The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1857-03-28
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son, and therefore to the level of the moderate
man, who agrees with him in principle but
differs as to means and measures; but the mod.
crate man, with the single stone upon which
he stood, knocked from under him by the de-
cison Of the Supreme Court, will readily be-
come fanatic. They have both been edncat-
cd in the same sectional school, and are both
imbucd with the same ideas on the subject of
slavery -except--as the 1rshman would say
TINT one is little more so than the other.
They both hatc the South, but the one has
so far confined his enmity to an opposition to
the extension of slavery, with the belief that
it would thus soon stiae itself in the narrow.
ness OF its compass, while the other has al.
ways rallied against its existence any where
ana everywhere, rs course, a scourgc and
abominatlon upon mankind, to be ovcrthown
ana eradicated at any cost, and by any means.
Inc moderate man has always counseled
caution and prudence with perseverance; hold
ing that Congress had arbitrary authority
over the territories in relation to slavery and
that the obnoxious institution would be obitc.
rated ere long from the face of the earth, If it
could be kept ont Of the territories and con-
fined to its existent limits But now, that il
is decided that Congress has not the authori-
ty to impose restrictions upon ito intcrpose
obstacles in its pathway, and forbid full and
free exercise of the elective franchise of the
sovereign people in regard to it's adoption or
rejection-t is not reasonable to suppose that
the inbred hatred Of slavery will be quietly
quelled into Indifference or Gained down into
acqnicscence by judicial decision in oppos-
ton to the instinct. and in contradiction to
the education Of him whose forbearancc and
moderation Of animosity towards the South
are attributable to his belief in the authority
OF the Federal government to say to the
Southern people, that their institutions may
go SO fur, but that they shall go no farther
The mon who can concede such rights to Con
gress, is already prepared to become the most
interruptions, unreasonng insane fanatic on
the subject Of slavery--to denouncc the Con-
stitution as counterfeit of freedom, and to
look upon the Union as an experiment exploded |
1t is however, best that it should be so,
that the enemy should meet us manfully in the
open field, with their forces united, rather than
skulk in ambush and attack us in detaclments;
that the worst should come to the worst at
once, and that abolitionism should appear I'M
disguised, like pirate ship with the flag Of
skull and bones, rather than with an honora-
BILE ensign, as an emblem of Legitimacy and
symbol Of sovereignty.
To contend now that the General Govern
ment has jurisdiction over the domestic affairs
OF the States, that Congress has the right to
markc out the limits or to interfere with its
expansion into the territories, North or South,
East or West, is to defy the Constitution, to
repudiate the DEGREES Of the highest judicial
tribunal OF the uation, to inculcate treason, TO
defamc the guardian genius of liberty, to des-
poll our household goods with unholy hands, t
and to strike with parricidal poniard ut the {
heart Of the country. That all these outrages
upon patriotism, liberty and law, will be per-
petrated, We have indubitable evidence, in the
defence, the indignant denunciations, tn" anath-
emas and opprobrum hurled at and heaped
upon the Supreme Court Of the United States,
by the anti'savery press. Since its decision
in the bred Scott case, with the exception of :,
the two dissentient Judges, that body has
been assaed with the venom of vpers, and I
Infused with all the baldcrdash Of BiIlingsgate. I
In the insanity of their anger and agony, the
AbolitiOnsts are uttering curses deep and
loud, tearing their hair, indnlging in all sorts
d grimaces and throwing themselves into
every imaginable attitude of contorton. ?
The decision in the Dred Scott case must c
be .dnality, so far as federal Legislation on r
The institution Of slavery is concerned. The
hat has gone forth, the Constitution has been
and Congress must conform Abo.
itonsm must now unmask, and wage its war i,
are openly and above board against the gov !
rnment per Sc, or bow to its bchests and pass c
III the stage. Which alternative it will adopt, 4
I needs no seer to say. a
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TUE RETIDJNC pDrcJncvn rrho Souo. "