The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-11-13
POLITICAL HISTORY.

uesSrs. DOtts anu hayher, 10 irieHus III 4 uiid-
delphia, before the election, in support of the
policy of a union of the Opposition elements.
They constitute an important part of the his
tory ofa most important canvass:
Carolina, the leading Fillmore Man at the
South.
In reply to your second inquiry, whether the
Southern people seriously contemplate disso-
luton of the Union, in case Fremont should
be elected, | answer no emphatically, no
The masses of the Southern people, whether
Wings, Americans, or Democrats, are devoted
to the Union; and they will maintain and de-
fend it at the hazard of their lives, and the
expenditure of their hearts best blood. The
Democratic leaders of the South, with but few
exceptions, are talking of disunion, and are
trying to familiarize the public mind with the
idea of disunion, in case Fremont should be
elected. And, true to their vocation, they are
denouncing as slaves and submissionists all who
refuse to unite with them in their mad career.
But, even of those who take this ground, but
few are in serious earnest.
There is a small faction in the Southern
States who are bona tide Disunionists = who
have been for years maturing their plans-and
who would be glad to see Fremont elected, if
they thought it would bring about disunion.
This faction is inconsderable in numbers, and
bears about the same relation numerically, to
the people of the South that the band of crazy
fanatics at the North, who denounce the Con-
stitution and the Union as "a league with
hell" bear to the people of the Northern States.
But the great majority of the Democratic lead
ers in the South, who are mounting and gas.
conading about party disunion, do so for party
effect. Their object is to frighten the timid
and wavering. Their purpose is to drive others
to the support of Buchanan through their fears.
1t is no care for the institution of Slavery-it
is no concern for the rights of the South-that
stimulates their belligerent propensities. 1t
is because they are alarmed at the prospect of
their loss of political power-at the chances of
their being deprived of office-at the bare idea
of being driven from the National Treasury
that, like hungry wolves, overtaken at their
prey, they raise this howl of disunioD. They
are not in earnest, and if they we're, it would be
all the same.
Fortunately for u.s. and thanks to the nature
of our institutions, this Union can't be dissolv-
ed, except by resorting to the source of all
power-the people at the ballot-box. And
when that first appeal is made, the mass ofctAt
parties will be found true to the Union. They
because a man, no matter how odious or OBJ
noxious to them he may be, has been elected
President-provided he has been fairly elected,
in strict accordance with all the forms of the
Constitution and the laws. You may rely on
it, that the masses of the Democratic party will
desert their leaders, whenever they attempt to
commit them to Disunion because they have
been beaten in an election. 1t is a reproach
and an insult to the Southern people to say that
they would destroy this Union for any such
cause; and, as Southern man, hurl back
the charge as q SANDER and wrong upon the
conservative masses of the South. The people
of the South know too well what this Union
cost-they know too well what its blessings
are-they can too plainly foresee the horrible
consequences and dread disasters which might
ensue upon its disruption.
am not to be understood as intimating that
the Southern people would submit to any pal
pable invasion of their constitutional rights,
rather than run the hazards of Disunion.
They regard the Union as designed for the pro-
lection of their rights and their liberties, and
if it were perverted to their destruction, instead
of their preservation, of course they would re-
sist And if it should so turn out that Ere
mont is elected-fairly Observation-Disclosures
ly elected-if | know anything of the character
of the Southern people, they would wait till he
disclosed his policy. If he were to attempt any
invasion of our constitutional rights, and he
should be sustained by other departments of
the Government, then, take it for granted, he
would be resisted, without reckoning the cost.
But in case he attempted no such invasion of
our rights, | hazard nothing in saying the
Southern people would prove true to the past
history of the Anglo-Saxon race-whose pecu.
liar national trait has ever been, obedience to
lot Ian II r :
ty was involved.
Being no partisan of Fremont, of course |
have no advice to give or suggestion to make
to his friends. But to every friend of Fillmore,
l would say, be not alarmed or induced to sup
port Buchanan by these threats of Disunion
on the part of the Democratic leaders of the
South. They are all vain and idle, and are 80
regarded here. And even If they were not, toe
most effective aid you can render to the cause
OF the Union, is in trying to overthrow the
Democratic party, whose continued agitation of
the question of Slavery will, if not arrested and
rebaked, SOW the seeds of disaffection through
out the land, from which posterity must ulti-
mately reap the harvest of Disunion.
The approaching election involves conse-
quences of the most momentous character.
Much, very mnch, almost everything, depends
upon bennsy lvania. If there is harmony, and
SopSoiut ouu Co1Ccft VI atLlCn, among the con-
sentative men, the Union men Of PenBsyiya-
MIA, fear not the result. If all those who are
opposed to Slavery agitation, who think that
the Pierce-B Buchanan party deserve to be re-
buked for their having brought the country to
it's present unhappy condition, ,ciU unite cor
daily an the support of the same ticker, our
country may yet be saved, and peace, and
calm, and sunshine, will return to our borders.
But if they allow differences on minor ques-
tons TO mss their concert and to paralyze
their energies, awful may be the consequences
which they viii entail on their country
Yours, truly, X. RAYNER.
The PROGRESS OF OUR CouNTRY.-Itis stated
that the population of the eleven infant Colo.
nies in l70l was 262,0OO souls Georgia and
Delaware we're added to the number about
l749, and the census reports give us ,046, 900.
in the year IFS, the thirteen Colonies had
2,303, 900 whites and 100000 slaves After
the adoption of the present Constitution, in
1890, there were thirteen States, with 3,l72,s64
white, 5O,456 free coioreaa, and 697,sQ7 slaves.
In 1880, tie States had increased to thirty-one.
and the population to 1856, 900 whites 434. 600
free colored, and 3,204,0 slaves. The total
population at this time is approaching thirty
millions. The number of electoral votes ia
2S6, requiring l49 to elect President by the
people. The free States have TIC, and the
slave 100.