Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-10-31
WHAT A SOUTHERN MAN SAYS.

| Ex-Governor Francis Thomas, of Mary land
who In times gone by the democracy of tha,
state dellghted to honor, recently delivered a
| speech at Hagerstown, in which he handled the
disunionists without gloves. He denounced
In the severest language the conduct of those
mlschieyous political agitators, who threaten
to break up the confederacy because the ma
Jority of the people will not submit to their
dlctation. Like Sam Houston, Governor Tho
mas is in favor of the Union, and is willing
to fight for it should the folly of the Seces-
slonists render such service necessary. In
the course of his remarks, this old-fashioned
democrat said
ssThe principles of the Secession party ori-
ginated with John G. Calhoun, who was defeat
ed for the Presidency, and then resolved to
break up the Union. They had now withdrawn
under the lead of Yancey and Rhett, who boast
that they are for dissolution, There are many
men of this character in the South who desire
the re-opening of the slave trade, which they
know they can never obtain within the Union.
s'The shareholders have already more rights
than any body else. They are few in number,
and yet Congress wasted all the time in dis
cussing their interests. He thought that the
rest of us had some rights, too. and that it was
time to turn our attention to internal concerns.
1t was ungenerous to cry disunion, when the
South had gotten all she could ask Disunion
was q remedy for iusurrection and abolition
plots. If these could arise inside the Union,
they wonld happen tenfold more frequently
without. Maryland had stood by Jackson in
1888, and she would declare against nullifca-
tion and disunion now. Our government is a
consolidated government, and was intended to
endure forever. Under the Old Articles of
Confederation, a State could ratify or annul
an act of Congress-. The new Constitution
was framed to correct this deficiency.
ssWe have nothing to fear from the election
of Mr.. Lincoln All formerly stood upon this
platform. None ever doubted the right of
Congress to legisiate for the Territories. He
cared not what mans abstract opinions were
we had many free-soilers in the Presidential
chair. Jefferson was rank free-soiler. Mad
ison and Monroe were both free-soiIers. He
knew Mr.. Fillmore well and better Presi-
dent we never had.t Mr.. Fillmore would have
responded, Yes, to every question put to Mr..
Lincoln. Mr.. Clay was an out and out free
soiler. $50 help me God, said Mr.. Clay, $50
help me God, will never vote for the admis-
sion of slavery into any Territory where it
does not now exist .''5as- a54
This, it should be remembered, is the Ian
gvage of Maryland STAKEHOLDER. How nobly
it contrasts with that adopted by the two-pen-
ny panic mongers, who are now attempting to
frighten the people into the support of their
fayorite candidates.
A SENSIBLE SLAvEHoLDER.-A MARYLAND
farmer, who owns fifty slaves writes to the
Baltimore Patriot arguing against the profita-
bleness of slaveholding in the State. He
says :-"Does the income we receive from our
slaves repay US for the depreciation of our
property The cash value of the corn. wheat
and tobacco crops of Maryla land in 1850, at
present prices, would be about $l4, ,905, 1903
the slaves on farms were 65 500, or about one
fifth and fraction of the agricultural popula-
tion their proportion of the crops made is
$3,726, 1876 set down their expenses at $50
each, it comes to 3,475, ,450, almost as much
as they make. The cash capital they repre-
sent, is S30,000,0 900 CT more. Who will call it
capital well invested? This calculation may
appear exaggerated, yet it is fairly drawn
from our State statistics, and the experience
of very many OF our own Shareholders will
pronounce it rather under than over stated.
If then, Judge slavery by its iDpoverishing
effect on my own State. must look at it as
inmical to the best interest of every civilized
society. This might be construed into an
sentiment by those who do not bear
in mind that L speak as political economist,
and not as q phlanthropist. Taking the negro
as we now find him in America and Africa, !
think he has gained more by being slave, |
than we by being his master we have, in a |
measure, developed his moral qualities, where
as he has served to check education with us. |
Take, for example, the first State in the Gen. |
sus Book that approaches Maryland in popula-
ton. New Hampshire, in 1850, out of a pop
ulation of 81, ,450, exactly 900 less than !
Maryland, had SO, l48 attending school, and |
2, ,958 adults who could not read Maryland |
only 60,447 attending school, and 2O,Sl5 who |
could not read We know that the Colonies |
protested against the first introduction of sla-
very, and although we cannot pretend to faith |
om the designs of Providence, humanity speak
ing, 1 cannot help thinking that, had we then
been strong enough to resist it, as we did, at
4 later period illegal taxation our birth would
have been more glorious, and we would now
be more populous, more prosperous and more
nnited.''