The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1860-02-01


right and sagacioas public men OF the great
danger they are in Of being deceived by
party clamor, and ought to terrify such as
are INSCRIPTIONS, they teach us that, after
all, the heart OF thu nation may be sound, and
that it only needs to be convinced al its peril
that it may. by one mighty outburst of patri.
otto enthusiasm, crush every party that has
trifled with its convictions. and oyerwhelm
every public man that has betrayed it.
Concerning the political relations Of slave
ry under the Federal Constitution. and the
rights and duties Of the slave States in the
Union, il is perfectly imm,terial whether
the Institution Of negro slavery, as it exists
in the country. is good or bad and all Con
gfesslonal discussion OF that gort is as IT.
relevant as il is ordinarily empty. We live
Under written Constitution, and have. for
more than seventy years. been expnunding
II, commenting on it, and applying il con.
stantly to the businessol life. There may be
topics, and theynot unimportant, upan which
one generation has differed from another, one
party from another. one class of statesmen,
Judges, and lawyers from another, as to the
true scnse of the Constitution, and The true
weight to which Interpretations Of il are en-.
titled, whether those interpretations are
made by one or other Department Of the Go,
vcrnment. No doubt. of late years, the ten
dency OF opinion has been to attribute far
more sacre,lness to judicial interpretations
than the founders OF the Republic allowed ;
and therefore we witness such fierce debates
as % the true sense of the Dre,l Scott decis.
ioa. With all possible venerltion for the
Federal Consultation, we are not TO forget
that it was made for Us, not we CIR IL; anl.
with all loyalty both towards the National
and our State Governments, let Us remember
that the highest of all Loyalty is to society
itself. which is aboye every farm il can pos
sibly put on. Under all forms Of society,
the all-pcrvalins questions are political
questions questions which never can be
permanently settled in free governments, ex-
ccpt through representative bodies, and then
IN accordance with the public conscience.
Tue question Of slavery. as il relate. 10
the nation, falls under these considerations
III remarkable manner. Thus, in the irst
place, slavery was almost universal, and The
slave States the immense majority at the
formation Of the Federal Constitution. Now
the slave States are in a minority, their Whole
population i minority, and that minority.
bnth OF States and people, Is steadily b..
canning relatively weaker. In the second
place, there his occurred prnllgioas change
IN the value of slaves and OF the product OF
their labor, as well AZ in the State Of public
opinion on the subject Of slavery itself. At
the formation Of the Federal Constitution
there was no particular hostility 10 slavery
N one section above another. and M plrtic.
llar zeal for its extension and it, perpetuity
N any section. Bat at present the great
majority IN most Of the slave States jealous.
y desire boti the extension and the perpe.
tuity Of slavery, and the almost aaan;,naas
population of them all reslrl il as ~ CON.
pletcly involved in the very fabric of socieiy
that no interference with ii from withnut
can be endured while the great mass of the
people 1T the Nnrth consider tie institution
positively evil. aud an imnense PARTY A.
nonsst them is organized On the conviction
that the interests OF the free States and Of
ne white race are jeoparde,l by the claims
u the slave States, and their alleged control
y the Federal Gayernment in the interest,
d slavery - the repression ii not the total
.xtinctlol Of witch IS what the S91th an-
ierstanis them as seeking.
Now. ioOking at the mltter in this lisht.
md rejecting al preteyts. the solitary Gun.
liti0n which can satisfy tie North !. ,iIat
he South shaaId claim nothing uaier the
Constitution which thar CONSTRUCTION. iairIy
Interpreted, did not always SECURE t. her.
Ind the solitary condition which can sat:fy Il
ne vital necessities Of every slave State i.
hat the Constitution shall be 80 interpreted.
nd the Government - administered. that
snail enjoy the same peacc, security, and
quality 1t rights ii tie Unina which i'll
fauli enjoy il Il were a free State. What
seHs 10 me- clear at present il, that a. such
i9lttion Of either OF these conditions has
et occurred as 70 Justify either pirty in prn.
eesiing - such cxtrcmiiies IL would b.
lstiiilble II il hal occurred. Aa1 il !.
lually clear that TIE apprehension " III IN.
ending violatin1 Of the rights Of either par.
cannot justify any irregular. mIch lss,
ny extreme proceeding. any further than
lay be necessary anil e;fecinll 10 prevent !
iat impending violation. Moreover. tie
ishe't and most enduring interest. of all !
arties con,pire withtheir sacred Obligations.
inling them 70 act with mutual Justice.
potl faith, and forbcarance. Bat suppose
le dominant party al the North t. haze al.
'ahy violated beyond endurance the .olifa.
condition with which tie safety ii lie
oath allows her 70 BE- satisfied even then,
= the tarthest possible from being true !
lat the secession Of poriion ol the slave .
tatrs, or the disruption, of tie Union on tie /
ave line, . necessary, wise, or even IN I
lowable alternative. itis true tie State, !
e sovereign states. Bat il !, equally true a
az the nation is a natiOn-ihe American :
'nple people. Great nations cannot ia. i
snly disappear, like cloud of insects; nor
powerful nationaliiies fade ii tlay, like /
e flower Of the gfass. II took the Roman
nplre q thousand years 70 die and the q
sbrew nationality has survived through al y
z possible fortune 81 four iho1sand wears. d
" rend nation in twain j. IA more e
rrible procedure than for nation 10 re. (
yer itself by an internsl struggle. VI.
4.