Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1860-04-07
From the Philadelphia Evening Journal.
THE war CLOUD ON OUR SOUTH
ERN BORDER.

o'AAhA'iSAy sAO SOuIo0 VI HN1IIdiI 81
fairs, falling out in accordance with
the Divine will, anticipates ano
nulliies the miserable: plans ano
calculations of cabinets and parli'
ments! 1t has been truly said tina
man proposes but God d;sposes
Here we are disputing and wrang-
ling about the extension or non
extension of slavery in the Federal
Territories, while upon our extreme
southwestern border events are now
taking place which, probably, in
their ultimate issue will Illustrate
all the purposes Of politicians and
the resolutions of Legislatures. The
Texas frontier is invaded by bands
of Mexican m%arauders, whom their
Government, in its distracted and
disorganized condition, cannot con-
troll, and the people of Texas are
arming and rallying to defend their
soil against predatory i~acurs:ons.
A border war appears imminent
and unavoidable. The Federal Ad-
m~inistration, which has been a2-
pealed to in this crisis by the Exc
cutive OF Texas, seems to be either
unable or unwilling to avert the
threatened conflict. We are about
tobe favored with an other instance
Of the indequacy Of our military
force for even the purpose Of de-
fence. 1t is too late to extemporise
armies for the impending exigency.
Events, now rapidly ripening to a
head, viii not wait for the tardy
measures Of a temporising Govern
ment. While we are debating about
a treaty with a State that is hardly
in a condition to be treated with,
its outlaws waging an irregular
war upon our people and precipi-
tating a catastrophe which arms,
and not pacific negotiations, can
settle. In a word, it seems as if a
preordained conflict Of races for
territorial empire is about to take
place on the Rio Grande, and that
events have so shaped themselves
in anticipation of it as to render it
a struggle for permanent conquest
and domination, rather than one
which diplomacy may compromise
on any other terms. Such a war,
should it come, could not be attri-
buted to the encroaching spirit of
slavery. 1t would be a defensive,
and an aggressive wal on the part
Of the United States, or the State
of Texas, shonld be left to take care
of herself, in this emergency. But
can any one doubt the natural and
inevitable consequence ofterritorial
acquisition below our present South
ern borders Would not slave la
Dor extend its area by such con-
quest2
What power could put an afec-
tual restriction upon its expansion
in the directions in which it IS in
vited by the conditions of soil and
climate, and the overriding interests
of co mmerce and civilization? If
are destined tospread southwark,
if the Anglo-Americans are design
ed by God to possess and occupy
and govern the whole continent, to
the lsthmus of Panama, why should
they not possess and occupy it to the
best advantage for themselves and
for the world, and in harmony with
the natural and social conditions
which are best suited to that end :
Visionary philanthrophists may
say that slavery should be allowed
no more territory. But they give up
the whole question when they de-
clare that it snail not be abolished
within it's present boundaries. Nay,
they do, by that very policy of non
interference with it in existing Ii
mits, and prohibition Of it beyond
them, aggravate an evil which can
not be forcibly got rid OF. The
slave trade is abolished. There
can be, from that source, no add
ton to the number of slaves in
this country. But the natural in
crease is enormous, and to shut
up such a population in any pres
cribed bounds forever, would be
disastrous to the co'ored and the
white race. The welfare, the true
interest, physical, social and poll
tical, of both races-must be found
in dispersion, not excessive over
crowding and concentration. And
~