion.
When shall we take lessons Of wisdom
from the teachings Of experienced How
long will the thirty Southern Know Moth
ings stand rs opposing barriers to the er-
ganization of the II,uSc? What stupid
folly, when the Northern wing Of their party
has rpu'liated them aud gone kill, and
kin for FrecS"i!isn,, to stand isolated, anil
though i'll hopeless minority, to 10 battle
with pcrlinacity worthy of IL better cause,
to defeat the only party upon WHICH the
South could rely with any assurance Of up
holding the Constitution.
We would not maintain that even DorG-
LASS and other Northern Democrats who
assisted to pass the Nebraska Bill, and who
are now acting with the Democrats Of the
South i'll the contest for Speaker, would ac-
knowledge slavery to ba i great public
good. But if there is any faith to be at
iaclcd to their solemn declaration of prin-
ciples--if we take the Presidents message
As the exponent Of the views of the conser-
vativc Democracy in the North, we are
forced TO the conclusion that there is still
conservative minority there who, though
not admitting slavery to be right in the ab-
stract, yet, for the sake of the Union, are
willing to leave it where the Constitution
left it, proclaim the doctrine of non-iu.cr-
vcntion hy Congress, anl defend it AS Il do
mcstic institution to bc regulated by the
people Of the respective States.
Then, why should Southern men, bv po-
li,ical di>cord among themselves, wreath
the monster brow of Abclilionism with the
Ianre!s Of victory' Why should they re-
fuse to act in concert with those nlcn,
whose political creed (;f not what we would
desire:) approximates nearer to our notions
OF constitutional right, than any party in
the Union!
The recent demonstration Of parties, with
the somerset OF Northern Know. Noilngs
to FreesoiIis'n, should indeIlibly impress
upon the Southern mind the inorlinate folly
Of Ginning il and cndeavoring to nation
a'ize the various isms that spring up at the
North to flourish but for "a time, and then
to be engulfed in the spacious crater of Ab-
ol;tionisIn.
Let the South learn that her only safety
lies in harmonzing political ditferenres.-
Let the fiat go forth that political factions
Mt iI.. S,,ufI n,,,,l,..o.l