Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-06-09
THE NORTH.

Until within the last few years, the United States
were regarded by foreign nations great homo.
geueous and harmonious Republic, without refer.
ence to separate sections aud, indeed, in utter igno
rance of the existence Of any nimca feeling between
the North and South. But of late, owing t.
the continued agitation Of the slavery question
through the fundamentally of abolition aggression
the dissolution of the American Union is sub.
iec Of consideration elsewhere than within the limits
of this country. And it is 10 be charged upon the
North, that there is danger of so direlul an event.
We say Tie North, but we are far from meaning to
mpute to all the people of that section of this country
disposition to pervert the Government and destroy
the Union. II is source Of ineffable regret, to
every patriotic American citizen, that the unity OF
this nation has been impaired and is still seriously
threatened, by the traitorous eforts of fanatics to
render the Constitution subservient to their own pira.
tlca! purposes against the institutions of the South
And when the history Of this intestine division OF
feeling and sentiment among the American people,
shall have been written, and read by posterty, whe.
ther its concluding chapter shall record disruption
OF the Union, or glorious triumph of the conserva-
tive sense of patriotic people, the universal yer.
diet of the world will be that the North the
of it all.
In the non .sIavehoIding States the institution Of
slavery is neither appreciated nor understood A
majority of the people are educated to consider the
South, socially, morally and ndustrially degraded
by it, And there not wanting sells demagogues
to inflame the popular mind with terrible tales ofty.
ranny, suffering and woe, that have been conjured
up by their i'm iginstious, that they may be he
roes advocating he cause Of down.trodden humani-
ty Those the men of the North upon whom the
responsibility vi the existing danger rests.
Ii is for the South TO protect and preserve those
principles of liberty beautifully and clearly e1-
pounded by the Constitution; and for the North 10
save tho Caion or destroy it. While the abolition
lists have tremendous majority among the Northern
people, there is still in every State party Of patriots
who uphold the rights of the South, and neither
ask nor give quarter. It is not unnatural that the
Northern mind should be prejudced against an insli.
tuition which IL Sd monstrously misrepressnted-
And hence the hope that those whose errors are only
the result Of Ignorance and imposition, may yet be
convinced by argument aud exposuns of the true
state and mission of slavery that they are wrong and ice
are right Not very many years ago there were South.
of the purest of our patriots and sblest
Of statesmen, who had serious doubts of the jus.
tice and proprety of negro slavery. But the subject
has been auayzej argued and examined in every
possible point of view; and there are none who
understand it, who do not religiousy believe
/, to be An institution with the endorsement
of Divinity and & blessing both to the
master and the slave This the effect of investgs.
ton and reason. And may not indulge the hope
that intelligence is disseminated in the North on
this subject, there will utimstely be revusion
of sentiment in that section alsol We will not deny
that there is little in the present aspect of affairs TO
encourage such an anticipation. But sti like an1
ous attendants upon the d.a'h.bed, who hope while
there il life, We will not despair of the Union until
the whole North is ecpsed by the Abolition cloud.
And ss the danger OF dsunon increases the more ca
gsrly DO we look to the North for some cheering sign.
The South we lrust is safe from any such division
in her ranks will lessen our strength in the next
Presidential contest. And it remains for the sup-
porera of the Constitution and the Union in the
North to push ,heir column" in every State, and
prepare, ii possible, to crush out fanatcisn forever
in 1861.
The local and State elections 10 the North since
November highly gratifying; the Democracy
have not only held th.ir ground but they have
achieved victories, which they had little reason to
ex pect from the results in November.
There hosts of honest, patriotic aud conservative
men in the North, who have not yet quailed before
the fire of the enemy. And it is to them that tue
nation now looks, to turn the tide of fanatcism. and
preserve the Union by securing the rights Of the
South