The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1861-01-24
THE QUESTION OF THE DAY..THE
RELIGIOUS PRESS ON TIE CRISIS.

THE QUESTION OF THE DAY..THE
RELIGIOUS PRESS ON THE CRISIS.
[From the Chicago Presbyterian Recora.l
Let US try to get at the true issue, as
between the Northern and the Southern
States. 1t concerns, of course, the ques-
tion of slavery, and nothing else Except
as growing ost of that, all allegations, as
to other matters, from any source, are not
worth moments attention. Massachu.
setts has 20 difference with South Caro-
Ina, other than this, more than with
Pennsylvania. And the real issue is,
,ehich shall nor be the 'eading influence
AID po,cer in the Republic, siarery tr
freedom ? That question is now either
to be decided, or to be slurred over, by
some arrangement which shall push it
before us, as man would roll a snow ball
to make himself psth-only to find it
growing a. it progresses.
Until the past ten or twelve years this
was not the question. 1t was always ad-
mitted that freedom was at the basis of
this Government and taat slavery was an
excresence, unwisely grated upon it, aud
to be brought to an end so soon as it could
safely be done This was the doctrine
North and South. No southern man
pretended until recent period to justify
slavery. The old dispute, between what
were known as Abolitionists aud Conser-
vatives at the North, was about this att
tude of the question, the Abolitionis,s
arguing, from the innate evils of the sys-
tenn, that we ought actively to urge "a
moral crusade against it, while the Con-
servatives held, that as the southern
people admitted the evil, and professcd to
be only waiting to see some mode of safe
delverance from it, it was due to them
morally aud politically, that We wait upon
their action, only giving them to under
stand how we felt about it, and by our
testimony quickening their cousciences
Thus the matter stood till Of late. But
how is it now? We are all beginning to
see-all in the church and out of it-po-
litical parties and all-that the Southern
ground is wholly changed. The hu>tings
the forum, the press aud the pulpit all
unite to utter very different sound -
No,c, slavery is a good--a positive good
TO master, slave, aud the country, and
the doctrine is, that "the mission Of the
South is to conserre, spread and perpet-
uaee that systen,' Thus the South has
changed its ground entirely within about
the last decade Has the North changed
also? Of course, there is a relative change
Of attitude on both sides. But the
change Of the North is the result aud the
necessity of the change of the South
While the South admitted the eo1, We
agreed, for we never denied it. We
therefore stood substantially together.--
But now the South deny the evil, an,
that denial puts US in opposition.
How came the South to this pos ;tion !!
Some affirm it to be the teachings of Mr.
Calhoun, aud some find other causes, We
have very little difficulty in the matter.
1t was not Calhoun, but cotton. Wien
cotton was worth FIVE cents the pour d,
the negro was worth perhaps $500, Then
slavery was an evil aud so admitted. But
cotton rose to fifteen cents the pound,
and the negro rose with it to $500
Slavery now, so far from being "dn euH''
has become ga good, and she "hole
philosophy of the matter is contained in
| these facts.
The increase of manufactures, the in.
crease in National territory, and other
causes, have increased the price of cot
ton, and thus helped on to the decision.
The case is only another exemplitieation
of the fact, that to good extent, people
believe what they IRISH to believe. The
world furnishes examples enough OF this
philosophy. Pharaoh and all the Egyp,
tians were strong in the belief that it was
right to hold the Hebrews to brckm *
ing, while it was SO profitable to them.
And so with the proisabeness of slave
labor continually increasing, the rlghttul
ness of it has continually increased, Por'
pussu, as an ethical and religious ques'
ton, till press and pulpit are swallowed,
carrying with them conscience and will,
through all the South,
Of course as the result, we have new
demands in behalf of the system. Ii
must be recognized as right by us. II
must have:unlimi,ed room for growth and
perpetuation 1t must have not mere
equality in the government, but an ad-
vantage; for with equality, fairly given
freedom would be sure to gaia upon it
1t must be given the lead, so as to keel
forever its place We, in fact, must aie
"to conserve, shield and perpetuate 1t.
This Is the real question we are now II
the face of.
For ourselves We reach one or two con
clusions. And one is, that we do not es
TEEN it to be of the "gr"atest " PoSs'bl I'm
portance to settle the difficulty at once,
cost what it will. The present unsettled
condition Of things, with the excitement
attending, are doubtless an evil. Bu
thew are not an unmixed one. Thes
things have been the policy of the Sout
to exact concession Of the North fer
good while. We very much incline
the belief that their existance for tim
will be salutary to the South in two ways
First, to show to that section that tn
North can bear them When it unce make
, the endeavor and second, that the sout
will learn some things better by exper
, ence than in any other way, and that th'
fayorite threat ever since our remeu
brance. in case the South could not hav
her way, viz: disuuion and resort
yar, may safely be left for time to the
: own care. South Carolina is now in tn
!. enjoyment Of both, though no blood hi
B M: :, tho .ind If ".