The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-09-04
The Rival Systems.

AhS esAsoA SysSoeAos
The Richmond Enquirer, the leading
organ Of Mr.. Buchanan's administration
in the slave States, in recent issue, after
saying, the South at one time entertain.
cd serious doubt Of the justice and
policy Of African slavery" adds the fol-
lowing:
"Since then, however. fortunately for the
cause o. constitutional liberty and the we'll
being Of that proportion of the negro race
whom we hold rs slaves, public sentiment in
the south has undergone revulsion 90 thor
ough and efiectual as to merge every other
political consideration and issue in an un-
devided advocacy and defence Of the institu.
ton. The Southern people not only vindi-
cate It as o right, but they favor its exten.
sion rs political and social necessity to ep.
cry Republicans country.
The principle directly set forth in the
above, is the necessity Of slavery in re-
publican countries. The real struggle is
not so much for the preservation Of the
slavery of color, as it is TO get the princi-
pie of slavery acknowledged as political
right, and social necessity. Mr.. Keitt Of
South Carolina distinguished support
er Of Mr.. Buchanan's administration, in a
letter recently published, has boldly
avowcd the principle Of slavery, and de-
clares distinctly, that the antagonism Of
parties, must be in consequence Of the
natural rivalry, between two systems Of
labor, the slave and the free; and he does
not hesitate to declare, that slavery is
not to be confined to the negro race, but
that where republican liberty is best en-
joyed, there servilelabor, eveno of the white
race, Is necessity. The priests and pro-
pagandists Of slavery in elccting the pres
ent administration, were governed by the
idea that slavery must be extended where
it does not exist, in order to destroy the
influence Of the advancing wave Of the
opposite and antagonistical system of free
labor. The contest for supremacy in Kan
sas is between the rival systems. South
ern men wish to injcctIthe virus of their
system there, that they may, by the po-
litical power which it will give them, re-
tard the progress Of the rival system Of
free labor, and this accomplished, they
mean to so debauch public sentiment Of
the free States, as to enable them to bring
their slaves into free states, and bring
their slave labor into competition with
the free labor of our mechanics, citizens,
and laborers. 1t is only by this agrees.
ion on the free States, that they hope to
continue the system where it exists
The Richmond Enquirer, in the extract
above, speaks Of slavery, as social and
political necessity 10 erery republican, eoun-
try. 1t uses, it is true, the prefix "Afri-
can" but this is only to make it more
palatable, and not to shock, by too much
boldness, the northern mind. african
Slavery" though it is called, does no more
exist in this country, than Saxon Slavery.
The matchmaking process, has been vigor-
ously carried on by the Southern planter and
his sons, and by other causes, until under
that most accused law Of slavery, that
the condition Of the mother shall deter
mine the condition Of the child, there is
no propriety in calling the institution AT.
rican." We seriously doubt whether the
African blood, taking all the slaves at this
day, prcponderates in the veins of the
slaves, and vet with the knowledge that the
bleaching process is continually going on,
and that every generation Of the slaves,
is making rapid strides towards the white
line, the term African is used. II only
wells the real facts. We have said, the
real struggle is not respecting African
Slavery, but against slavery as q princi-
pie. 1t is not the abolition Of slavery
in the States where it exists. II the South
chooseto check q disease that is eating
out her.yitals, willing as the people Of the
free states would be to see her cured,
they do not propose to become her ply
stefan. but they do not mean willingly
to take its contagion, or have it forced
upon them. They will not be cursed
with it, or be dwarffcd in their just infu-
ence and power in the Government by its
expansion. The advocates of the pro-
slavery democracy gorged, rs many Of
them are to rcpletion with federal pat
rouage in the Free States endeavor to get
upa cry against the republicans by call
ing them abolitionists, but this stale trick
has lost its power. Men Of sense see
clearly, that there is no measure sdvoca-
ted by republicans, which interfercs with
slavery where il exists in the slave States,
and that the real struggle is ono CON-
menccl by the South to extend il, intend
ing by its extension to degrade that sys-
tenn Of free and honorable labor which is
the pride Of the free States, and in which