The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1860-10-04
gomd.
- From tie Nas1ington Constitution.
The North the Aggressor---Ehe
So7fh. M, the Defensive.

The enemies of Southern institutions
are accustomed to deride Southern states
men on the alleged ground that they
cherish morbid feeling ON the subject OF
slavery. From The rampant Abolitionist
to the willy Freesoiel, she stereotyped ac-
cusation against The Soeth IS, that its
leaders thrust the slavery issue where
there is no necessity for it's presence.
g The encroachments of the South is the
text from which revcrond agitators week
" preach. Mr. Seward delivers lay dis
courses upon the same theme. The New
York Tribune affects anxiety for deliver
ance from the monotonous dispute. Mr..
Bells party seek to conceal their Know
Nothingism under the same pretence.
And Mr. Douglas, since he left the Demo
cratic party to consort with disappointed
ofice-seekers and anti-slavery fanatics,
starts in every speech from the same point.
The great recommendation of Squatter
Sovereignty, if he is to be believed, is,
that it will dispose Of "the negro ques-
tion )" in which view we should be dis
posed to concur il, the triumph of aboli-
tionism could be regarded as result like
ly to be acquiesced in by the great body
of the American people.
These attacks upon the South pass mus
fer only in quarters in which gross igno-
rance prevails with regard to our national
politics, or in which prejudice or personal
animosity refuses to accept the truth.
Tho Congressional history of the last
twenty-five years leaves no room for con-
troversy upon this head. 1t not only vim
dicates the South from the aspersions
heaped upon it, but fixes upon the North
the stigma fhaving wantonly originated,
and increasingly maintained, the excite
ment in relation to slavery. The system
attic .petitioning in support of abolition
which John Quincy Adams fostered-what
was that but gratuitous provocation-
an insult which had not even appearances
to Justify it? The territorial contests
growing out of the Mexican war-what
were they but so many struggles by
Northern politicians to deprive the South
oflawful advantages? Was not the Will
mot Proviso an aggressive act on the part
of the North, designed to curtail the con-
stitutional rights Of the South? What has
been steady resistance to the operation of
the fugitive slave law but an attempt to
rob Southern citizens and to keep alive
unpleasant feeling in the border States
The repeal of the Missouri Compromise
was not an exception to the.rule, since its
object was but to restore to the South it's
rightful claim to common territory
though even this measure Of justice has
been thwarted by the organized move
ments of the Abolitionists in Kansas
We purpose not to sketch with minute
precision the evcntful struggles between
the North and South during the period to
which we allude. The most casual refer
ence .sufices to indicate the unreasonable
ness of those who hold up the South to
odium as constant aggressor, and to
convict the North, which now pretends to
desire speedy settlement of the slavery
question, of having done all that could be
done to invest it with its present alarm
ing importance. Throughout the South
has sought simply the perfect enjoyment
of the rights guaranteed by the Constitu-
ton, and which enter into the basis of the
Union. Southern statesmen have con-
tended simply that their people shall pur-
sue their course unmolested, that their in
ssttittiaFions shall Be allowed to work unmo-
Tested, that in the future of this country
they shall have their lawful heritage with
out let or hindrance. To stigmatize this
as aggression, agitation, or greed, is to
display an ignorance Of the English Ian
guage, or determination to pervert eve
rything for partisan ends. The North
cannot put forth the same honest boast.
With full control over it's own institu-
tions, it has persistently attempted to con-
troll the institutions of others. 1t has
battled for the privilege Of imposing its
ideas upon section that will have none
eff them. It has maneuvred and strug-
gled and scoldcd to reduce tho South to
subjcction, and to carve and pare and in
terpolate the Constitution to render the
process moro easy and complete.
The difference between the parties thus
engaged in political strife is distinctly
marked. To the North the question is