Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-09-21


But suppose the territory be equally adapted to
white labor and TO ck,-then comes thc ruo'
YOU will say. Urdcr the DOUGLAS theory, white
labor and black commence on an equality anu
contend on m equality until territorial orsah'-
zation is granted by Congress. Say that tins snal
take place when the territory numbers lo,oe' IN
babitants. Soon thereafter, undor the DOUGLAS
theory the question Of slavery or no slavery may
come up before tho territorial legislature. II
black labor he then i'll helpless minority. white
labor may proceed to secure the territory. Ii
white labor be in the minority, black labor MIL
SECURE it. Nuw We put these practical points: If
black labor succeed up to the day OF territorial
organization, docs it not win State unuer inc
DouGLAs theory more easily than without the
theory? Again, il white labor be predominant
UP to that day. is it to he expected, With the I'M
meuse advantages Of surplus population enjoyed
by the North, that black labor eau ever again get
the upper hand: And if not, what practlcnl
difference i, there between restricting the instu-
tion then, and furnishing it afterwards when the
population reaches sixty or eighty thousand ana
the territory becomes Safe! 1t has been saia
that the effect Of tho theory is to discourage
Southern emigration. We think the effect rather
would be, 10 encourage it where slavery could be
made really proHtnble,-in the Indian Territory
f,r instance Missouri, Arkansas and Texas, with
the aid Of the other Southern States, and with the
mid of the institution already established there,
could certainly retain the asccndcncy i'll that ter
ritory until (under the DOUGLAS theory they
could establish the Institution and guard it with
all-sudirient enactments. If they could not do 1t
Mt first, surely there would be no chance OF their
doing it afterwards. Hence, it would feem that
the DorcLAs theory should act ms very powerful
incentive in just such case rs the Indian Terri-
tory The difficulty ut the South is to supply
sufficient number Of emigrants,-pro-slavery eni-
grants-to CONTROL the territory in its transition
to State Sovereignty. TIE DOUGLAS theory offers
the opportunity to decide the matter before that time
arrives. IF the South is ever to acquire more ter
ritory, it would really Sc, that here is presented
the readest and mcst efectual means Of her doing
So She has not much population to move in that
sort of an enterprise; but such as she has, could
with a little true zeal and spirit be moredquckly.
Will you say she must have timo? We answer,
she cannot get it. What she does, she must do
Quickly. The North will not delay, and the South
therefore cannot delay if she wouldn't Dispatch
is the order of the age. The best time the South
can ask is before tho territoryis organized. That
is the most leisure period she will find. After
that the territory springs inton State like Minerva
=
from the brain of Jupiter. After that, if she is
not ahead of the North then, she may never hopo
to be- But it is here again demurrod that the
Douol,s theory Mt least discourages Southern
emigration in all doubtful territory, that is, in all
territory where both white aud slave labor may be
profitable and where il is doubtful which will pre-
vail Admitted. But is that dscouragement any
greater than the present recognized certainty, that
slavery may and can be abolished (but n little
willie afterwards) when the territory enters upon
the functions of Il State To hcuI the evil of dis
couragcmrnt you must go bnck and demand that
no future State shall prohibit slavery. Short Of
this remedy, thure is hut little practical difference
between the theory of judge porcLAs and the
territorial system rs understoodby us of the South
But, for one, we cschew the wrong even though
We think there Is as much Of guud as Of evil to the
South in its practical bearings. Vel, under all
the circumstances, We cannot consider the wrong
80 moasrvus rs to call down upon the head of its
cxpouuder either the epi;het Of traitor or OF dcn-
agoguc. We chcerfuly a'luw to Mr.. DorGLAS,
until he shall shew himself the opposite by worse
promulgations than he has yet made. the credit of
actinr az n patrUt in what be has done.