The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-10-13
SENATOR CHEsTNUT's SPEECH.

The New Yo:k If,nes, in co,nm.ntinp OH tho
growing conservative sentiment ut the South.
makes the following observations
Senator Chesnut, Of South Carolina, IN n
recent speech Of which we give extracts. has AL
20 taken ground against any intervention 3f Con
gress on the subject, and also against the power
ot the Territorial Legislature to act upon it. He
insists that the whole subject should be left to
inc courts, and that it IS their duty, under the
Constitution, 10 give the same protection 10 slave
property as to any other.
These speeches aud letters indicate the
growth OF comparatively conservative party
a1 the south, which proposes 10 longer to sur.
render the political control Of that section to the
u!tralsts and dsunioniSts who have hitherto given
oi!ecuon 70 It's political activity. In common
with all wiser and more influential public men
who have spoken upon the subject at mll, these
gentlemen all unite IN. denouncing the move.
ment Tor re-opening the slave trade, RS fatal in
policy and wrong in principle. MIR. Walter does
not hesitate to brand it as aiming ct dis,niop.-
tn almost every quarter entitled to respect, it
has been discountrDanced and repudiated
The character Of the coming Presidential
contest, in our judgment, depends entirely upon
tie attitude Of the South. Senator Chestnut
deals III gloomy forebodings, aud predicts that
the Northern seciionalsls will push the anti.
slavery issue more sharply than ever before, and
partments Of the Federal Government. and Ger.
tain to Use them for the destruction Of the South.
ne states very strongly the numerical SUPERIOR.
~ OF the n Northcrn States over the Southern, and
says there is no possibility that the eounlity be-
tween them will ever be restored. Under the
most favorable circumstances, even il Sonora
Lower California, new Mexico, Arizona, and ths
territory west of the Arkansas, should become
slave States. the North will stiIlh We twenty.six
and the S1nth but ttwenty-whcn all The ayaia.
Ole States shall have been admitted lie uu,ici
Pa'es, therefore, continuation Of aII these free
States against the South. This depends, us wa
have often said, upon the policy and temner of
the Southern States themselves. The iree States
are not naturally "fanatical" ;" or even zealous, ON
the subject of slavery. They hav. never shown
any special interest IN the question, except when
they have been goaded to It by the ultra and
reckless action Of the South. They could never
have shown so much union am, strtngll, unon !,
asthsy did in 1856, but for the repeal Of Tho
Missouri Compromise, the crusade OF fraud and
violence against Kansas, and tie brutal attack
upon Mr. Sumner. Any o,e of these acts was
enough to arouse the indignation Of anv COM
inunity not utterly lost TO sef:respect If the
SSon,h; chooses to give US kindred prnvocations
again, they will undoubtedly be induced w,,I,
slnilar fesults. H. they permit their fanatics IN
eontroltheir action, aud commit the Sout:, to The
scheme Of a congressional slave code and 10 ra.
$sGPeiidg the slave trade, they will unauesliona.
,bly SEQ the tide of Northern resentment sweI,
5still llhigher than it did liz 1856 But If ,he ron.
seryhtive portion Of their people will take The
!, political affairs Of the country into their own
s.hends, they can ousily disarm Northern section.
alisfn Of the only weapons which nuke II form.
slida6les The question will be substantially deei.
sEded South in The Charleston Con vention."
q WxsHfEaroH, October 5.--Lord Lyon, the