The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-03-27
THE SOUTHERN VIEW.

The Richmond (Va.) Enquirer, the leading
Administration paper in the South, and ultra
in its devotion to slaveholding institutions, in
its issue of the 18th inst, contained forcibly
written editorial On the question of war with
Great Britain. Assuming that there is more
danger of q rupture than the People seem to
admit, it proceeds to compare the conditions of
the two countries. British pride, it says, was
never more sensitive, British power never great
er. Far from being exhausted by her struggle
with Russia, the energies OF England have never
been so collected" "her capacity for aggressive
war so menacing to her foes" On the other hand,
the American People are brave, even to rash
ness" but moments scrutiny must dissipate
the Illusion of "our impregnability." "The
whole navy is scarcely match for single
British squadron---our coast Notifications would
oppose scarcely any resistance to the destruct-
i've instruments of modern warfare" "Nor
does Britain admit any commercial dependence
upon this country which binds her to perpetual
peace. 1t is doubtful if she has not the sup
port of sound philosophy in the opinion that
it is as necessary for us to sell as it is for her
to buy"
But, it is in the bearings of the question on
the peculiar interests of the slaveholding Sec
ton that the Enquirer is most deeply interest
ed. We reprint entire its remarks on this sub.
ject, that our readers may understand the views
and policy Of intelligent, sober-minded South
ern men:
ain the event of great national emergency.
it is the peculiar prerogative of the people of
| this country to instruct the Government by an
| imposing expression of public opinion.
This privilege becomes supreme duty.
when the country is threatened with all the dis.
asters OF war with one among the foremost
Powers of the earth. War is absolutely an evil
of such colossal proportions, that we need not
| insist on its attendant and accidental calam
ties, in order to deter the nation from lightly
invoking its unimaginable horrors. But the
event of war with Great Britain, at this partic
ular juncture, might strike the prosperity of the
South with SO terrible and irretrievable a ruin,
that we may well appeal to the Legislature of
! Virginia to interpOse voice of wise admoni
ton between the country and that greatest dis.
aster. The extracts in another column from
the British press, clearly reveal the design of
the British Government to strike the first blow
at the heart of the South. Whether their CON.
| hdence In the detection Of our slave population
prove foolish or a wise calculation. it il GER.
tain that the effect of war with Great Britain
on the general interests of the South will in.
vove manifold and irreparable injury. II ia
very doubtful if the conservative spirit of our
State Rights Government could survive the con-
hict. 1t is not absolutely certain that some
extreme States of the North might not be de.
tached from alliance with the South, and be Sc.
duced into crusade OF arms against Slavery.
In any event, the productions of slave labor
would be reduced to value altogether made
| quate to the support of the institution. The
cotton OF the Carolinas and the tobacco of Vir.
GINA would waste in the fields of the planter.
and he might accept the emancipation of his
| slaves as relief from an intolerable burden. The
South, now so rich and powerful, might be i'm.
poverished and Inundated and on its ruin.
Abolitlonism would erect the commercial and
political despotism to which it aspires. The
plumber of privateers, the monopoly of the
market In the purchase of cotton, and the sale
OF manufactures, and, above all, the conquest
OF Canada, would aggrandize the North in pro-
portion as the South sinks in the scale of wealth
and power. So inseparably are the interests
OF the South bound up with the preservation Of
peace with Great Britain.
"The belligerent tone of the Aboltionists.
Il
admonishes US in this conjuncture to pursue a
policy of pacific moderation They act, not
from impulse, but from calculations of the bro.
foundest policy; and when we hear Seward
Sumner, and Wilson, clamor for war with Great
Britain, we need no assurance that they seek
not the vindication of national honor, but the
degradation and destruction of the South. They
contend not for the sanctity of public faith, bu,
extol the particular treaty which sets arbitrary
bounds to the expansion of Slavery.
Against contingency of such fatal Dor
tent to the South, it is proper that the Legisla
ture of Virginia should oppose all the influence
of formal expression of the popular sentiment
of the State"
Recollect, these views of the effects of a wal
with Great Britain on Slavery, are presented by
leading paper of the South, an able advocate
of its peculiar institutions. For one, we take
no pleasure in the thought that any section O
our country is peculiarly exposed to peril from
the arms Of an invader. Slavery, as existing
in modern times, is clearly source of national
weakness in time of war. BY excluding 10 1
great extent domestic manufactures, by pre-
venting the Investigation OF industry, by con