The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-11-10

! not because she will be a free State, but
because fully approved of the prohibito.
ry clause Of. the conference bill, and for
that reason voted against the admission
OF Oregon. Unless in exceptional cases,
such AS that of Kansas was last wiuter,
do not think that State should be ad
mitted with less population than would
entltIe her to a member of the House.
1t Is not just to the other States, and is
not consonant with the theory of our gov
ernment.
ut will not detain YOU longer with
what belongs to the past. The present
and The future are what concerns us most,
You desire to know my opinion of the
course the South should pursue under
existing circumstances. will give YOU
frankly and fully the results of iny obser
walton and reflection on this all ll-important
point. The first question is, do the peo
pie Of the South consider the present
union of these States as an evil in ITSELF
and thing that il is desirable we should
get rid of under all circumstances There
are some, | know, who do. But am
satisfied that an overwhelming majority
oi the South would, ii assured that this
government was hereafter to be conduct
eel on the true principles and construction
OF the constitution, decidedly prefer to
remain in the Union, rather than incur
the unknown costs and hazards Of setting
up separate government | think |
state What is rue when | say that, after
all the bitterness that has characterized
our long warfare, the great body of the
southern people do not seek dlsunion, and
Will not seek 1t rs primary Object, how
ever promptly .hey may accept it as an
alternative, rather than submit to uncon.
stItutional abridgments of their rights.
confess that, for many years of my life,
believed that our only safety was The
dissolution of the Union. and | openIy
avowed it ! should entertain aud with
out hesitation express the same sentiments
now, but that the victories we have schie.
we'd and those that think we are about
to achieve, have inspired me with the
hope, may say the belief, that We eau
fully sustain ourselves in the Union and
control It's action in all great affairs. IL
may DC well asked how | can entertain
such views ard expectations, when within
these few years the South has lost her
equality i'll the Senate, and the free States
have at length decided majority in both
Houses OF Congress, while this unfortu.
nate Kansas contest has swept into their
pohlcal graves so many of our ancient
friends IN those States, that it may be
doubted whether they have at this mo.
ment, after the recent elections-the finale
OF the disastrous Kansas ator;iou-a ma
Jority III any single one OF them and
there seems 10 be at present no prospect
of our extending the area Of slavery in
amy quarter.
These facts are true and if YOU will
bear with me, | will place them all in the
strongest light can before you-tor it is
OF the utmost importance that We should
at least see clearly how we stand, and
what are our resources, in order TO form
AN idea Of what We can do, and how a.
void wasting our strength OH what can
not be accomplished. The equality Of
the free and slave States has long been
lost III the House; by the admission Of
California 1t was lost in the Senate. Since
then another free State has been admit
ted, and another yet has passed the Sen.
ate, and in few Years more we shall
have Kansas, Nebraska, Washington,
New Mexico, and perhaps others on our
roll. The immigration from Europe to
the North is sufficient TO form one or
more new States every year. To the
South there is literally no emigration
We have, since the closing of the slave
trade, added 10 our population mainly by
the natural increase OF our people, and
we have no surplus population, white or
black, TO coioDize new States. We lost
Kansas partly by our inability TO colonize
it, and we are perhaps yet to have strug-
gle Tor portion of Texas. The idea,
then, of recovering the equality of the
two sections, even in the Senate, seems re
mote indeed. We have it proposed to
reopen the African slave trade, and bring
in hordes OF slaves from that prolific re.
gion TO restore the balance. once enter.
tanned that idea myself, but on further in.
Vestlgation | abandoned it. | will not
aow go into the discussion Of it, further
than 10 say that the South is itself divi.
ded on that policy, and, from appearan
ces, opposed to it by vast majority.
while the North is unanimously agains,
it, 1t would be impossible to get Con
gress 10 reopen the trade If it could be
done, then it would be unnecessary, for
that result could only be brought about
by such an entire abandonment by the
North and the world of all opposition TO
our slave system, that we might safely
cease TO erect any defences for it. But if
we could introduce slaves, where coald we
find suitable territory for new slave
States The Indian Reserve, ives, OF
Arkansas, might make one. But we
have soIemnly guaranteed that to the
remnants of the red race. Everywhere
else, believe, the borders OF our States
have reached the great Gesert which sep.
arates the Atlantic from the Pacific
States of this confederacy. No where il
African slavery likely to flourish ia the
little oasis Of that Sahara of America -