Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-11-17


North are thus clearly and fully expressed in
a single sentence. The southern people. who
have been born and brought up in the arms
hih bit tile heels of their slaves, have never
sought the aid of these teachers Of the North,
and do not intend deliberate insult when
they fail to incline their ears 10 their insiruc-
tions and decline to accept their proffered
kindness. If there are any people on the
face of the earth who. by intelligence and ex-
perience, ought to be more familiar with the
ills and blessings of African slavery than any
other, they are unquestionably those OF the
sfave-holding states of America. They feel
and know this fact, and for the future as in
the past they will continue to decline. per-
emptorily, TO receive lessons from others,
which contradict their uniform experience,
however urgently those lessons may be inn
parted. or with whatever show of sincerity
and zeal they may be repeated.
These charitable iutcrferrnces and the dis
cussions they have produced in Congress and
out of Congress, throughout the South, have
placed the institution on flrmer and more
secure basis than ever before. They have
driven the people of the South TO investigate
its tenure with reference both to its policy
and its ethics, and those investigations have
resulted in the universal conviction that il is
political blessing, and in no way prohibited
by moral or scriptural law. In the outset
the Southern mind was IN doubt and confu-
sion; most persons were willing to concede
that to he well rid of il would he blessing;
that il was probably an evil, but one which
was upon them in such way and form, that il
was necessary one; that there was no p~ac-
tical mode of dispensing with it, and hence it
was to be tolerated. These were the feelings
of many eminent Southern statesmen. at the
head of whom we may place Mr.. JEFFERSON.
But these mists have evaporated-all doubts.
II may be said have been put finally to rest,
and the public mind of the South unalterably
fixed on all material questions relating to the
subject 1t is custom with some of the anti
slavery journals, and particularly with the
n. Y. Courier & Enquirer, TO asseverate in the
most positive terms, that there is widespread
dissatisfaction at the South with the institu-
ton; that the people of the slavcbolding
States are greatly divided among themselves.
There never was more preposterous error.
1t has not the shadow, nor the pretext of
shadow of truth. The pro-slavery feeling Of
the Sonth, resting on investigation, contact,
observation, experience, is warm, steady,
strong and substantially universal.
But there is another view of this conces-
sion still more important than the merely
ridiculous and contemplate attitude in which
it places the free-soil party. If the exposition
is true, Inevitable and speedy decay awaits
that party in this country. 1t can never
arouse, or cement or perpetuate a party. Let
1t hut be understood by the people at large,
of the non-slaveholding States, and the party
which commanded the support OF million
and quarter of votes, two years ago. will
fall to pieces within an inconceivably short
period 1t is contrary to reason and nature
to suppose that an intelligent and Independent
people should be dragooncd and held in the
service of demagogues for any long period,
on an issue in which they have no personal
interest. and to which, unnfluenced by the
designing, they would feel utterly indif-
ferent,