The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-12-18

Southern sentiments that were uttered were
received with decided applause. There IS no
prospect of final adjournment before FRIDAY.
The business committee are hard at WORK
Over eight hundred delegates are here. "A let
tor from Hon. NJ. Sanels will be read IN Con-
vention tomorrow"
No man of ordinary intelligence will, after
this exhibition of the proceedings and temper
of the Convention, doubt that the real policy of
those who control it is, to famiiarize the South
ern People with the idea of dissolution of the
Union, and to prepare them for the formation
of Southern Confederacy. Extreme measures,
it will be observed, are opposed, not because
they are torong, not because the members gen.
orally did not approve of them, on principle,
but because they are inexpedient for the
present, and might drive off many persons
well-disposed to their cause; and, besides, the
South is not now prepared to defy the moral
sentiment of the world.
The Convention, from beginning'to end, as
sumed political and revolutionary tone. All
its projects contemplate Southern independence
of the Union-and it speaks in an authorita-
tive almost mandatory style, as if well assured
of the support of the Southern People.
| We subjoin brief Geographic dispatches,
completing the account of the proceedings of
the Southern Convention. The delegates con-
fined themselves to resolutions, but these are
more extreme and sweeping than any pre-
viously adopted.
Mr.. Toombs, it will be observed, is in
favor of absolute free trade and direct tax
alton. So are we-the sooner we come to
the policy, the better for the morals of the
country and its Government. The immense
surplus revenue raised by the present sys-
tenn of imposts invites to plumber, and af-
fords the means of corrupt and prohigate ex-
penditures. "Come easy, go easy" So long
as sixty or seventy millions are slipped
out of the Peoples pockets without any con-
seriousness On their part, they will not trouble
themselves about the millions spent on war
preparations and monopolies. A system of
direct taxation, too, would include the slaves,
who, we are told, are walked at about two
thousand millions of dollars.
The Convention at first laid the subject On
the table, but subsequently reconsidered it,
and referred it to committee of one from
each State, with instructions to report upon it
to the next Conventio
A very curious resolution is the one, request
ing Southern Legislatures to order the use of
Southern school-books in Southern schools
and colleges The resolutions in favor of the
establishment of foundries for casting cannon
and small arms, for ascertaining whether the
South has due proportion of arms and mu.
nitions of war belonging to the Federal Gov
eminent, and calling upon said Government to
put Southern harbors in a state of defence. are
qaite beligerent, while those recommending
organizations for the slave-colonization of Kan
sas, and sympathizing with Walkers move
ments in Central America and his reinstitu-
ton of Slavery, sufficiently indicate the Propa-
gandist character of the Convention.
1t will be observed that the friends of the
foreign slave trade gained strength as the dis.
cussion proceeded, the final vote being twenty.
four yeas to sixty.seven nays. The presumption
is, that not few negative votes were given for
prudential reasons, and not from any real re-
pugnance to the traffic. The following item
from one of our Southern exchanges may
throw some light on the difference of opinion
between the States importing and the States
exporting slaves:
" Extraordinary Price for Slapss.-A letter
from Lexington, Georgia, December I'd, to the
augusta Chronicle, saws:
:" About 100000 worth of property was
sold here to-day-land and slaves. Some of
VUor oh of l.
heard. slave girl, Is years old, sold for
$l,28O; another girl, IA years old sold for
Sl,28O; girl, Ia years old, for 81 ,305 a girl,
IL years old, for 81 800; boy, Is years old,
for 1890; man, % years old, for SI,5OO.
They belonged to the estate of John WYNN,
deceased, and were sold on q credit of twelve
months. There were ffty.seven of WEnn's
slaves sold today, and brought S44,O26. Of
these, great number (more than ordinary
were women and children, and few diseased
and old, sold low. They were common slaves.
field hands.
Bat the most extraordinary sales were of
three slaves belonging to the estate Of Mrs.
Mary Watson Leah. A girl, Is years old. sold
for Sl,525; Harriet, about 20 wears old, and
child in her arms, sold for Sl,84O-terms, IL
months"
Now, admit that slaves are property, in the
same sense that horses and mules are, that
slave labor is better than free labor, ought to
be cherished, perpetusted, and increased. and
1t is difficult to resist the conclusion which
Governor Adams, of South Carolina, boldly
announces-that the law prohibiting the i'm.
portation of such labor ought to be repealed.
1t is unjust to the slaveimporting States to
restrict them for their supplies to the markets
of Virginia and the Northern slave States
There are Southern People who now shrink
from such reasoning as this, but, if they adopt
the dogmas inculcated so assiduously by the
Richmond Enquirer and Richmond Whio.
about the failure of free society,"" and the ne
cessity and Incompatible advantages of slave
labor, they will in time be led to agree with
Governor Adams. They are on the same line
with South Carolina; the only difference is,
she is somewhat in advance of them.
The Southern convention-Fourth Day.
Sdrdnndh, Dec. 1.-THE Southern CONNER.
cial Convention re-assembled this morning
Mr.. De Bow, of Louisiana, from the Committee
on Business, offered a series of resolutions ap-
pointing a meeting of the Convention at Knox
vile, Tennessee, on the second Monday in
August next; endorsing Mr.. Dudley Mann's
scheme for the establishment OF a line of iron
steam ferry boats, of thirty thousand tons. to
run between Chesapeake Bay and Milford
| Haven; favoring the introduction of Southern
| textbooks into Southern schools and colleges,
and the appointment of a committee of distin.
| guished Southern Professors to prepare such
works; recommending Southern Legislatures
to order the use of said books in Southern
| schools; recommending the encouragement of