The Yazoo Democrat., 1858-10-09
FOR THE DEMOCRAT.
THE UNION vs.. THE SOUTH.

sections that many may be found, whose affec;
tions for the now hollew symbol of ouf once
happy Union SO obscure their minds and tram
mel the operations of their judgments as to blind
them to the facts, that that sentiment of national
ity so essential to the existence Of Union, is
rapidly losing its dominion over the minds of the
people, and instead of that unity of sentiment
and harmony of interest upon which our govern
ment depends, there exists state of feeling
between the people of the North and the people
Of the South, amounting to direct antagonism, if
not absolute hostility. And such has been the
rapidty of the growth of this feeling, such is its
present intensity, and SO firm is the foundation
upon which it rests, that the political philosopher
can entertain no hope of its abatement, further
than temporary reaction, consequent upon the
settlement of some issue upon which they have
been brought into contact These lulls, however,
in the tempest of sectional feeling, so far from
being any evidence of its extinction, are only
periods of rest from which it will awaken with
renewed violence, again to stil up the waters Of
political sea- as is evidenced by the increased
violence with which it has arisen from beneath
the several compromises under which it has been
attempted to be buried That of 1920 was
thought to have accomplished this end, but it
burst forth with renewed vigor. The several
tariff compromises were attended with the same
result; and from the deep grave to which it was
thought the solemn ceremonies of 1850 had for
ad ;3 ;E hut fnA hv the
mock sepulchre And is not uniform expert
ence Of the want Of permauency in these calDs in
the actions of the Northern people, extending
over period of thirty years sufficient to satisfy
the most skeptical mind that they are not the
result of any permanent change in the minds Of
the people, and bring them quietly to regard the
fact, that the days of the Union are numbered
| know that no truth forces itself so slowly upon
the minds of people, as that the government
under which they have been reared, around
which centre all their feelings of patriotism,
which is identified with all their political associa-
tons, and under whose protecting eyes the
proudest achievements of their arms and intellect
were made, has failed to answer the demands
made upon it, and must pay the penalty of its
inet6ciency. But as admirable as is this spirit
of devotion to the powers that be, displaying, as
it does, stability of character so essential to the
preservation of oil governments. and partiN larly
of a republic, yet we must not forget that to our
guardianship is entrusted the destiny of the
South and in view of that rreconcable hOstil-
ty on the part of the North to her institutions,
so fully illustrated by the history of the slavery
question, proper regard for our duty compels
us no longer to be aetuated by a desire to pre-
serve from ruin that government, which is being
converted into an engine of attack upon us. but
boldly and fearlessly to perform that duty which
our position as trustees of the interest which pos
terity has in the institutions of the South de-
wolves upon US.
Under this view of the case the question
which presents itself for our consideration is
which is of most Importance, slavery or the
Union ?-or in other words, shall we give up the
very life-b ood of the South as a peace offering
to the North, or quietly dissolve all connection
with her? In order correctly to determine this
question: We must institute comparison between
the respective merits and capacity of the two
societies and the first step in the course of
investigation is to decide which is best calculated
to promote all the combined interests of ciyiliza
tion the institutions of the North or those of the
South. These distinct types of civilization have
now existed under the same government for
nearly century, and while it is perhaps not a
sufficient length of time fully to test any social
theory, it is yet sufficient under the circumstan-
ces which surround this case, to show the nev ita
BILE tendency of each, and afford sufficient data
upon whicn to base conclusion.
From the very nature of Nofthern institutions
their tendency is to produce an undue density of
pOpul ltion, and to render its people exclusively
an urbane ore, consequently giving rise to a
spirit Of progression and speculation, incompati-
Bile with the weakness of a republican government,
and which must ultimately lead to a state OF
anarchy, thus involving in one common ruin, all
law, religion, science and society. The institu-
lions of the South, ON the contrary being exclu-
sively agricultural in their nature, necessarily
PAViiA"AV an OAooSsNc POpuluVloH' anu CIedeo q
spirit of conservatism, which, acting as a CHECK
upon the progressive influences of liberal institu
tions, are well calculated to preserve republican
government from running into those excesses o
democracy which seem to be its natural course
when not counteracted by proper degree o
conservatism. And as stability is the very foun
daiion upon which high degree of civilization
ts it follows that the institu tons of the Soutl
are more favorable t. its promotion than thos,
OF the North. In this particular, the comparison
is greatly in favor Of the South. The next stel
is to regard the strictly political phases of tn
question. After the amount of liberty that
people enjoy, the best criterion by which to judg
their Institutions is their wealth and if the ru
be correct that the wealth of the people is il
proportion to the excess of their efforts over tbei
imports, then again is the cOmpa ison in favor o
the South. Take the States Of Massachusett
and Louisiana. The imports of the former 70
the year 1850 were $SO,S74.6S4. The export
for ths same year were $40. .68I, 1888 /; leaving q
balance against her Of $l9, ,692, 1921. The imports
of Louisiana for the year 1850 we're 81 10 76O, 499
the exports lor the same year were $38, l05, 800
leaving balance in her favor Of $27, ,344 85l
Thus, while Massachusetts, would be brought il
debt to the amount of $40 400 QOl Io,,;s;on -