Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-09-03
YoRKvILLE, s. G.
THURSDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 8, 1857
THE DESTINY OF SLAVERY.

The Knoxville Convention agitatsd the ques-
ton discussed some time ago in this State, OF
e1empting from levy and sale, one or more ne.
groes. The object of such provision would be
to disseminate slavery more generally by offerine
strong inducement to every man to become On
owner. As portion of the general principle Of
fixing or entailing property, the measure would
have an Objectionable feature, but as o matter OF
expedency to meet q temporary crisis, 1t certaint
" deserves the serious consideration Of the South
ern States. The institution Of slavery, we are
told, was never more permanent than:atthe pre-
sent time, since the Southern people regard 1t rs
sanctioned by heaven as we'll rs sustained by the
true economical principles; but from viewing the
question in every shape, we are induced to believe
that it occupies an .equivocN POSITION A COM
prehensve policy on the part Of its defenders will
enable it to resist the outward pressure which
was never go strong as at present, while short
sighted measures or culpable negligence will
secure its speedy downfall. ... .. -
The South has never taken philosophic view
of the question. With characteristic apathy, it
was not until recently investigated in amoral point
of view. But there is one aspectin whiohi 1t mer-
its far more consideration an it has hitherto re-
ceved-that is the inherent ontagonism detceen free
and Stare labor. This is the real danger to the
South. Politicians who see only one thing at a
time, and that through glass darkly, imagine that
the slavery agitation springs from the morbid SEN
timentalism of a WILBERroRcE, turned into capital
by shrewd designing men. The danger resulting
from such shallow view is quite apparent. We
were lead into the mistaken ioea that it vas pos:
sible to harmonize the free and slavery, systems
Intelligence, we were told was all that was needed
to allay the s'ftful fever of the abolitionists.
Consequently argument, friendly remonstrance
and patriotic appeals were resortcd to, but NIL in
vain. The silent workings Of that deep seated
antagonism has hitherto proved resistless and
must continue resistless, so long as we trust 70
superficial cxpedients and mistake the true issue
Let it then be clearly understood that the great
error into which this radical error has deluded us,
Is luul IL Is pOSStOt W Hfo III VIC S"On "i'"o"N
an incessant warfare between the slave and non
slaveholding sections. For under this deiusion
many still wish to preserve the Union, and will
talk as eloquently about compactwhich has SUR
vved its ability to be useful, as the Princess of
fairyland did about the unpoetical Bottom.
1t is time, however, to look at facts as they are.
The Southern people must choose between two
things-the disruption of the union or the restric-
ton and final extinction of slavery. IF the nom
inis umbra can longer hold them spell-bound, then
let them relinQuish the hope Of peace and quiet
until slavery is restricted to such narrow bounds,
that it ceases to be profitable, and losing all in
herent power of resistance, falls from its own i'm
potence. Out of the Union we could preserve
slavery-in the Union we cannot. Once free to
adopt our own internal police system, and to reg
ulate slavery, we could organize the institution
upon more humane principles, and fix it upon
frmer basis. Then the exemption of one or two
slaves from levy or sale, united With judicous
homestead law, would form one of the most de-
srable phases Of Agrarianism. It would act as
IN admirable antidote to that antagonism between
labor and capital, which, though scarcely felt
under our more genial civilization, grinds into the
dust the hirclng where slavery exists in its most
odious form, under the euphonious misnomer OF
free-labor.