The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-01-20
SECTIONAL ANTAGONISTS.

Whoever directs his mind thoughtuly and disposition
aey in search Of remedy against sectional agitation
will necessarily fail until he has ascertaned clearly and
satisfactorily the of the evil There is real
antagonsm of material political interests between
the different sections When correctly viewed, those diff
ferences growing out of variety of climate SOIL produc
tons and pursuits too often mistaken for antagonsms
furnish the strongest motives for the cultivation of fra
ternal relations and hence constitute real elements of fed
eral strength instead of legitimate of sectional ea
ousy and alienation. What possible antagonsm of inter-
est can be discovered between the New England manuo
of cotton goods shoes and the South Carolina
Queer of cotton rce2 The interest of each is that the
other shall be prosperous possible because each looks
to the other for market for his products Can any
pretend to point out any antagonsm of interest between
the New York Philadelphia merchant and either the
New England manufacturer the southern planter On
the contrary the papbe interest of the merchant is that
both should be prosperous his occupation best
nerated when both best able to compensate him
for his agency in facilitating their exchange of products
We need not add that leading object of the federal
government to harmonize aternize and promote all
these interests.
We presume that rejecting mind will dissent from
any proposition we have laid down Why, them the
antagonisms2 Why do we see conventions held in the
North in which dissolution of the Union is openly advo
Gated Why do suggestions at the South for
intercourse for of retaliation squirting fearfuy
at separate independence Will New England have
better market for her cotton goods and shoes the south
States become separate and Independent republic7
Will the southern planters have better markets for their
cotton rice and tobacco if the northern States repu
dated unworthy of commercial intercourse Will the
merchants Of New York. Boston, and Philadelphia find it
their interest that the several States of the
deracy should be separate and Independent soverege
than that they should constitute confederation of Sates
None but insane enthusiast would give affirmative
any of these interrogatories Why them is
the country perpeualy at least periodically convulsed
by sectional agitatons There anagonism Of material
interests and Of consequence Of political interests be-
tween the different sections Their prosperity, as well as
strength would be best promoted by fraterna harmony
1t is apparent that we look further into the evil of
sectional agitation ascertain its root and consequently
the remedy for its correction. Whilst there is neces-
sary natural anagonism between the North and the
South far their material political interests con-
oerned there is antagonism question Of morals
the North believing that African slavery is immoral and
sinful whilst the South regards consistent with mo-
rality and Christianity As all the sectional agitation we
have had has grown out of the question of slavery
and the only antagonsm between the North and the
South to saverys in regard 10 its morality il fol-
lows that the root of the evil for which seeking
remedy to be found in the conflicting opinions to the
morality of involuntary slavery.
But why should the sections Of the confederacy be-
agtated and arrayed against each other ques
ton Of moras2 Was the federal instituted
to take cognxance of questions of morality We believe
that this in the language of the lawyers is adcaa
The amer of the federal compact occupied antagonsc
positions the morality Of slavery yet they settled the
conflict of opinion by leaving the entire jurisdiction of the
morality Of slavery to the States They went step fur
he and provided that just long any State retained
the institution of slavery the question whether it WAS
moral immoral should not be raised by the federal
government Washington and his comparots on full
gument and deberation decided that the morality i'm
morality Of slavery should not be subject within the ju
rsdicon of the federal government The patriots who
accepted the federal compact made were quito
scienous the abolitionss of the present day. I'll
worth remembering then, that the Of the days Of
Washington not exercised in their consciences be-
cause the people living in other State differed with
them TO the morality Of slavery They would just as
soon have objected treaty of peace commerce with
any foreign government which might recognise the lega