The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1857-03-19


ted States. As a natural consequence, Con.
gress has also prescribed that when the Ter
ritory Of Kansas shall he admitted rs n
State, 1t shall be admitted into the Union
with or without slavery as their Constitution
may prescribe at the time of their admission.
a difference of opinion has arisen in re.
gard to the time when the people Of terri
tory shall decide this question for themselves.
This is, happily, u matter of but little prac.
tical Importance, and. besides, it is judicial
question which legitimately belongs to the
Supreme Court of the United States, before
whom IL is'now pending, and will. il is un-
derstood, be speedily and finally settled. To
their decision, in common with all good cit
liens, shall cheerfully submit whatever this
may be; though it has been my individual
opinion that under the Nebraska X ansas
act, the appropriate period will be when the
number of actual residents in the Territory
shall justify the formation Of a Constitution
with II view TO its admission rs a State into
the Union. But be this as it may, it is the
imperative and indispensable duty of the
government Of the United States to secure
to every resident inhabtant the free and in
dependant expression of his opinion by his
vote. ..-r
This sacred right of each individual mus,
be preserved. This being accomplished
nothing can be faircr than to leave the peo.
pie of territory free from all foreign inter.
terence to decide their own destiny for them
selves. subject only to the Constitution of
the United States. The whole territorial
question being thus settled upon the princi
pie OF popular sovereigpty-a principle as
ont L.. f
tical nature has been decided, and no other
question remains for adjustment, because all
agree that under the Constitution, slavery iI
the States Is beyond the reach Of any human
power, except that Of the respective States
themselves, wherein it exists. May we not
then hope that the long agitation on this
subject is approaching is end, and that the
geographical parties to which it has given
birth. SO much dreaded by the Father Of his
Country, will speedily become extinct.
Most happy will IL I've for the country
when the public mind shall be diverted from
this question to Others of pressing and more
practical Importance. Throughout the whole
progress Of this agitation. which has scarcely
known any intermission for more than TWEEN
ty years, whilst it has been productive of no
positive good 10 any human being, i, has
been the prolific source Of great evils to the
master, 10 the slave and to the whole coun.
try; it has a!jenated and estranged the peo-
pie OF tue sister States from each other, and
has even seriously endangared the very exis
tence of the Union--nor has the danger We,
entirely ceased.
Under our system there is a remedy for
all mere political evils in the sound sense
and sober Judgment of the people. Time is
| great corrective. The political subjects
which but few years ago excited and ex.
asperated u.e public mind, have passed
away, and are now nearly forgotten but
this question of domestic slavery is of far
greater Importance than any mere political
question, because, should the agitation con
tinue, 1T may eventually endaager the per-
sonal safety of a large portion of our conn-
trymen where the institution exists. In that
event. no form of government, however ad.
miSsable in itself, however productive Of ma
terial benefits, can compensate for the loss
OF peace and domestic security around the
family altar. Let every Union-loving man
therefore exert his best influence 10 suppress
this agitation, which, since the recent legis.
lation Of Congress, is without any legitimate
object.
1t is an evil Of the times that men have
undertaken to calculate the mere material
value of the Union. Reasoned estimates have
been presented of the pecuniary profits and
local advantages which would result to diff
ferent States and sections. from its d;ssolu.
ton and Of the comparative injuries which
such an event would infict on other States
and sections. Even descending to this low
and narrow view Of the mighty question, all
such calculations are at fault. The bare ref.
erence to a single consideration will be cou.
elusive on this point. -
We at present enjoy free trade through.
out our extensive and expansive country
such rs the world never witnessed. This
trade is conducted on railroads and canals
on noble rivers and arms Of the sea, which
bind together the North and the South, the
East and the West -four coDfederacy. An,
initiate this trade, arrest its free progress by
the geographical lines of jealous and hostile
States, apd you destroy ihe prosperity and
onward march Of the whole and every part
and involve all in one common ruin.
\ But such considerations. important n.
they ore in themselves, sink into iusignifi
canca when NE reflect on the terrific evils
which would result from disunion 70 every
! portion of the Confederacy--to the North
not more than TO the South---tor the Eas,