Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-12-11
ExtracI from senator Hunters Letter.
THE POSITION OF The BORDER STATES.

Extract from senator Hunters Letter.
THE POSITION OF THE BORDER STATES
The question, then, for the border slaveholding
States will be, not whether the Southern States
would have been safe if all had remained in the
Union but to which division of the COnederacy they
ought to attach themselves that it was severed
I'm such an event have not the shadow of a doubt
to what ought to be the of Virginia and the
other Southern border States. If they united with
the other slave States they would confederate as
equals, and with those whose population was homo
geneOus and whose interests were identified with
their own. If they united with the North under
such circumstances they would consttutue help
less minority in an ASSOCIATION with States whose
population was not homogeneous with theirs, and
whose interests would be considered as differentiated
hostile. They would be treated interiors by the
dominant majority, and considered having ac
guessed in that position by the choice which they
had made In the Southern Confederacy they would
find an outlet for their surplus population of slaves
not only in these co-States, but in whatever Terrific
~ might be acquired by that Union. Under that
Government too, they would find etfectual protec-
ton of their property and institutions In the other
Confederacy their slave population would indeed be
spenned I'M and localized" within their own Dor
ders. The dominant party in the North looks to
this object as the cardinal principle of their assoca
ton. and they would be able TO pursue that end
without the show of opposition. This negro pop
ulation would then be penned up, not only by re-
strctons from the Northern majority, but by resric
tons from the neighboring slave States also,
who would probably hold it to be their interest
force the border States to hold on TO their slaves,
not only for political reasons but also from desire
to nterpOse an obstacle to the escape of their tug
tive slaves. What, then, would be the position of
the svehoding States in the Northern COnfederacy!
As their slave population increased there would be
a tendency to fall in wages The white laborer,
by emigration could better his condition by remov
ing where his labor more productive. but the
circumstance of his position must remain and work
for the home rate of wages, whatever it might be.
In this state of things the white laborer would emil
CRATE where he could work on better terms, and the
slave would remain to increase his hold upon these
States and become the governing element OF their
population Whilst the territory of this North
ern COnfederacy would be given to the white man,
according to their theory, the old territory of the
border slayeholdIng States would be given to the
negro. The consequence OF such process would
soon reduce to such extent the number Of whites
in these States that they would lose their only, but
slender means of defence, which they had enjoyed
throughout the little political strength with which
they had entered that COnfederacy. Indeed. how
long would it be before the non-slaveholding States
would increase to the mark requisite to enable them
to abolish slavery within the States by Constitu
tional amendment? Would they wait for that pro-
cess if they did not know to be both rapid and sure!
With the principles and feelings of this sectional
party which would WELD the power of that Con-
federacy, how long would the institution of slavery
endure in the five or six slavehOlding States which
were attached 10 that Union? Is there one Of the
ElavehodngStates that would voluntarily incur such
risk with the fate OF the British West Indies before
their eyes In Union with a Southern COnfederacy
they shoudencOunter none of these dangers In that
connection the slave population operates safety
valve protect the white aborer against an nrea-
sonable or Fuinous decline in the rate Of wages.
With outlet for emigration, The slave Is the nrst
TO move under decline in the rate of wages. The
law Of profit moves him to theatre where he will
for his master, and yet more for himself,
whilst the labor market which he leaves Is thus
gradually relieved from the pressure, and the white
man remains in the land of his birth to enjoy the
profit of remunerating operations. As proof Of
the truth of this view ask if the average rate of
wages of the white laborer of the South is not higher
than in any other settled portion of the globe?
Bnt have not done with the view of the relative
advantages Of association on the part OF Virginia
with either of these COnfedeFacles. In the South
ern Confederacy, the border States would soon de-
rive all the advantages which the nonslaveEOding,
and particularly the New England States, now de
rive from the markets Of the Cotton States.
With Virginia, this would especially be the
case. Under the incidental protection afforded
by a tariff, laid without other views than
those for revenue purposes, there would be
an unexampled development of her vast capacity
Tor mining manufacturing. agricultural ana COM
mercial production Nor would a great navigating
interest be slow TO spring into existence within her
borders Failing heirs, as she and the other border
States would do, but Virginia principally, to the
profitable occupations and rich markets Of the Cot
y.
and not rivals, and of which hitherto the Northern
States have enjoyed the almost exclusive monopoly,
their development Of all these OF material
wealth would be greater, probably, than anything
that has been witnessed in the North, or West or
East. If the Northern States are mad enough 10
throw away such advantages, in their insane war
upon slavery. to the existence of which in
stitution they chiefly owe them, would not
the madness Of the border slave States be
even greater than theirs. If they should vol
unfairly shut themselves out from such field of
adventure! But this Is not all The most profitable
commercial relations of Virginia with the South
and Southwest. The manufacturing, mining and
agricultural productions of Northwestern VIrgi- |
MIA if we look down,the Ohio. find their chief mar
kets in the South and Southwest or the Chesapeake
If we look Eastward. The great railroad connec- |
tons of Virginia almost lock the South and South
west for their profits. The connecting links of the
great Southwestern line, are so nearly completed |
that Norfolk and Richmond may be said to have |
already locked arms with Memphis and New Or |
leans. When we look to geographical position. who |
can doubt but that in separate Southern COnfeder
acy, composed of all nearly all, the slavehOlding
States there would arise in about the shores of |
the Chesapeake great commanding center of credit
and commerce. With the completion of the central |
line of roailroad, and above all. with the completion
Of the great water line of the State, there would |
grow up some city on or about the Chesapeake |
which would enjoy immense and commanding ad- |
vantagcs for the interchange of commerce, and for
over a vast filled with rich and profitable con-
sumers. Indeed, through this water line portion |
Of the great Northwest would stand towards some |
place in Virginia, as the Canadas do to New York.
But this is subject to which will barely allude,
to treat it fully would swell this letter far beydud
its proper dimensions. Suffice it to say, that for
these great advantages, we could find no COmpensa-
ton in an association with the non-slavehoding
States, where we would find more rivals than Gus
toners, and where these great interests of Virginia
would probably be exposed to hostile legislation. So
lar have dwelt upon the relative POLITICAL and ma
terlal advantages 10 be derived from an ass0cia-
uon with the one or the other of these COntedera-
cies
but there is yet another point of comparison,
winch weighs more with me than all the others. /
mean the social effects Of Union with either We
should enter the Southern Confederacy as equals.
Inc roads to honor, Office and profit would be alike
open 10 all We should enter into a government
Whose constituents are bound together by common
interests and sympahes and who treated each other
with mutual respect But above all orr social svs- |
ten, instead Of being dwarfed and yyarred mon NV
the action of the government would receive .U +Lo
assistance and means of development which Il 10 |
proper for government to render to the society |
which it represents. If it be the individual cnIt,,r
which develops the man, 1t is the social cuIirro |
which regulates the progress Of the race. Tins |
social culture depends much upon the system ofyov
eminent itself. The difference is wide between tho
measure of progress of social system when the |
government aids and promotes the one hand. or
assas and seeks to prevent its development on the
other. But what would be the operation upon the
social system of these few slavehodng States in the
Northern Confederacy? Declared to be interiors
by the dominant majority and forced by their weak
ness TO submit to the position, they could not enter
with equal chances into a competition for the hon
ors and profits of society. Who would voluntarily
place a son in such position? Humbled bv the /
stamp Of inferiority placed upon him by his govern
ment conscious that he was attached to \ political
system from whose honor he was excluded py the
of his position, and a member of
social system which assailed and dwarfed nv
his own government, then it would not be long be-
fore he would lose together with his sense of eGua
ity. that spirit of independence to which manhood
owes its chief grace and its power.
The Newspaper business.
We clip the following very sensible remarks ON |
the newspaper business from the Montgomery Id |
rertiSeT:
Few persons imagine the constant labor and .ex-
nense attendant upon conducting any kind of news
o,.s lint nsnpriallv dailies Many appear to think