Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-02

KANSAS AND THE COURSE OF THE SOUTH.
The we'll used Kansas question, will, we hope, soon
be brought to close by the acceptance Of the LIE.
compton Constitution. II has agitated the oouptry
and engrossed public attention until the desire for it's
6na adjustment is not only universal but urgent, eI
cept on the part of the fanatics of the North who are
anxious to prolong the agony for the sake of political
capital. Those true Democrats, who oppose the i'm
mediate admission of Kansas, do so we are assured,
because they have convinced themselves of the i'm.
policy and injustice of it. But while conceding to
them these motives, cannot but think that they
acting under the influence of an egregious
So far as the struggle for supremacy 10 the new
State, between the North aud South, is concerned,
there is really other practical question involved
than that which has already been decided. We re.
fer, Of course, to the maintenance Of the principle
that the people Of the territories have the exclusive
right to form their domestic institutions in their own
way. As was long ago anticipated and declared by
Southern Senators of sagacty, slavery in Kansas is
not to be expected II is true the provision In the
Constitution recognizing, legalizing and establishing
it, has been ratified at the polls by the people. And
the institution stands now as it did before the forma
ton Of the Constitution. Slavery was legitimate 10
Kansas, according to the Constitution Of the United
States before the people OF that territory ever e1-
pressed desire to enter upon the nitlatoy steps for
the organization Of a sovereign State 1t is now as
il was then. But there ia stakeholder, We
presume, who would be willing to take his
negroes there with him, under The expectation of
perpetuy Of the institution of slavery in the new
State, notwithstanding the staring fact that the or
gapio law establishes it, and that the sovereign peo
pie have themselves but recently declared in favor of
adopting and sustaining it. No other argument is
needed to convince every unpreIudced mind that
there have always been obstacles in the way of the
expansion of Southern institutions into ha, territory
permanently, which no congressional non interven
ton or exercise Of popular sovereignty could over
come. 1t proves too, that the opinions of those far
seeing statesmen, who long ago repudiated the idea
of fixing slavery in Kansas, were we'll founded
and correct. II might be asked here, why
we are 80 anxious for the acceptance OF the
Leoompton Constitution which recognizes slave
ry, II we believe the institution cannot con-
tlnue there2 How do We reconcile tb, admis
sion with the doctrine of popular sovereignty and the
Constitution which we maintain should be received
as the exponent of the will Of the people 1t is
easily answered. The climate and the products of
Kansas may be such as would enable slave labor
ordinarily to compete with free labor, but theres such
a demand for the former farther South as enhances
its relative value, 80 ss to prejudice s introduction
into territories where 10 not 80 absolutely essentially
and at the same time there is already in kansas such
IN influx of free labor, which must be maintained as
to leave little or no room for the commencement OF
practical sysem of slavery If We admit that negro
slavery is peculiarly essential to the cultivation OF
Southern soil-hat tho white man cannot supply the
place Of the blsck man n warm climate, It would be
contradictory to deny that the institution hourshss
most vigorously as it tends towards the tropics, and
sugushes as 1t is attempted to be expanded North.
ward. If we surrender one of these points,we must
yield both. And then would be obliged to acknow.
ledge that the negro is not after all nseparabe from
development Of the resources of the Souh-that be
was not designed by Deity to be savage or slave.
II there was sparse population in the North-s
dsact of labor, slavery might be carried into Kan
sas, and 1t might be made profitable there And 90
there was deficit Of labor in the South if there