Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-10-02
The Irrepressible Conflict.


The Irrepressible Conflict.
There are yarlollS forms of "lrrepressible
Conflict" doctrine, or rather various methods
proposed to accomplish the same result and
upon variety If grounds. The advocates Of
the doctrine may be classified according to the
modes in which they propose to effect, or ac-
cordIng to the motives which lead them to advo-
cate the extinction of slavery:
FIRST. There are the PhiIanthropists, includ-
ing large number Of honest, carnest men and
women, whose professions and habits of life in.
cline them towards general and abstract views
OF questions, without reference to practical diff.
tlcultles which lie between them and the &C.
complshment of their utopian schemes of mo-
raj or religious good. \ great many sincere
religious fanatics are TO be found in this class,
as headstrons, us impracticablc, and quite as
honest as John Balfour, or any monk of the
ago of the Crusadcs They lay down the pro.
position that, siarery is sin md should be
abolished, and are ready to follow this maxim
into any exit emcs TO which it may lead them.
But the religious is by no means the only, per-
haps not even the prcponleraling element
among the Philanthropists, Inlidels, Lunatics,
Socialists, Spiritualists, and thousand other
species of ilnpracticablitics; all affiliated un.
der common bond Of fanalicis,n-all equally
honest, and all equally crazy-whish make war
upon slavery. This class operates atan immense
loss of practical power because they have no
method or reason sufficient for an economical
application Of means; yet the lever with which
they opcrate-Philantllropy- cenmon pro-
perty Of religion and philosophy, O. Christiani.
ty and morality, is too powerful / one not to
effect results; and, in this instance most lamen-
table ones, sinking fair islands in The ocean, d.
viding national Churches, stirring up civil con.
vulsons, and destroying the pclce and happi-
ness OF nations
Secondly-the .Agrarians ere actively en-
gagged in Ii war upon slavery. 1t would be a
great mistake to suppose honest ianaticism to
constitute either the largest, most earnest, or
most dangerous description Of Abolitionists.-
We were Sravely told by the abolition organ
of Now York, upon the occasion oil q recent
invasion Of our State, that it was the "roice Of
Free La6or knocking at Tie dOor Of the South
ern States" Now it is well understood that,
at the South, free labor is the main support
and stay q the institution, because where the
two races approximate equality in numbers,
slavery is illc only protection Of the laboring
classes against the evils of amalsamation and
moral degradation. But when the eye Of the
Northern agrarian rests upon the fair fields of
the South, appropriated, as he is taught to be
lieve, by an aristocratic few, living in palaces
and surrounded 10y slaves, what more natural
than to knock, and knock loudly for admit.
tance: Thus while the PhilantEopist is actu-
atcd by real love for the slave he secures the
cooperation Of the .lgrurian who is no less
earnest in his hatred OF the master.
Thirdly-thcre is Il class of Political Econo.
mistS, who look to the extinction Of slavery as
the inevitable result Of the quiet workings OF
the laws Of trade, commerce and exchange
The anti-savery political economist is 4 man Of
science, and looks forward 10 the substitution
of the white by the black race in the Southern
tier of States rs the result Of fixed natural laws,
and with the same scientific eagerness with
which the Astronomer awaits the transit or
elimination Of some ight star. lie examines
each, and every census return, makes and cum
parcs notes, computes ratios of increase and de.
crease, and T,iarrcls with the laws of God be-
cause they do not verify his computations s.
The bonds Of color, and blood, and race are no.
thing to him, and like the English Metaphy-
sician nothing affects him but an abstract
idea He is rather passive in his opposition to
slavery, and only demands that the laws of Ma
ture be not interfered with by any attempts on
the part Of the white man to arrest the progress
of his own extinction, and the concentration Of
tho black race in region in every way propi-
tious for their civilization and advancement
Finally, overlooking and moulding all these
elements to suit his own purposes, comes in the
lrrepressible Conflict Dcmasogue The rep
reSentativc-man Of this class in a single sen.
tence announces the doctrine SO art(ully and
as 10 appeal at the same mo.
ment to the particular prejudice Of every other
class. He says:
at is an rreprcsS;bc conflict between op.
posing and enduring forces and it means that
the United States must and will, sooner or To-
ter, become either entirely slaVeholding ma
ton, or entirely free labor nation. Either the
cettOn and rice fields of South Carolina, and
the sugar plantations Of Louisiana, will ulti-
mately be titled by tree labor, and Charleston
and New Orleans become nartS for legitimate
alone, or else the rye fields and
wheat fields Of Massachusetts and New York
must again be surrendered by their farmers to
slave culture and 10 the production Of slaves,
and Boston and New York become once more
markets for trade in the bodies and souls Of
lnrn"
The first sentence here contains something
more than 4 bare cnnncialion of the general
doctrine that slavery must and will be abolish
ed; the potico-ecunou,cal abolitonist finds
himself excellcd in the enunclation Of his own
dogma by the point and terseness of Stewards.
In the second sentence the fields Of the South
ire held up to the eye Of the agrarian, warm
and purple with the rich bounty Of her own
sun; and in its conclusion, the phllanthropist
ofcrery hue finds hcart.appeal which he can
not resist. Thus does the drmagogue seat him
self, as it were, at the head OF sensation, and
hrll the nerve of every faction at the same
lie acts thinks, and feels for them,
points their efforts and centraixes their forces.
lie heals their dissensions about means, in uni
ing them upon the end--the ultimate extinc.
ion Of slavery The war upon its extension
5 but one development Of the deep seated hos
lity to its existence, and il is in this view that
he present issues assume an Importance to
which ;ntrinsicaly they may not be entitled