The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-10-12


time, found a more genial soil in Virginia
Than in the rugged regions of New Eng,
land The thrifty men of New England
in those early epochs Of our political his
tory. had learned the value OF commerce
even in slaves, of the fisheries, of the car
ryrng business foreign and domestic, of
trade generally, Of the revenues of govern
ments, as sources of wealth, and fixed
their views, and regulated their actions,
more by n consideration of those subjects
io all their dealings with their contede-
rates. Slavery had too recently been
quite universal 10 the colonies, and the
steps taken for its abolition in some Of
them were too universally known to have
originated in mere consideration of in.
terest, to allow the unsr rectulative multi
tude to have any fantastic notions on the
subject. IL was later when these notions
were taken up-when the question of
slavery because more clearly involved in
the same question Of power. Hence we
find that one of the esries: and most i'm
portant sources Of trouble arose from con
sideration Of the "back lands" as they
were called-the unsettled lands OF the
West. Some of these States possessed no
such lands-others very little, while a
third class was very richly indowel in
this respect Among these, Virginia was
chief, with &c eorga and the two Caronas
1t was insisted tina: the boundaries ofsuch
States should be restricted that the "back
lands" should be surrendered to the Uni
tea States, AS property in common; and
that the money arising from the sale of
them should be held rs common fund
TO be applied to the debts of all alike
The demand rested on various reasons,
but the cession became necessary TO ap.
pease the jealousy, to quiet the distract.
ing Glamour, "lo dispose Of the disturbing
clements OF the times" which clearly put
the Federal Union in jeopardy. The pro
pretary States yielded. Virginia in 1854
endowed the United States with that vast
and fertile region northwest of the Ohio
River. In 1887 South Carolina, ceded
her claims, aud after the adoption Of the
present constitution, North Carolina and
Georgia followed the example. Virginia
by her cession not only filled tho common
Golfers with much needed treasure, but
added to the power Of tie North five free
soil Statcs--that grand tier Of lake States
which hand like storm clouds on the bnr
der instead OF bright harbingers Of plutu-
al b~u"ficeuce, and enduring peace.
Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama re-
suited hom the cesSion 10y the other three
S;a'es. II is true that New York, Mas
sachusctts, and Connecticut did also exc
/ "a nF l.t,, Al la.
money, il any, was comparatively small.
whi.c Connecticut ceded only her lurisdicr
lio";I q i'm 10 the western reserve" and
retained her interest in the soil The q,
mount Of money received by the United
States from the sale OF the lands ceded
by the southern States, has been estima.
ted at nearly $l50.00O.00O. Thus it
will appear that the South from a devo
ton to "A federal union in the beginning,
and disregarding all selfish purposes,
whether Of interest or ambition, gave to
the otEer States not only the means to
grow rich on our ruin, but also the power
to destroy our peace.
After some thirty years the Union was
again deliberately put in jeopardy by n
combination of motives, and the South
again required 20 save it At no small sac
rlIice. How the South responded the Sc
qael will show.
The Constitution having been adopted,
and the new Union formed the United
States started afresh, on a career OF un.
paraIeled success. Necessary and sue
cesSful wars were waged, and new Terri.
tories acquired by treaty with France
in 1903, they acquired the Colony or
direction from the Gulf to the Pacific
Ocean. The third article OF this treaty
expressly stpulates that the inhabitants
shall be protected in the free enjoyment
Of their property. 1t will be remembered
that, at the time Of the treaty, slaves were
property in this Province and slavery
was recognized and protected, everywhere
in the Territory, by the local law. Thus
matters stood the Government perfor
ming its duty, and going on "eli, until
1910, when Florida, another Colony
which recognized and protected slavery by
the local law, was acquired. This pre-
sented a dilemma /; two Territories, one oi
Immense extent. with slavery in them, re.
eognized and protected by the local law ;
up to that time, the two sections had pre-
served, in the number OF States, an almost
periec, equilibrium, and so far, no distinc,
ton bad been made in the admission OF
save'ho!ding and non'slave'holdind States
They had come in pari pdSsa. But i'm.
mediately, in the state Of affairs presented,
the old jealousy Of increased power 10 the
South was aroused for, as yet the con-
trolling doctrine Of climate had not been
discovered. The inhabitants Of two Ter
ritories presented their petitions, to be al.
lowed to form separate States, and be ad-
milted into the Union. One was Maine,
carved out i the Territory Of Massacsu.
sets the other, Missouri, from the Lou.
siana purchase. These applications were
made, in the same month, December,
1912 and they were alike entitled to ad.
mission. They we've allowed to form their
State Constitutions. One admitted sls