The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-23
w ASHINGTON. DC.
SOUTHERN SENTIMENT.

within IS pale all the ultraism and disunionism
viii q Is to be found in that quarter of the
Uni9n. We often quote, from the Southern
journals in the interest of that party, articles
IN proof of this fact; and it is but fair to pre-.
sent the other phase of public sentiment, which
is prevalent in the ranks of the opposition.
The following is an extract of letter written
by the Hon. Kenneth Rayner to gentlemen in
Delaware III October last prior to the State cleo
ton. Mr.. Rayner is large Shareholder, a
man of marked ability, and of great personal
popularity; and yet, with all these advantages,
he has chosen TO withdraw from public life,
rather than prostitute himself to the low arts
of the deInagogue, and ride into place and
power by tanning the flame of Pro-Slavery ex-
element We by no means endorse the views
OF Mr.. Rayner in reference to the formation of
a Peoples Party, but we give his letter as evil
dence that all honor and manliness in the
South has not been crushed beneath the Jug
gernaut Of Slavery Propagandism. What must
the miserable Northern services think of them
selves, after reading Mr.. Rayners manly de.
nunciations of the Kansas iniquity?
"Of course, the Locofoco presses and ora
tors all over the South will proclaim the late
Victories OF the Peoples party an AboiitiOn tri-
umph. True to their vocation of agitating the
question Of Slavery for party purposes, they
will endeayor to smother their modification by
the use Of hard words and abusive epithets.
Having lately been on a visit to PENNSYLVANIA,
II affords me pleasure to say that | did not
meet the first man who claimed the triumph of
~ -. III IL. O. e,s
very or ti-SUuthern victory. So far from it.
those with whom conversed land conversed
with hundreds) spoke of the Peoples party as
, q great conservative movement towards the
Inauguration Of an enlarged and national sys-
TEN OF policy, IN support of which all patriotic
and mon-loying men may cordially unite,
without respect to previous party ties or sec
tonal considerations. True, the issue of the
late elections involves a most decided rebuke
10 the Administration and its followers, for their
course on the Kansas question: rebuke which
was richly deserved, and which was delighted
TO see administered. This whole Kansas bust
ness, from its inception in the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise, down to the passage of
the English JiH, have ever regarded as de-
fusion and a cheat, and have so pronounced it.
1t hoiSted the food gates of agitation on dis
turblng question, which patriots had hoped
was put TO rest. 1t has sown broadcast the
seeds of dissatection and sectional discord be-
tween the North and the South Ii has for
years subordlnacd all questions of public pol
icy to one Of sectional strife and defiance. Its
author sowed the wind and he is now deserv-
edly reaping the whirkind. / fear we have not
witnessed all its evils vet. As an American
citizen and friend Of the Union was opposed
10 II IA ITS origin: as a Southern man, | de-
plOred it, because of the evils / foresaw and
ioretold 1t would entail on the South.
In regard to the institution of Slavery. con
slider the strength and security of the South TO
consist not III any abstract dogmas touching the
moral aspect of he question; or, which GER
tam school Of Southern politicians unwisely and
without authority rendered, issue to the North
ern mind-but IN the great principle of repre-
sentative government to which adverted in the
early portion of this letter, viz: That the States
are sovereign in the regulation of their internal
police and domestic relations and that this
sovereignty finds ITS expression in the legally re-
corded voice OF majority. These principles.
the very sheet-anchor of Southern security. were
violated IN the attempt to force Kansas into the
Union with a Constitution which not only her
people bad never approved, but which, it could
not be ignored, they were violently opposed to.
What dangerous position for the South! What
an insecure guarantee for the protection of the
institution OF Savery-to say nothing ofthe in
justice and moral wrong involved in the perpe-
1ratiOn of such fraud. And in the reign of
terror which party prescription has installed
over public opinion in the SOuth-those who
loved their native land too well to be willing TO
see II placed IN false position, have been re-
vlled and stlgmatized as false to It's interest and
traitors 10 It's cause.
" The SoUth was deluded into playing this
game for "a increase of political strength. and
nm a ErlfI a 1-1 ...,l
lit IS with SORROW am compelled to admit that
the South has lost most. Partisan counseis. for
partisan ends, have forced the South into posi-
lion where She Is made Ia Seem 10 be the azores
Sor. those who were instrumental in placing
her INTO this position, and i'm forcing her to fiobt
this battle from a point straIegetically so weak.
where all has been lost. have done more vital
injury, have inflicted severer wound upon
her, have more crippled her energies for fu-
lure effort, than all the ultra measures of all the
ultra AntI-Slavery men in and out of Congress
since this contest arose.
But, after all, il must be admitted. upon
calm and dispassionate review Of the whole his
tory OF the difficulty, that the South has been
more sinned against than SHINING. The Soutb
did not ask for the repeal OF the Missouri Com
promise, which was the opening of this Pando
ia box OF mischief 1t was rendered and car
ned under the pretence of boon by partisan
schemers from the North. to accomplisb ambi
tous and selfish aims. The South unfortunate
~ accepted it-not unanimously. but arainst
solemn protests of thousands of her truest and
most devoted sons and a Grecan horse il has
proven 10 our Troy, indeed. Public opinion in
The South never demanded or justified the fore
ing oi constitution on the people of Kansas
against their wishes. as was attempted in IN,
Senate bill-Or of securing It's adoption by ca
lOlpry and bribery 1vac i - II
hsh bnl-the worst measure, if possible. of the
Two. They were party measures. both sustained
and advocated 10y Southern partisans. who as.
sumed TO reflect a Fictitious public opinion.
aided and encouraged bv their party allies of
the North. And as evidence inconfestable of
the utter Observation-Disclosures and duplicitv of
these Northern party aies-nearly ali of them.
including the author of the English bill itself
have, on appearing before their constituents. re-
pudlated their own work, which they pretended
10 support as tinality, and sgnified their read
mess to take the back track. In the name of
truth. Of justice. of honor how long is the Soutb
to be caIoled. deceived. and cheated. bv these
hollow professions OF devotion to her RIGHTS
How long IS this everlasting agitation of Slavery
10 be kept up for party purposes
Public opinion IN the North as EXPRESSED
through the press and in primary meetings. nm
generously and unjustly holds the South. as n
section, responsible for all this. Their denim.
Citations are often hurled at the Sonth-tbe cant
phrase OF the slave power is frequently APP
piled 10 rs without discrimination. and tho
South as a section, held accountable for the 70.
peal Of the Missouri Compromise-for all the
wrongs perpetrated in kansas-f0r the increas-
ing agitation of the question of Slavery. This
/ repeat, is unfair, unkind-untrue II Is moi
tie South, but the selfstyed Democratic party.
that has committed these wrongs 1t is NOT
L. Il, L. Il