The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-11-24
SOUTHERN PROTEST AGAINST yIR
= GINIA'S VIEW OF HARPER'S FERRY.
From the Mobile Reeis,e

rfoih uc mobile Register.
NE republish elsewhere a remarkable article
from the Richmond ERqairer. We do so in
order to place upon record our unqualified
earnest indignant protest not only against the
conclusions of the writer. but against the tone
and spirit of the article We are unwilling that
such a cTacenly cutlery shall 90 before the North
ern public without at least one voice of dissent
from the South. 1t was disgraoeful enough
that the inroad of twenty-five wretched border
marauders shonld COW a town of couple of
thousand inhabitants. We smarted under the
ignominy, but could find exteuuating crcum-
stances in the paralyzing effects of panic
originating In surprise and utter ignorance of
the extent of the danger. Then it was bitter
pill 10 swallow, that Gov. Wise should praise
lif indeed, we may trust the report of his own
organ) his citizen soldiery for not having shown
the white feather while on their way TO take a
sniff Of gunpowder. But now, for a Southern
paper to 90 before the world with what the
world viii consider cowardly confession, and
what we denounce an unmitigated falsehood, is
more than we can bear.
The burden of the EnquuerS wailings is,
that the institution Of Slavery requires the as
sIstance of the General Government, that 1t has
no selfsustaining power, and that to repose in
peace and security we must needs trust TO the
stalwart arms of our beloved brethren, the fac
tory hands and mechanics of the North. " Pro-
lection (meaning Federal protection) ofSlavery
IS demanded by the blood of slaughtered citi-
zens aud the traitOrous SOutherner that dares
deny the right, is even more criminal than the
inmates Of the CharlestOwn jail" We profess
10 love the South with an ardent hearts devo-
ton. aud we feel in this moment that we love
it as the Enquirer is incapable of loving it yet
we spurn the above sentiment, as unworthy of
Virginia, recreant to Southern dignity, and in
sailing 10 Southern honor We, in Alabama,
and IN the other Southwestern States, have
more slaves than ever they had in the negro
breeding border States and not only are we
fully competent to take care Of them and keep
them in subsection but to furnish TO Virginia,
If she cannot deal with hers, arms as steady
and rifles as true as the EH9uTer'S clamors will
be likely tn get from the Federal Government
and the Northern States. We never expect to
need such aid, and would scorn TO ask for it.
Could the worst enemies of the South-could
the most frantic of Observation-Disclosures ut the
Nonh-have invented calumny more injurious
10 US than this novel plea of Gov. Wise's organ,
of the insecurity of Slavery for want of Federal
protection? Has the Enquirer forgotten how,
IN the trying days of the Revolution, the Caro-
lima planters left their homes and families under
the charge of faithful slaves-how the negroes
planted the crops while the masters fought their
country's cause? Has the Enquirer forgotten
how few Virginia slaves awaited themselves of
the royal Governors proclamation-how few
sought refuge on Lord DunmOres ships? Have
the times changed since then. OF has the En-
qHirer also forgotten the more recent occur
renee, which is so frequently its text, and where
not solitary slave joined the invaders, and
the first victim was negro faithful to his trust
w are hedrtiiySick Of this uim0Hly ,chiRiRg,
ybse fftfgJF Ike L0L,, cref.
grievances. We have hemp enough grown in the
South for all slave rebels and their white insti-
gators We have rifles and bullets enough to
protect our wives and children; and we should
fling back as an insult an offer Of Federal pro-
lection, were it made. True dignity IS 0iOldted
tn the undue importance gicen TO this miserable
rad Of telg frantic fanatics: it should have
been classed with a Baltimore riot or a New
Orleans electiOn-a heinous crime, to be sure,
but not one implying frightful danger to the
South. Yet Southern journals persist in call
ing 1t an ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in speaking of it
IN a quaking voice and trembling tones, as
though the whole social fabric of the South
were bat a magazine of powder, which awaited
the slightest spark for an irretrievable explo
sion. And such, indeed, is the impression most
industriously produced abroad, and even among
the timid souls of our section, 10y this silly,
craven pohcy-cOntempti anywhere, and
most unworthy of Southern men.
The facts upon which the Enquirer predi-
Gates its nonsensical effusion are untrue in
themselves, and their allegation intrnsically
absurd. According TO its own showing, the
slaves might run away from the border coun-
ties, yet they do not. The real cause of the
abolitionizing of Virginia, which is a fact too
sadly true, is the high price of slaves. How
many Vireinians are sufficiently selfsacri6cing
IN their devotion 10 our labor system to refuse
the 81 500 for a negro which the Southwest
can afford to pay them when they can hire a
white laborer in his place for $l2 month,
with the additional advantage of discharging
him when sick, or when there is not work
enough? Let the Enquirer and its worthy
patron who wakes so interminably eloquent
oyer the immortality of the slave trade, let them
put that in their pipes and smoke it. Like the
Chinese from their opium pufs, they may per-
haps inhale oblivion, oblivion Of the real wants
of the South, which is more slaves, and not
Federal protection for those it is fully able to
protect without Northern assistance