Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-01-07
Stauton spsttator.
STAUNTON, VA.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY I. 1851.
Sound Southern Sense.


Qaoad E.ramiaer Of the 23rd ult an editorial
article which must commend itself TO the sooer
judgement of all prudent Southern men,
We do not of course concur iii the idea SO
prominently presented, that it is to the pemoc-
racy alone that the South can look for sound
national and conservative opinion and action
upon the slavery question; aud we must enter
our protest against the implication that there Is
among the people of The South any difference
marked by party lines, in genuine devotion to
the lust rights of the South
With these exceptions and an expression OF
our regret that the Examiner should have gwen
rather more prominence to the preservation OF
the Democracy than to the maintenance OF the
Union, we commend the article to the favorable
consideration of our readers.
Our recent visit to the South as delegate
10 the Savannah Convention enables usto add to
what has been so well said by the Examiner, the
concurrence of our own observation and expe-
rence.
s.Slave-trade" and "Free-trade" seemed to
us to constitute the staple Of the discussions at
Savannah, and any one looking upon the Con-
yention as q REPRESENTATIVE assembly would
have been apt to conclude that the people OF
the South had it in contemplation to "ruD q
muck" against all the experience and wisdom
and conservatism and humanity ofChriStendom.
1t is true that the majority OF the Convention
indicated by their r9tes, anentire disapproyal OF
all these ultraisms, but the talk OF the body
was Immensely dangerous, and there seemed to
be strong disposition to allow, If not to en-
courage. the fullest discussion of the baldest ab-
surdties.
The effect of all this was evidently to distract
and divide the body itself, and, so far as we
could judge, to prepare the way for diScOrd and
division among the people Of the South.
If such was the effect upon Southern men 1t
is fair to presume that the same causes would
tend to infame the prejudces of all those in the
North who are predisposed to Judge us untavo-
rably and to misrcpresent us; and to give ad-
ditional weight and influence to whatthey might
say, by sileueing or alternating those who have
heretofore been disposed to defend and to sus-
tain US.
In this light we were for time disposed to
view the Savannah Convention, and we began
TO feel uncomfortable in our position as men,
Der Of it.
A closer observation of the body, however,
soon removed all these unfavorable impressions,
and led US to regard such Conventions as harm
less AID in many respects useful asSemblages.
1t was not in any sense representative as
sembly. On the contrary it was manltestiy a
collection of the oddities, eccentrictles and lido
syncraeies of Southern society.
II was composed, except those drawn togeth-
err by curiosity and free tickets, of men who in
consequence of the eeeentricity OF their opln-
ions can never be found in any representative
assembly, and who, just in proportion to the
absurdity of their peculiar views, are anxious for
opportunities ITO give them forth for the en-
lightenmeut of the world-men who wage an
unending warfare against "things as they are, D
and who delight in and grow fat upon the OPP
pressions which afford them an opportunity to
growl superior wisdom ut all creation.
Tn the North, such men-and there are such
in every communitv-furnish the male members
ofWoman's Rights Conventions, and are the lead
ing spirits in all the absurdties of moral and So
eial REFORM
We of the South have been in the habit
perhaps too much in the babit-of treating the
Northern reforners as representative men and
women and it may be that our Southern CONNER
cial "a Conventions have been vouchsated to us
IS means of suggesting to US the injustice OF
such course.
At all events we rejoice In the fact that the
un-rspressnting men Of the South have now and
then a chance of Earring their yocabularies,"
and that upon this occasion they have opened
upon subjects so absurd and impracticable as to
threaten nothing more serious than getting
themselves laughed at. We rejoice especially
that as yet they leave the women at home.