The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-20

SPEECH OF VIRGINIA ExILE-INrEREsTING
Mecca STATIsrICs-GOv. WIsEs ESTIMATES
SusTANED.-We publish this morning the speech
of Mr.. J. C. Underwood, (the exile from Virginia,
on account of his participation as delegate in
the proceedings of the late Philadelphia Repub-
lican Convention) This speech was delivered at
the Eleventh ward Fremont ratification meeting
on Thursday last; and we apprehend that it is
destined to make sensation.
The allnsions of Mr.. Underwood to the princi-
pies of Jefferson and Madison show that he was
indoctrinated with his present opinions some time
before the rise of the free soil abolition societies
of the North, of the Birney, Buffalo and Garrison
schools; but his "reminiscences of George Wash
ington are particularly interesting Perhaps,
were Washington at this time Virginia slave
holder his views of Southern slavery would be
somewhat modified; but we are sure that even
under the existing virulent sectional agitation,
North and South, he would never give his con-
sent to the expulsion of fellow citizen from
the State on account of any opinions upon
slavery which the individual might entertain,
however obnoxious to the general sense Of the
community around him.
The violent party excitement upon slavery,
which caused the expulsion Of Mr.. Underwood
from Virginia. is, in fact, feature Of Vir-
ginia politics peculiar to these latter days.
It is the result Of that morbid senstiveness
on the slavery question which has grown up
into an overshadowing power in the South, under
the careful culture Of Northern fanatics and I'M
scrupulous Southern fre-eaters of the modern de-
mocratic school. They have played into each
others hands until nothing but complete revolu-
ton in parties and in the government can save us
Perhaps the election of Fremont, slavery or no
slavery in Kansas, and the honest restoration Of
the government to the conservative and compro-
mise principles Of Washington, Jefferson and
Madison, may do much to soften down this por-
tentous sectional strife into Cancellation and har
mony. Certainly, from all existing indications,
we have neither security nor any positive step to
sectional concord to expect from the election of
Mr. Buchanan. Peace requires concessions from
all sides; Mr.. Buchanan's position exacts them
only from one-concessions, too. OF the most ultra
character and in the most offensive shape. The
lamentable state Of things set forth in Mr.. Under
woods speech cannot be reached by the Cincin-
natl platform, nor by the Ostend manifesto, nor
by the continuance of this Pierce administration.
There is, however, one branch of this speech Of
Mr.. Underwood which renders Mr.. Buchanan pc
culiarly the candidate for the Virginia slavehold-
ing democracy. 1t is that branch which refers to
the price Of niggers. Here We find the views set
forth in the great ratification speech of Governor
Wise most strikingly illustrated in the slavetrade
statistics of Virginia. Mr.. Underwood in
forms us that the law of 1s0s, suppress
ing the African slave trade, made Vir-
ginia an important market of supply in
em States, and the extension Of the cotton
culture How many millions the Old Dominion
has thus contributed TO the development OF the
South and the wealth of the Union, including
Northern manufactures and commerce, can never
be asccrtained. In reference TO Mr.. Buchanan's
availability in Virginia, it is enough to know
that, according to Mr.. Underwood's statistics, the
number of slaves now annually sold in that State
is between 20, 900 and 5000, and that the price
which they bring is from s20,O00,000 TO S25,-
100000 Say twenty thousand head at an ag-
gregatc of twenty-millions, and upon the lowest
figure Of increase in the value Of the article, nc
cording to Gov. Wsc's estmates-that Is to say,
one hundred per cent-the election Of Mr.. Blu
chanan, in a financial view, will be TO the State
of Virginia a clear gain Of twenty millions Of
dollars year upon niggers alone.
These figures throw food Of light upon the
Of Mr. Buchanan in Virginia, and
upon the true Interpretation Of the Cincinnati
platform.