Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-12-20

the South for the sake of the South, meet with
our cordial concurrence. The necessity for
such union Is as apparent as anything can
possibly be. A mere glance at the history OF
the past, the acruailtles Of the times that are
upon us, with the gllmpseS OF what the future
will be that they afford US, should be sufficient
to convince every man of ordinary intelligence
that we must forget all past differences. pOiItl-
cal or otherwise, and become united as one
man, if we would not become the victims OF
the Vaccinations of our Northern enemies.
Speaking of the jubilant displays Of the
Black Republicans and their earnest prepara>
tons for the great struggle of 1860, on a
stupendous scale, the Sentinel falls into an error
Of omission it is proper should be corrected as
| soon as practicable. The Sentinel says that
the hopes of the Black Republicans, "instead
Of being weakened, are strengthened by the
result of the late election" Very true. There
is no doubt of it. They succeeded beyond
their most sanguine expectations. Ii is but
natural their success should stimulate them TO
renewed effort. Victory was just within reach
when it eIuded their grasp.
In this connection we quote a sentence from
our contemporary, and therein is the error al
Iuded 10, As follows: "They (the Black Re.
publicans) calculate, and with a great deal of
plausibillty, that at that epoch Q86O) hey will
have seventeen instead of sixteen free States
Kansas is the State, that is to be. which the
editor fears, for reasons given, "is irretrieyabIy
lost to the South" Our approximations take a
wider scope than those of our Iberville cotem-
porary.
We have never entertained much hope for
Kansas, as we have taken frequent occasion to
express in these columns. 1t will be admitted
rs a free State before the Presidential election
Of 1860. This We consider an event As sure
of realization as anything can be in the future.
We have just as little doubt of the admission
of Nebraska and Minnesota, az free States,
within That period. And Oregon would have
applied for admission into the Union ere this
but for the Indian troubles that have ragged
within and ravaged her borders, which would
have rendered Stale sovereignty a worse than
barren sceptre within her grasp. Instead of
s~erenteen, therefore, the Black Republicans
may reasonably calculate upon tarenfV free
States-leaving the Territory of Washington
entirely out Of the quesiion-in which TO ope-
rate and wage a war of wanton aggression and
insult upon the constitutional rights of the in
labitants Of the Southern States.
Ii is well to look peril straight in the face
1t is we'll to consider matters as thew are, not
as they ought to be, nor as we would wish
them to be. In no other way can the flower of
safety be plucked from the thorn Of danger
Taking, then. as a basis, that twenty free States
will vote at the next Presidential election, and
o0king at he results of the late election as a
criterion whereby to judge of the future, the
question at once presents itself, broadly and
enthusiastically: What is the South to do, un-
der such an alarming posture of aft ,irs in order
TO secure protection and maintain i~nyiolate her
rights?
The question is a difficult one 10 answer in
all It's aspect, and we shall not attempt the task
at present. But, We can reply to one parf-the
most important part-of it, Hnhesitatinglv.-
We must have union among ourselves before
anything can be accomplished of value. On
this branch of the subject our Plaquemine CO.
temporary makes the following judieious OBJ.
~PrvatiOns:
tits very evident TO our mind, that to maintain
Southern dignity and Southern interests in Con
gress at the present crisis, as we'll as national
honor and national welfare. an unbroken Southern
phalanx in the House and in the Senate is i'm
p%erative. To bring this about depends mainly
upon the Southern press, torgetful Of the past.
independent of the future-using its mighty lever,
not IN the futile attempt to lift abstract principles
INTO life and being, but for the purpose ofsupport-
ing our representatives in a united effort to sus-
tain the constitution and the laws. in opposition
10 the dangerous and powerful Vaccinations of
the Black Republicans.
We have no question Southern Senators
and Representatives will act as a unit in the
maintenance of Southern honor and interests.
have as little question that their action
be sustained by the people they represent.
much more must be done before the cor.
dial, sincere, and consequently effective union
we advocate, can be contaminated. There
must be union among the people in regard TO
local as we'll as national subjects, which can
only be effected by sponging out the past
Intellectually, and avoiding all reference to
home>vexed, Initiative topics in the future. In
no other mode nor manner can an efficient and
Southern organization be formed:
it is as clear as the sun at noonday. that q
Southern combination at Washington, or else>
where, on two, or three, O. four isolated points
Of moment, could not last any great length of
lime, when the constitute ncies at home were
1narrelIing, j~angling, divided into cliques and
actions, and engaged in hurting g%rievous and
insulting epithets al each other.
10 attempt TO erect a political ediice with
'ueh a state Of feeling prevailing, would be
Ike building a pyramid on a foundation of
lnicksand. II better not be attempted under
'uch auspices, for a ridieSlous and mortif, ing
will inevitably follow, and the cause Of
ne South, which is really the cause of US all,
10 matter how greatly we may differ on other
will be damaged and rendered weaker
han before. That cause, like Aaron's rod,
hould swallow all conhictions. of sentiment,
merge all discordant elements that unhappily
Xist among Bs, and unite US all, a formidable