Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-04-24
SLAVERY-ITS DESTINY.

OLA EN1-llS DESIlN1.
American politics having become to be considered
with reference 10 the subject of slavery, the pruc
pal point Of interest and importance in the admins.
tration OF the internal at airs of our country il may
not be nopportrne to enquire why IL So According
to the original agreement between the members of
the confederacy, tbs object Of the Union was the
protection Of each State In its sovereign rights and
common benefit arising from conioint delegation
OF authorities sufficient TO advance the interests
cruing from the reciprocal relations of one to the
other.
Tho institution Of slavery was :hea recognized
domestic matter, belonging exclusively to the control
OF those States in which it existed and regarded as
affecting their interests only. But in mare modern
days il is attempted by the non siaveholdny States
to obtain such prelominance in the councils Of the
country as will enabe them, by ona process or sro.
ther, To abolish slavery 10 the United States alroge
ther. That they have not the right if they had the
power, is admitted by ali Reasonable men, And why
il is tba; they are Gespers!ey bent upon so gros.
violation of justice aud law, il answered neither by
morbid philanthropy nor sense Of injury to their
own interests by connection with States, cursed as
they affect to believe, with negro slavery.
by innumerabe Instances of flgrsnt ou.rsges upon
every elsvang instinct Of humanity, and iniqutes
among thelnseiyes unparalleled in the annals Of mo-
raj enormity. That they a:e innica to our instu
tons bec4use they conceive that their prosperity ID
mpeded by thern, is contradictory to the astuteneas
of Yankee character as well as to the laws OF indus
tria! economy fer they have the sense to discover
and the cnnidy to consider that if the South is re-
arded, cogged and oppressed by slavery it it all the
better for them 10 he in competition with such peo.
pie than il the incubus removed, and additional
advantages enjoyed by them.
The anti slavery mania ia the resrl, Of envy and
ambition The masses Of the North are imposed up.
by the abolition leaders, who them as stepping.
stones to political place and poser; who appeal to
their sympa:!:e- by holding up handouts and din.
ling upon the inhunan tyranny Of the Southern mas.
ter towards Eis slave narrowing their souls with tales
! of cruelty that were never told BEFORE and repre-.
seating nsti,r:.saa cursee to US. to God and to
all mankind. Sumner, and Seward, and Greeley, and
all that standing stGa OF the abolition leader, who.
ever he may be, have az little sympathy with the
Southern slave as on alligator has with grizzly
I bear.
The proportion CT vini:cators OF the constitution
and defenders Of Southern rights ia an small in the
North, that the abo.itionjsts in all the States, with
! two or three exceptions are .he only party. And
cc"ssG gently their avidty for office, they
s.an.y coming into collision with each other. This
state Of thn.s it may be hoped will ultimately lead
TO hc adoption nt soma oth.r is7un by portion Of
that party, as mo.e expeditions means OF advance
moni In political life. AZ yet they united in so-
! lid phslan1 But II the Union can survive the shock
| in 1850 the inssse. Of the North may begin to be
unjeceved and the ambitious party1-aders may per.
cere that the bobby they ars now riding Is ncapa-
be OF carrying them all into oi:e Uues5 there is
some sucn revul.ion in the Norhsrn mind, some
such division OF Northern strength, dissolution f
/ tae Cuiou will be witnessed within tho next ten
! years.
But Ia tho fa:s of tho institution of slavery
dependent on that OF tho Union As long
~ our rights are regarded, there Ia no dan.
ger OF secession Of he South. But when the pow
ere of thu Federal Government are 60 abused as TO
trample upon the compact between the States. and
to turn our own weapons asans. us, there will be
Southern republic. and Northern nation. So. whs-
ther the Union endures not, savery will be left to
| the accomp mpshmeut Of it's own destiny. Less than
forty Years ago, public sentiment in the slsvehod
| ing States themselves, would have justified The
prophecy Of its ultimate extinction. Its perpetuy
may nov be predicted. sud upon data, gathered from
political philosophy confederation, of interest and
| lectons OF philanthropy. Dalec.icians sages, sud
statesmen have convinced themselves, and are con.
vncing the world, that universal liberty, in it's at
tudnous sense, is chimera, moro dangerous if at.
/ II ! ~
and bring back barhsriam with all the evils and none
fthe virtues Of civilization. Political freedom, with
out conservative checks and gusrds soon runs riot,
and anarchy /. succeeded by the sovereignty Of the
sword If this be not true, then there should be no
laws relative to the exercise Of the elective franchise,
such restraining Influences as qualification for Ct.
! hce no constitutional provisions telling the people
and the representatives OF the people wha: they shal
aud what they shall not do.
The institution OF slavery s ss essential to the tx.
is,snce ofs legitimate republic, rs the laws Of
pravifation to the contrul Of the eemsn;s Of the
teral matter OF the world.
It's therefore, inseparabls from system Of self
government. Ii whiie men are 10 enjoy their nau.
raj rights, negroes must be slaves As our country
extends its territory and the popular power is in
creased, so is it atiII more necessary that slave
ry should be expanded, as a conservative coun-
teroise to the dangerous tendencies Of an improper
exercise Of the elective franchise.
rhis view OF the suhjeG; is obtaining more and
more, a. there is disposition to discard oil artificial
inequalities among men Of the race, and to al
low the power Of the people OF America, full scope
in the control Of tho country.
II slave labor is mora profitable in Louisiana than
in Maryland, il is Of course much more likely 10 DC
perpe.uated in the ous than the other. But pect;-
nary more desirable or not, this day Is not tar ds
tant we trust, when it will be considered an indspen
sable element in government, and inseparable
from Soutl s.r coil The North is already threatened
with The evils OF Red RepubcRnism.
Let slavery be extingnished in the South, and the
United States would fly from their orbit, amid the
shou,s and ieers of the enelaes of liberty through
out the world. The very fact that the slave popula
ton Of Virginia is being absorbed by the more South
e-n States il An evidence Of the durability Of the n
stitution While negroes are high here they stll
hi1her there. And though from this constant abstrac
ton they may not multiply with suhcien: rapdity tc
convince the eboiitionss that slavery la rot on the
wane with u.s. a an institution of right aud principle
is more firmly liked Dow than it has ever been, in
the hearts and minds Of the people OF Virginia. 1t Ii
rs idle to expect e1termnate negro slavery in the
Southern Ststes :s TO attempt 10 turn the tides will
human hands. or arrest the in !ts course. 1T
,,estinv, is to exist as long civilization aud self
| government lasts.
| COMMENCEMENT EXERCIsEs.-The poem
oln T.fT,r ON
burg Ps, at the naxt commencement in July, vii
oe read By VIM Cullen Bryant. At Dickinson Col
,epe Car!s!e Pa John G. Sax4 is 20 read the poem
Rev. A. NJ. Poiude1ter Of Richmond. Va, is Il
, breach the annual sermon before tine graduating
!, e,sss OF Wake Forest Cosge, n. C.. in June.