The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-30
THE SOUTH BECOMING CONSERVA-
TIVE.


The views expressed by Mr.. Hammond in his
Barnwell speech are making a marked impress
sion upon the Southern mind. His apprehensions
ofdangerto Slavery from the annexation of Mex
leo, seem to be shared by "a large class of in
telligent men at the South and we shall not be
surprised if Mr.. Buchaman's flibuster message
should, after all, be voted Trojan Horse. Sla-
very is growing timd. Its expulsion from Kan
sas has cooled its courage, and disinclined il to
meet the Free-Soicrs in a fair field. What it
could not accomplish on the plains of Kansas,
backed by the robust population of Missouri, it
despairs of attempting in the farof regions of
Mexico and Central America.
Under the ancient regime Of Democracy and
Whiggery, the South moved on in an uninter-
rupted career of conquest and no sooner was
a new Territory opened to settlement south of
$50 3O>, than it was appropriated by the slave
holders. But at length the daring perfidy of
the repeal of the Missouri Compromise awaken
ed the spirit of the Northern masses, and com
peeled them to organize for the reconquest of
Kansas. This they accomplished under cireum-
stances of disadvantage which are not likely to
attend similar enterprises. They now know
how the thing is to be done, and they have the
spirit and the will to do It. They now know BY
experience that Slavery is the weakest as well
as the wickedest organization of society that
could be devised and that it is no more a
match for Freedom, in the conflict for suprem-
acy, than error and wrong are for truth and
III e 1 I Al.
consciousness of their invincible strength forced
upon them by the Inscriptions aggresSions of
the slave oligarchy, and they mean to profit by
the lesson. Well may Hammond say that Mex
leo and Cuba are to the oligarchy forbidden
fruit; for while We unqual6edly condemn the
lawless filibusterism of the Presidents policy
of conquest and forcible purchase, the South,
or rather the Shareholders may as well make
up their minds that the fruit will turn to ashes,
or something worse, in their hands.
We have been led to these remarks by the
following extract from recent speech of Mr..
Reagan, member of the House of Represent
atives from Texas;
"He said that the people of the South looked
to expansion and acquisition of southern terri.
tory for security; but in this they mistaken,
and, instead OF bringing the security hoped for,
it would only aggravate the evil. This, said he,
is a question that should be carefully considered
by the South and though his views might be
at variance with the general sentiments of the
Southern people, this fact should not deter him
from expressing his convictions upon the sub,
iect, and declaring his opposition to the acqui-
sition of more territory For, upon examina-
ton of the matter, we find that, phile fire siace
! States were being added to the Union, territory
enough has been acquired to make t'centy:tfct
free .Stdtes and which cannot but become so
and it will be found that, in the territory from
which those that have been added as slave
States were formed, Slavery existed and was
protected by law before its acquisition.