Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-09

OF slaves necessary 10 I'LL lnOsc Gt'Sui'''
lands would require three times the pre-
sent number, and it would require the
lapse of 100 years before that number
could be supplied by natural increase; and We
are told, Mr.. President. that in the mean-
time the demand for cotton will be greater than
the increase OF the negroes in the country
Col. Goudin WAS, therefore, in the right when
he declared, in the Charleston Convention, that
the South had no negroes to send into the ter.
ritories Of the United States. Mr. Yancci was
also right at the Montgomery Convention, IN
Alabama, in May, 1858, when he demonstrated,
in clear and lucid argument, that the South
had 10 slaves to send into these territories,
and that prudence and necessity required the
retention OF slaves within the Southern States.
This argument, Mr. President was present
ed by Mr.. Ianccy in that Convention not upon
the territorial question, because he informed
the Convention that there was no territory 10
Which he could send the negro; but it was pre-
scented By him upon the question Of the repeal
IF the laws Of Congress inhbiting the African
slave trade. At the Knoxville Convention, in
Tennessee, in 1857, upon motion OF Mr.. Sprstl
Of South Carolina, a Committee was raised by
that Convention to inquire into and report
upon this subject That report came in al
Montgomery in 1858, and it was npon the re-
port in favor Of the abolition Of the laws Of
Congress which prohibited the African slave
trade. that this argument was presented by
Mr. ianceY. lie denounced those laws as
unconstitutional unjust, discriminating, and
odlous to the rights and the institutions Of the
South. lie declared that by the legislation of
Congress, foreign erni grafton was encouraged
the effect Of which was to increase the popula-
ton of the North, thereby increasing its politi.
cal power in the country, filling up its vacant
and uncuItured lands and rendering them
more valuable, whilst the laws Of Congress
which prevented tine African slave trade dis.
eliminated agalns, the South preventing the
South from acquiring population from foreign
sources thereby causing sparse population
in the South, and as consequence d'mn'l-
ton in the value Of their lands and likewise
diminishing the political power and weight of
the Southern States in the councils Of the cOun-
try The whole scope and object Of this argu-
ment was most manifest Ii was to impress
the Southern mind with the idea that their true
destiny was in Southern independence.
have thus shown, | think, most satisfacto.
rily that this territorial question has had but
little practical weight OF influence in precipita-
ting the Cotton States into a revolution.
Another cause which gentlemen have assign
cd as q reason Tor secession is that our fugitive
slaves have escaped to the North, and the North
crn people, faithIcss to their constitutional Oh
legations and duties, have not surrendered them
but have prohibited their re.capture and recla-
nation hy their personal liberty bills Have
South Carolina and the Cotton States Suffered
from anv such cause The evils resulting from
the escape Of fugitive negroes are borne princi-
paily 10y the States along the border. by Virgil
mia, Mary land, Kentucky AID Missouri. The en-
tremc Southern States, having TWO tiers oislave-
budding States between them, have had little to
complain Of in regard TO runaway negroes. And
for these reasons, for these wrongs, for these
grievances, not endured by the Cotton States,
but endured by the Border States Virginia has
been invited by these Cotton States into an i'm.
mediate secession, and to link her deStnies
with the Cotton Contederacy. will endeavor
to show that Virginia is not invited
to banquet Of peace, harmony, union,
pros perity and power, but she is invited to Il
carnival Of death. We are invited into South
crn Conlederacy. Secession and linking our dcS-
TIMES with the Southern Confelerscy, We are
told. will r, lncdy Mi the wrongs and evils which
we upon The bur'icr endure. cannt perceive
how secession can remedy any wrongs Or griev-
ances which the Border States now endure, and
believe that secession will only aggravate and
increase them
We are told by the distinguished Commits
sinner from the State Of Georgia. that if Fir.
GINA seeded from this Union we would have
the privilege Of emigrating into the territories
Of the United States with our slave population.
This argument assumes the fact that there will
he peaceable secession, and that there will
be pcaccable partition Of the public domain,
and that the South will get her just and proper
share How is it, if the South can obtain her
portion OF the public domain by means Of n
pcaccable partition, that we have here been
daily told since the commencement of the SEES.
""'o or ti'in cvi,' ,i'". IL tic yuirry
Of the dominant party TO make war upon the
South. How can We effect this peaceable par
tition when we are told that in his Inaugural,
the President of the United States threatens
war, coercion and suhjugati0n Of the States
which have seeded from this Union. Why, Mr.
President the argument is .teI0 dc &c.
If there is Il probability, CT even possibility,
that there may be a peaccable separation Of
these States, if il shall turn out that the North
and the South cannot agree upon amendment to
the Constitution and guarantees which the
South shall deem adequate fer her OWN pTotcc.
t!on-would il not be much better for tile bor-
der States to remain in this Union until that
contingency Shall arise in order to effect this
peaceable partition Of the public domain =
Will not the border States united in the Con-
fedcracy carry iRore potential weight in ef.
fecting this peacable settlement and avertng
the horrors Of civil war by remaining
than by instant secession, thereby in
creasing the irritation, bitterness and strife
which already exist between the two sections
Of the country? Is it not more reasonable to
suppose that IN an Urinary co-partnersiip, a
partner who has subjects CT difficulty in dis.
putc with his copartner, can effect more
promptly and more satisfactorily an adjustment
Of their difficulties whilst remaining in the
co.partncrship. than by de!iantly Withdrawing
from Il and abusing and ouIragng the feelings
Of the partner he has left behind him?
But the argument is deprived OF It's force from
other considerations That portion Of the terri
tory which NC would acquire BY a peaceable par
,ition is alrcady slave territory. That portion
of the territory which We would acquire would
he New Mexico, and the condition Of slavery
is already recognized there by the law OF that
territory. There exists most stringent slave
code in that Territory, and although we have
the right and power TO go there with our slaves,
yet we cannot 20 for the reason have already
mentioned, that we have not the property tn
carry with US.
But We are told that secession will remedy
the escape Of our slaves In what manner
What is the remedy proposed 3D.? We have been
told by the distinguished gentlemen from Geor-
Gia, (Mr. BESSiSG,) and think his argument
was adopted by my friend from Green and
Orange, lMr MoEToS, that We could establish
along the border, Gordon Of military posts
to intercept the fugitive. Mr.. President, the
remedy is worse than the disease You would
establish in the midst OF the border States,
within their very heart standing army
dangerous to the liberties and freedom
Of the people, and which would entail
upon us for its support and maintenance
Il cost far greater than the value Of h. slaves
lost. Such policy would invite the estab-
lishment of corresponding military posts along
-, E :. r q.