New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-12-28


Dear Sir Yonr friends in old party associa.
tions, hearing that youhave recently returnedfr
Virginia, are DESTROYS of learning your 7iews in
reference to the attitude which Louisiana shah as
same in the impending crisis.
Sincerely y5azs,
c. ". ALEs, Hy. LosspALE-
A. D. KELLY, G. }. MEKRER,
| . II. NJ. WRIGHT, .. ... j. LsELAsp
Hon c. N. Conrad Sew Orleans
sa5 NEW oEtEAss Der. "a, 1860.
Gea1eaefa have received your note of the
2lst inst, in which you express desire to learn
my views !" in reference to the attitude Louisiana
| should assume in the impending crisis" cheeN
fully comply with your request.
To you gentlemen, who are familiar wsth nov
political course need hardly say that up to this
moment the Union has had no more zealous and
consistent advocate than myself. I did NOT Of
course, lose sight of the fact that, viewed an a
mere questioatof political economy the South was
greatly the loser by the Union. that it nscessa-Y
involved the abandonment by ihe Southern peopls.
| of every branch Of industry except agriculture;
and the almost sntire surrender of the more lucra
| tive occupations of manufacture5t commerce and
| navigation to their Northern brethren. But T.
found in the majesty Of this Union, in the dignity
and strength whichAit gives abroad, in the 1eace
| and harmony which it ought to give us at home,
| enough, and more than enough to console me for,
| the pecunary sacrifice which it involved
1 So long, therefore, as 1t continued to confer
these blessings, was willing to make that saeri-
1 fee. But alas we pay the price of peace and no
longer obtain it. For the last twenty years pors
4 tion of the people Of the Northern States have
i waged ceaseless war upon us. They have out
ragged our feelings, robned Us of our property and
/ trampled on our most sacred rights. The only
excuse they offer for these outrages is that they
are not satisfied with our domestic Institutions !;
! that slavery is wrong and ought to be abolished.
In vain do reply that this institution was the
work of their ancestors that it has become insep-
arably interviewer with our social system that its
| abolition would involve ruin and finally that
/ whether right or wrong, we alone are responsible
for it; and that any attempt their part directly
or indirectly, to interfere with it, is justified neither
BY the law of nations nor by the Constitution.
| They are deaf to all argument. The press the
4 pulpit, the halls of Congress and of State Legisa-
i lures, pour forth continuous stream of invectiye
4 denuneiation and insult. No libel upon the South
4 ern people is too atrocous 10 be uttered or be-
lieved The express provisions of the Constitution
and Of laws passed in pursuance of it, for the pro-
lection of the rights of Shareholders are contempt
uorsly disregarded and it is boldly asserted that
these provisions are not binding upon the con.
sciences of those who are called upon to enforce
Il them. @.4 S.%
A The bloody drama enacted in Kansas and the
still more bloody attempted in Virginia, were
practical illustrations of these principles. There
every to believe that these atrocities were
instigated by men who were willing to share the
crime, but shrank from the infamy of its exposure
that grave Senators and reverend clergymen were
behind the scenes prompting the obscure wretehes
who were the immediate actors in these tragedies.
l No stronger evidence could possibly be adduced
of the deprayed state of public sentiment at the
|, North upon the subject OF slavery than the fact
that acts SO criminal in themselves, and SO caleu
lated to disturb the peace of the country far from
weakening the party by which they had been
prompted and encouraged, seemed, on the con-
trary, to strengthen it. Emboidened by this fact
and by the forbearance of the Southern people,
which they mistook for timidity, the Black Re.
publican party resolved on still bolder measure
no less than to take possession of the General Gov
ernment, and to use its powers for the accomplish
ment Of their designs. They accordingly selected
as their candidate man whose political record
was blank, and who on that account was more
likely to prove plant instrument in the hands o
his benefactors That Mr.. Lincoln will, to the ex
tent of his ability, sustain the principles and carry
there can be no doubt.
To believe otherwise, is to suppose not only tina
he will violate his pledge, but that he will adopt
e different course from that pursued by any of hi
predecessors. We are bound to presume, there
fore, that opposition to slavery will be the vita
/ principle of his Administration. Can the South
: eru States continue under a government admin
istered on these principles, consistently eithe
with honor or with safety? l think not. | think
on the contrary, that we have reached poir
n where the Southern States ought to take stant
: if they intend TO take it anywhere. Need poir
out the dangers that would inevitably result frol
different course To say nothing of the mors
e influence the President derives from his position
: the immense patronage at his disposal, and th
millions OF money that must pass through the hand
of his creatures will all be Systematically dreete
toward the diffusion of antislayery opinions. ST
of the position of the party at the North, th
d Southern States would be the chief point of al
a a tack. "Divde and conquer would be the maxir
of the party, and every effort would be made t
J. sow dissension among the Southern people; oppo
sition to slavery would be the sole path to homo
and promotion, and every Southern traitor wou
q be selected fer reward. Not many years wou
: elapse before an anti-slavery party would sprin,
up in every Southern State, and where follower
. exist, leaders wonld soon be found. The eontes
. would no longer be between the free and th,
7 slave States. Your tiresides would be invaded
: and the torch of nsurrection be brandshed il
your very faces. This is no fancy sketch. 1t il
in part drawn from reality. In every one Of til,
border States the embryo of an Abolition party
already exists, which, under the genial influence
t of an anti-sayery Administration, would bt
rapidly developed. Reeolleet that Kentucky
already has her Cassius NJ. Clay, Missouri hel
4 Bates, Virginia her Botts aud Maryland he
Davis. trust that the day is yet far distant whei
+ Louisiana will add a name to this lustriou
. catalogue ; but let US not be too confident. Il
, NnhI6sluoh mat all men are honest and moor
!. ruptfble, commit fatal error. Every Greek wa
: not an Arstides, nor every Roman Cato. AM
+ however great my confidence in the integrity AM
f patriotism of the southern people. do not wish Il
see this tremendous battery of corruption brough
o to bear upon them.
= = But there are some who, while they admit th
:: truth of all have said are nevertheless oppose'
v to any immediate action by the Southern people
/ Their arguments are chiefly these First that Lin
coin having been constitutionaIly elected, we ar
pif1ya