The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-03
THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.


mind in the Southern States was far from haV-
| inc taken ON that tone of defiant, resolute hos
tility to emancipation which it has since as
| sumed The thoughtful minds of the South
were beginning TO consider the relation OF Sla-
very 10 the social and political welbeing Of the
communities where it exists, and to study the
possibility of remedy for what was almost uni
yersay felt to be an evil. How greatly all this is
| changed, every days observation sufices to show,
and the change has been perfectly natural and
| inevitable The clamor and pressure of Abo-
| lition was hostile movement, menacing to the
peace, and offensive to the pride, of Southern
| States 1t was resented and resisted such,
and thousands of men who had previously been
| friendly to emancipation were compelled, when
| they found themselves beset by this new peril,
| to abandon their ground, or at all events fore
90 all open efforts for its maintenance. Instead
of being left to work out their own social prob
| lens for themselves, the Southern States found
! themselves compelled to assume the attitude OF
selfdefence. And from that time to this, they
| have found it perfectly easy TO stihe every at
tempt to discuss the Slavery question upon It's
merits at home, by connecting it. however I'M
! Justly, in the public mind with this hostile cru
SADIE from without. Emancipation in Missouri
would be a very easy matter, but for this I'M
fortunate feature of the movement.
| The very best thing that could possibly be
done towards the abolition of Slavery, would be
| for the North TO stop talking about it. Ten
| wears of absolute silence would do more than
4 fifty of turmoil and hostility, towards peace
! full removal of the evil-Ne'c York Times.
The writer of the above no doubt fatters him.
self that he has spoken the language of wisdom
and moderation; whereas, he has only fallen
into the time-honored twaddle of the " Northern
men with Southern principles"
In the first place. the idea of the North " not
talking about Slavery for ten years" presents
in a nutshell the absurdity of the reasoning
which precedes it. If it we're possible for IF
teen millions of intelligent people, endowed
with perfect freedom of speech and of the press,
to live in Confederacy with States tolerating.
and endeavoring to extend an institution such
as American Slavery, without ever presuming
to discuss its merits, then, on such a SUPPOSE
ton, there might be some wisdom and good
sense in the remarks of the Times But mas
much as such a supposition is not admissible
| by any rational being, we think that moments
reflection must satisfy the most inveterate enc
my of "agitation," that the ceusures of the
Times are as idle as if they were directed
against the rigors of the North wind.
Agitation and discussion are necessary con-
sequences of freedom of speech. They are in
evitable while liberty remains to the people and
the only way TO prevent them is by overthrow
ing ibety, and establishing despotism, such
as that of Austria or South Carolina. These
must be model Governments in the estimation
of the Times, since they have suppressed agita-
ton not merely for ten years, but for time i'm
memorial.
We say nothing Of the inconsistency of the
Times which, during the last ten years, has on
more than one occasion agitated the Slavery
question with considerable vigor. 1t has now
gone over to the enemy, and we meet its argu-
ments as we meet those Of the lifelong cham
pions of Slavery. We may remark, however, that
the position assumed by it in the above para
graph indicates no halfway conversion. The
Times insists that the very best thing that
could possibly be done towards the abolition of
Slavery would be for the North TO stop talking
about it."
---Aetjp&AnJhis nEisSiple the &eEJtIAa saeBd nat
Mr. Douglas proposed in 1854 to repeal the
Missouri Compromise. To do so, would inevi-
taby involve the "agitation fthe Slavery ques-
ton" No man could pretend to be in favor of
Slavery restriction without acknowledging him.
self hostile TO Slavery He would be met by
denunciations for holding unjust and unfounded
prejudices against the extension of Southern in
stitutions and these denunciations would con-
strain him 10 give his reasons for his opposition
10 ha al i
the Slavery question.
The leaders of the Black Democracy now
propose to confer upon Mr.. Buchanan the power
to invade Mexico and Central America. The
object is known to be conquest, with a view TO
the extension of Slavery. They propose to put
thirty millions of dollars in his hands to be paid
down by way of earnest to Spain, in the pur-
chase of Cuba-the object again being to
strengthen Slavery in the Federal Government.
! No man of common decency would pretend to
| dispute. that the design of these monstrous
propositions is Slavery extension and perpetual
ton. But, upon the wise and conservative
counsel of the Times, the true motives which
actuate our corrupt rulers must not be- pointed
out, because it will involve the aritati the
Slavery question If we really wish TO see Sa.
very abolished, according to the Times, we
must not say word against these reckless and
unconstitutional measures for its extension
Suppose the people of the North, acting upon
the advice Of the sirens who sang peace in
| 1854, had silently acquiescod in the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise, suppose they had
| predetermined all discussion of the danger of ex-
tending Slavery, and all efforts to organize
emigration, will the Times undertake to say
that Kansas would nevertheless have been a
free State? Or will that journal insist that the
extension of the system will tend to its anchor
alton and final extinction?
The counsel of the Times is not unlike that
of the disguised wolf to the shepherd, that if he
would only chain up his dogs, his sheep would
| roam in safety over the fields; and that the
clamor of the dogs only served to keep the
wolves on the alert.
The Times sagely remarks, that &" if expert
ence proves anything, it proves that the aboli-
ton movement has retarded emancipation, and
increased the evil it sought to remedy" And
again; Emancipation in Missouri would be
very easy matter, but for this unfortunate fea-
ture Of the movement"
There are hundred thousand slaves in Mis-
souri,, worth about seventy-five millions of dol
lars. The Times thinks that this little pecunia-
~ obstacle would vanish in a moment if the
Northern people would cease to talk upon Sla-
very We will venture to assert that every
% Northern man with Southern principles liv-