Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-03-29
AppaEss or 4. 3. oLINela1ANl'I.

ADDRESS or r. =. CI.INGMAN.
xkans., 81 Hon. T. q. Osiagman to the F'esme ss
20 sAs EsgAsh Congressional Dlsfs'et 9, 4'0'i"
.FmHow.C,rrsENs: Many letters have, during ING
nrcAept session Of Congress- been rece'seu - ,.:
containing inauries in relation TO the Pfesent Po.
cal condition Of the country ana ,'s ies.s
Net only in my own district oue e'ss
nm, the South, there ID DOUBT ana anxiety IN tns
public mind In my Juosneh,' ssns,e a.o sv ,ba
-, .nnropriste mode of communicating my views
- .,on and shall speak with that frankncss that
an accustomed to when discussing political top
les in yselr presence.
That the Intimate destiny Of our present political
system will be determined by events soon to occur
II most probable Ii the perils which threaten 1t
are properly understood by the people, they will be
ayertesl, and may well hope for long career OF
prosperity under our existing form OF government.
The danger which now menaces the existence OF the
federal Union arises from feelings Of hostility enter
tsined in the North towards the southern section,
and especially the institution OF negro slavery as
exists among US. Io ,nocate tusiy the nature Vi e
evil which impends, it may be necessary to review
some points that have already been brought to your
notice by myself and others in former discussions
So great is the interest involved, however, III the
question, that you will, know, ftllow-c,izcrs, par
don some recurrence to familiar topics.
When the constitution of the United States was
originally adopted twelve Of the States were slave
holding, one Of the old thirteen only having aboi'
ished the institution. In forming the constitution,
therefore. no power was given to the general gov.
ernment to interfere with slavery, in the way oil
sbolishing it. or restricting it to any particular
TERRITORY OF limits but each State retained its former
right to act for itself with reference to the subject
The only powers given the federal government were
plainly bestowed on it for the protection and de-
fence of the institution in such of the States as de-
sired 10 retain it. TWAS provided that slaves should
be represented in Congress, SO as to increase the
weight of the slavchodng States secondly, that all
such as might away should be restored 10 their
owners; and, thirdly, that for the period OF twenty
wears Congress should not prevent the importation
of such additional slaves as the States might desire
to add to their existing numbers. 1t is thus mani
fest that while ample power was given the govern
ment to defend slavery as long as any one State
might desire to retain it, there was allowed to 1t not
the shadow of authority to abolish, or even to assa
the institution.
For thirty wears after its adoption the provisions
of the constitution were maintained, and under their
operation some of the northern States having in the
mean time sold most of their slaves to the southern
people, to whom such property was worth more
Than It could be in the North, abolished the system,
while several new States both free and slavehold-
ing had been admitted into the Union. The ieder-
nj government, in the mean time, had properly ao'
stained from all interference with the subject In
the year 1890 the State of Missouri offered herself
for admission into the Union, with constitution
recognizing slavery. The application met with vo-
lent opposition from the North. This was owing to
the course Of certain leaders Of the old federal party
In such of the northern States as had abolished
slavery there was feeling against It. AS the differ
ence between white men and negroes had not then
been much noticed or understood it was not diff.
cult to enlist the sympathcs Of the people there in
favor of the slaves of the South; and the leaders,
therefore, of party that had been overthrown and
rendered odious, by intiammatory appeals IN favor
Of universal liberty and denunc'ato" OF the slave
power of the South aroused strong feeling through
out the entire North so that body of representa-
tves were returned from that section hostile to the
application of the new State, though her constitu-
ton was in respect to slavery, similar to those OF
majority of the old States. After an excited strus
gle act passed proposing to allow Missouri to
come into the Union, but declaring in one Of its
clauses that in all that portion of the Louisiana ter
sitofy that lay north of the parallel Of Sc deg 80
min. slavery should never exist.
BY the old French and Spanish laws, which had
been in operation over the entire territory, slavery
legally existed in every part OF it. and this was IN
Aw,rif not in fact, an act of abolition. Southern
men, however, from an extreme anxiety to procure
the admission of the new State, unwsely and weak
ly consented to support the measure, and were will
ling to purchase for Missouri what she could claim
rs right under the constitution. The restriction
vas supposed by southern men, however, TO have
entitled her to come into the Union but at the sue
cssding session of Congress, when she applied with
her republican constitution the body of the north
Representatives still resisted and rejected her. in
accordance with che instructions of most of the north
ern States Hence it became necessary for new con-
cessiens to he made, and additional price paid to
the North; and Mr.. Clay came forward with his
compromise, requiring Missouri to do certain other
hunat.ng things before she could get into the
In tIiS with, tho aid n ciy or
northern votes only, she was accepted, in the midst
of a general storm Of opposition from the North
Since the prohibition Of slavery north of So deg. 80
min. was originally offered consideration for her
admission, and such was not accepted by the free
States, but price required, it would have been
right for the South to have likewise repudated the
act of prohibition. Nevertheless, impeled by a
strong desire to have peace and harmony, the excu
sion was acquicsced in by her, while the North
complained and denounced the act. The anti-save.
ry feeling gradually subsidized there, and the country
remained quiet until new influence was brought to
bear on it.
Great Britain had acquired, by the force of hel
arms and skill in diplomacy, immense possessions
in Asia. Her East Indian provinces alone contained
more than one hundred millions of people, held in
state of most abect slavery and oppressed by much
greater hardshps than the negroes of any part of thu
United States.
To make this appear-and because British writer.
are constantly denouncing the shareholders of tn,
South for their immortality, barbarty, and cruelty
and because the abotonists in this country arc il
the daily habit of praising everything in England
and holding up her conduct for us to imtate-t vii
not be amiss for to present some facts. Eighteen
months since the British Parliament was forced b,
the pressure of public opinion to send out to Ind
scommsslon to inquire into the manner in which
the people were treated there. That commission
after examining hundreds of witnesses has recent,
made its report; and find the substance of it givei
in the January number Of the Edinburgh Review 70
that country the government owns the land and com
pe's people to work exacting as much as one hall
and, it issad even two thirds Of the entire produc