The Nevada Democrat., 1858-12-22
SENATOR HammOnd ON shs stump.

/ Senator Hammond on the stump.
We have read with some interest speech OF
Senator J. H. Hammond of South Carolina, de-
liyered recently at Barnwell, in that State. The
speech was evidently prepared with much care,
and is a review Of the various political ques-
tions Of the day. 1t is entirely free from the
wholesale denuncation and senseless abuse
which characterize the productions Of q certain
class Southern politicians and yet almost every
paragraph stamps the author as 90 intensely
sectional man. He approves or dsapproves OF
measures and principles as they may affect the
interests Of the South, not as they may affect
the interests of the whole country. Any meas
ure that would benefit the South at the expense
of the North, in his opinion. would be constitu-
tional and right; while a measure that would
benefit the North at the expense Of the South,
would be unconstitutional and wrong. He has
no hesitation in saying that tne plantation
States should discard any government that
made protective tariff its policy, unless the
policy was designed exclusively to protect the
industrial interests of the South. For instance
if Congress should levy duty for the purpose
of protecting the iron interests of Pennsylvania,
the South would have just cause to dissolve the
Union but it would be perfectly right and
just for Congress to protect the sugar interests
of Louisiana.
In speaking of the Lecompton Constitution
Senator Hammond says
Through the most disgusting well as tragic scenes
Of fraud and force the Territory Of Kansas at last came
| CNaNo nth hwha
known the Lecompton Constitution, embodying slavery
among its provisions. ! confess my opinion
was that the South herself should kick that Constitution
out Of Congress. But the South thought otherwise"
After thus avowing his sentiments in regard
to Lecompton, he leaves US in the dark as to
bis reasons for voting in favor of that measure
We are left to infer however, that he voted
against his own convictions, aud against what
he believed to be just and right. because "the
South thought otherwise" He seems not to
have differed from Douglas in regard to the
original Lecompton policy of the Administra'
tion, and yet be justfes bis voting for the En-
glish bill, on the ground that Douglas and those
who acted with him voted against it.
A great portion of Senator Hammond's
speech is devoted to q discussion as TO the
course the South should pursue in order to rule
the country but should the North attempt tc
rule it would be good cause to dissolve the
Union. In fact he openly Gays that he should
favor dissolution now, were he not inspired
with the hope that the South can still remain
in the Union and control its action in all great
affairs. He seems to have convinced himself
that every thing the South may do will be right
and that everything the North may do will be
wrong. Senator Seward, judging from his
Rochester speech, has formed an opinion exact
ly the reverse. There is one error into which
Ham mond and Seward have both fallen, which
is plainly manifest in all their speeches. They
both agree that for the past thirty or forty
years, the Democratic party has been peculiar
ly Southern party, and that the party oppos-
ing the Democrats, was peculiarly Northern
party. The political history of the country
refutes this theory. In l840, President Harr
son, the Wing candidate, carried nine Southern
States, while Van Buren, the Democratic can
didate, carried only five and in 1852, Pres.
dent Pierce carried enough Northern States to
elect him had the vote Of all Southern States
been cast for his opponent.
We have alluded to this speech for the reason
that it has been extensively circulated, and re-
ceived the commendation of certain class oi
papers and politicians A Journal Of some in
fluence has asserted that "the man who car
make such speech is ct to be President" Il
intense sectionalism is qualification for Pres
ident, perhaps no man in the country is better
qualified for the position than the South Caro-
lima Senator.