The Hillsborough recorder., 1860-02-22
LETTER Of HON, NM. C. RIYES.

An es's and patriotic letter from the pen oi the Hon
William G. Riyes Of Virginia. trelting Of the chsfat
er Of the present crisis ia the condition Of the country
has been recently published in the Richmond Wing.
The following extracts from il Of special interest al
The present time.
Come what may, il you will excuse me
for repeating the language Of my answer to
Mr.. McDutfie in Is4i, all the great Gen.
tral States Of the Union, on bath sides Of the
Alleghany, and including the mighty valley
Of the Mississippi, are tied together BY nat
nral bands which neither the lnlly nor the
wickedncss Of man eau ever permanently
dissolve; and If separation should, at any
future time. take place, il can occur only at
the extremities, where the centrifugal ten.
iencies, occasionally manifested, viii in the
end, II is to be hoped. be controlled by the
instincts OF an Amesean nationality, as we'll
as by sober calculation Of consequences
10 these considerations, it NAV be ad-
ded that the border States, on both sides of
The line which separates the slaveholding and
non-slaseholding communities of America.
must ever have peculiar and special inter.
est in preserving their present political con,
nexlon, as the only means of averting those
hostlllties and conflicts between them which,
IN the absence Of that connexion, the differ
ence OF their domestic institutions wnuhl
inevitably give rise 10, in the summary re-
capture Of fugitiyes from service on the one
hand and reprisals an the other These Dor.
der States are naturally, therefore, the con.
servat0rs of the Union. Ii would be unjust
not to acknowledge tina; of these States, on
the non.sayeholding side ot the line, Penn.
sylvania, by the general spirit Of her public
policy, has well merited her noble title of
the keystone Of the Union that the loyaI
people OF New Jersey, trained to nationality
and patriotism amid the historic battle fields
OF the Revelation. have rarely. II ever, fail
ed in their Federal and social obligations
that Indiana and Illinois for the most part
have been honorahls distinguished. in the
sane category Of States, by the catholic ten.
per OF their political actnn and that il
different spirit has sometimes seemed to be
manifested by any other OF the Northwestern
border States, il Is A departure from the nor.
NAL condition of things and must needs be
temporary.
That the question Of slavery has not the
power to override all other considerations in
deciding the new afiRities and relations Of
the States, in the event Of dissolution Of
the Union, is further e,inced by the fact that
this question has two distinct aspects, in one
OF which il divides the slapehuldng States.
as much as, in the other. it unltes them. vir-
gina Is, by the proioundest sentiments of
her nature, as well as by the most sacred and
honorable traditions of her history, commit
ted to an lntiexible and uncompromisiug op-
position TO the revival of the African slave
trade, which, It il we'll known, has nnmer.
Gus and jealous advocates in several 0f the
Southern States. II becomes us, then. when
invited to dissolve the present Union. and
enter into separate conlederacy of the
Southern States, To inquire how our assn
ciates in the new confederacy would be like
" 70 stand on this fundamental question.
" What are the sentiments Of south Car.
olina and her neighbnrs with regard 10 il:
Knowing only that there is powerful and
apPasntly growing party in lhat section Of
the Union N favor OF the re.npeHing OF The
African slave trade, we can but take warn
ing OF the unquestionable historical fact, thar
South Carolina anil Georgia. in the Conyen-
ton which framed the present Federal Con.
siitution, made II the express condition OF
their accession to the Union that there should
be no prohibition Of the slave trade before
1908. and. IN order 70 obtain that extension
oi time for the iralhc, they entered into a
bargain with the Eastern States to surrender
70 majority in Congress the unrestricted
powerof regulating commerce both Of which
provisions were steadily and zealoasIy op.
posed BY Virginia. and were tie features 81
the new Constitution the most dis,asteGal to
her feelings and Judgment.
There are other points of divergence be.
tween Virginia and the cotton States, with
regard 10 tie different systems Or policy their
respective situations and pursuits would IN
esitAbiy give rise q m a separate cOnfedcrs.
cy ct the Southern States, which every re.
aeeiing citizen Of Virginia should well con.
sider before be gives his sanction TO any
proposal contemplating so desperate resort.
The staple of the cottnn States is one oi
which the production i limited to 4 particu.
lar region. while the demand for It is uni
sersal and constantly progressive. Their
entire capital and labor. therefore, cannot be
employed IN ans way - profitable a. in the
exclusive cultivation IT this staple, and ex.
changing i for the fabrics Of other countries.
Their produce being admitted free from da.
~ ID foreign countries. where Il il tie IN.
dispensable material Of the industry of large
portion 81 the inhabitants. iheY can well III.
ford, and Il is their interest, 10 receive duty
free 10 return the manufactures Of those
countries.
Bot what is the sitostion Of Virginia
Her agriculture j. employed chiefly IN the
production II articles which are The growth
n every cline, and II which the sgppiy,
therefore. often exceeds the limit, II iu.t
proportion 20 the demand The necessary
consequence, where this j. the case. /. ruin.
ous reduction Of the prices which those arti.
cles eOmmsnd z the markets of the aorII-
state of tHings now sorely fel, by the .hea,
growers of Nirginn-and the only remedy
then i r. diveri from agriculture portion
Of the capital and sbsr gnpgoal4bly employ
ed ~ IL and devote that portion 10 nanafar.
tufes = thus, at ihe same time, relieving