The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-07-08
SOUTHERN sERvITUDE AS II is. AND NOT AS ii
is REPRESENTED BY SECTIONAL AGITAToRs,


No man who has serutin1sd closely the workings Of the
northern mind in regard the subject which is now en-
crossing public attention in every portion Of the country
can have failed to impressed with the fact that the ord
which is used at the South TO define the relation existing
between the white and the eoored there furnishes 70
sectional agitation its chief subsistence and support That
word is SLAVERY II is standing argument of abolition
agans, the southern institution that the founders OF
our is existence that they
sudiousy excluded the word from the constitution This
fact shows much clearly that they regarded the term
au as odious and inappropriate convey the true idea
Of the institution than that they wished thereby TO ignore
It's existence as legal institution II is not matter Of
doubt that they did recognise the existence and the legality
of the Institution in three separate clauses in each Of which
they used the term persons accompanied with words de-
scpve their servile condition The same aversion TO
the word slavery which induced the convention to reject
Il from the constitution still continues particularly in those
sections of the country where the institution does not
st Southern men, in their associations with their north
ern friends are constantly struck by the reluctance
which they manifest speak of the negroes as Slaves and
the almost universal adoption amongst them of the terms
coloed people The same aversion to the word
is exhibited in other countries where the state of servude
is conessedly the same in all essential respects as it is in
Ses
| than that Of slavery
not purpose to investigate the reasons for the
prevalence Of the odiu which attaches to this word al
though we think it susceptible Of satisfactory demonsra
ton that it does not result from any peculiar features in
the institution in the South which make it obnoxious
to than other species Of servude known by
other names British statesmen shocked that we rec
ognise slavery in the United States and yet they have
thak no ady of the that
their own donious they have species of servtude far
more odious in all its features than that over which
they are SO much exercised in the southern States
the difference that they call the system of yassaage and
seryitude which they maintain by another name They
boast that the SLAVE touches their free soil bis
shackes fall off, and he redeemed regenerated and dis
CENTRALIZED p they content to practise far worse
system of slavery in their own domnions and because
their slaves wear thei hackes under the of dppe
tees or servants or The ryotpary system they fall
off, The offence of the southern States then is that they
apply an odous name 10 system of serviude which in
all essential respects mlder and less inhumane than those
systems which exist in other countries under less offensive
names.
We set out with The remark that the word slavery fur
nishes sectional agitation its chief argument and sup
port What half frequently in the harangues
and editorials of aboonsts and black republicans as the
terms slavelrvero nslave power "sayeocracy 'slave
ogarchy" and the like expressions The potent idea
conveyed in all these caherm is found in the prevailing
word saus Passionateappeas ntersprnked
thicy with these expressions, make up the sum total OF
the arguments welded by agtators against the nstitu
tons of the South If northern man nterposes and sug
gess that it would be reasonable to examine the
real condition of the domestic institutions of the South
before ndulgng in passionate denuncatons he is at
put down doughaee tool of save-drivers an ally
of the slave oligarchy and straghtway the whole ar-
lery Of whipcrackng slaveburnngs homcides pictorial
illustrations Of the inhumany Of the accursed institution
brutal assaults revolvers bowie knives, &C. &C. is dis
charged to the amazement of weak-minded men and
strong minded women Hence all this array of crime in
humanity and brutality made up from the fabulous pages
of Mrs Stowe the slanderous columns OF the Tribune
or the fruitful imagnaons Of hired correspondents being
set down to the of slavery rises up in the northern
mind whenever that word Is pronounced.
The remark may rather extrayagant but We sin
cerely believe that If word slave had been dropped in
the southern States il dropped from the constita
ton the institution would have been the subject Of
half that dangerous agitation which prevails and
that il the word dropped and the servants
or donescs used without any change In the relations Of
the parties e chances OF getting to the and
judgment Of the northern people would be greatly in
creased We make this remark under thorough convc-
ton that understanding by northern Of the
real character Of the Of slaves and OF the real
dton and character of the slaves themselves would
move most Of the prejudccs existing and create a
conservative public sentiment at the North which would
stay the tide auatca agitation aud cireumcribe il with
10 harmless bounds This speculative opin-
ion The experiment has been made and repeated thou
sands Of times and in ninenne out Of each hundred the
result has been abandonment of the peudces Of early
impressions and education There Is scarcely district
all the South which does not number amongst its popu-
latou witnesses Of the truth Of this remark II is
great fact that after a short residence by northern
men in the South, general rule, they openly
change their views TO the Institution Of slavery, and
very many of them become interested in It. This result
follows egitma,ey from obtaining, by actual association
condition of the institution. We conclude that If the same
kind Of information could find its way into the honest
cesses Of all the northern minds which Theoretically
sealed by anatcism against truth the result would be
fatal to sectional agitation.
In this view II becomes vitality important II the confed-
Grafton is to be perpetuated that the people of the North
should be furnished with the truth the character
and condition Of southern servitude We know how vigil
lsuy the sentnels Of Nboitonsm guard aganst the
PRODUCTION Of reliable information by keeping up success