Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-12-12
any intention on the part of the Northern States to
abolish slavery by this quarrel

1t IS not question between aud slavery; but sim
ply how we are to obtain Cotton wherewtk 10 feed onr
large manufacturing population. 1t may be said that
we have nothing to do with Cotton: thai we are oon
to be happy in Essex all the win .er s,end q Iner
Christmas and we ought let the people of Iancash
Ire starVe until all is blue; but shall en0eavor 10 show
you that you are directly concerned
mo- that owing to this quarrel. besides C0tton
great portlOn OF our mercantile transactions between
thls country aud America are at a stand still Take
Inc case OF teacups and plates which are Stanordse
ware In August 1860, those articles were exp0rtpd
10 the value OF 1913 pounds while In The same
month, 1861, the expectations only amounted to the
worm OF 1924 pounds; therefore there was so much
less work IN the Sta0rdsLire polteries In haberdasb
cry the exports OF August last year. amounted to l38
lZO pounds but IL this year only to 33 CSC pounds in
linens III the mo0ths the difference was from 228
Ito pounds to 1929 pounds il the iron market the
amount had decreased TO almost MI: for lO338
pounds bar iron exported in August last YEAR there
were only $50 pounds for this YEAR Passing on To
other manufactures, find that for 277I2 gallons of
seed OIL exported in the months in 1860 there was
this year none; Of spirits, l6486 gallons to 600 OF
bitter beer 1888 barrels to 995 and Of butter 546
cwt. to 1,176 That shows that not only the Cotton
iron and earthe2ware interests are concerned but that
the agrcuturlsts do not export they have been in
the habit of doing.
Then it is said that the Southern States have no right
whatever to secede. Now that is question upon
which EngIishmcn would not differ very much for thew
tain that, If Engand formed portion of another terri
tory she would long recognize that Power. wish to
show you that the right OF secession has long been re-
cogulz2d by the statesmen OF America. When that
country rst formed organization against England to
obtain their liberty, they appointed Benjamin Franklin
10 draw up Articles OF Confederation. The second ar
tice he drew up was that q! he said United Colonies
hereby enter into firm league of friendship with each
other, binding on themselves and their poserity" Well
this sent forward to Committee OF the Represen-
anHt oft bn fret
words OF the article follows: "ihe said Colonies unite
themselves so as never to be divided by any what
ever aud hereby severaly, &c But this referred
to the several State Legislatures, and after FIVE years
elaboration, Article made to refer to each Slate
retaining lis sovereignty, freedom and Independence;
and Article simply stated that The said States here
by seVeraly enter into firm league OF friendship With
each other &c.
The Confederation lasted some years but owing to
the Intercourse which carried on between several oil
the States and foreign countries it found that great
inconvenience followed upon each carrying on negotla-
lions which must be antagonstic to the general welfare
There were two very large parties formed in that
try, at the head OF one Hamilton, and the other
Jefferson, both Of whom had been originally much in
terested in carrying on the rebellion against this conn
try. AT last it agreed that they should unite so
far that there should be Central Government and that
they should have the power of levyng the general tax
es making peace aud war; and negotiating with foreign
countries. Yet to show how carefully those States
went into the original Confederation be signing the
articles Will read you an extract from the instructions
sent to the delegates Of Maryland, that State which
the present time kept IL terror by the Northern troops:
Although the pressure of imme Late calamities the
dread OF their continuance from the appearance OF els
union and some other peculiar circumstances may have
induced some States TO accede 10 tie present Conedra
ton, contrary to their Interests and Judgments it
requires great share Of foresight predict that when
these causes cease operate the States which had thus
acceded to the Confederation will consider it no longer
binding, and vii! eagerly embrace the first occasion OF
asserting their just right, and securing their iudepend
enCe"
That was the idea of the people before they even
joined the Confederation. We find that subsequently
the union of the States the broad question
Large sums had been borrowed by some states, and
some by Others, and it became question whether each
State should be LETT to pay its debts and Jefferson
tells be only induced as member OF the Govern
ment, to vote for the Congress adopting the whole debt
from the fact that many OF the States had threatened tC
secede In the year 1897 we have the fact that Wash
ingtOn (han whom there was no man more thoroughly
acquainted with his COunrymen) wrote on ha retire
ment from Office episrle which at the time rendered
him very unpopular, t. the effect that, II at any time
any portion of the States attempted to carry their OWE
interests to the deriment OF other States the kepubc
would break up. In the year 1925 the Government Of
Georgia. cling itself ilused by the General Government
respecting Indian land the Governor called upon
the people Ut bis State to stand by their arms anc
warned the General Government that it would be troaec
as public enemy Again: Ia 1929, South Caroline
pronounced the national tariff "to be unauthorized by
the Constitution null aud void; not binding on SOutE
Carolina, its officers and citizens"
quote these examples to show that the question 0
secession is as old as the States themselves They agrael
to form Conederacy and Union but at the same tint
it was well known that as the interest OF ou
section of the States differed from another they shouc
secede and the more amicaby that takes place the bet
ter it will be for human nature. AS an Instance O
what our own country has done 10 such questions
would recall to you" recollection that at the time W.
emaucpated the slaves in colonies the Dutch settler
on the Cape OF Good Hope objected to it, lett their ter
ritOry and settled the Orange river and EngIaut
has since always recognized that territory independent
Again, far back as the year $780, Ireland objectet
to governing it, and carried resolution INTO Ii
Parliament that only recognized the Irish Legislature
and George I'LL as King Of Ireland and not England
We had then undergone the sad experience OF til
American war, and we recognized that independence
and it only by sound argument and not by attempt
ed force that we had brought them back again. hav
endeavored to bring the question before you IN tire
ponts-frst that the question OF Cotton has nolhln
to do with the question of slavery and that We do DO
stand up the North or the South secondly that tn
question OF slavery only introduced from nteTeste
motives; and, thirdly that of secession. which tn
Americans call rebellion is simply large popuIatlor
numbering over nine Millions and covering an area
$4,000 square miles, wishing to govern themselves bu
A are stopped by their neighbors.
After reverting the general features OF the Amer
can war, Captain JervS observed, with reference to Oh
power of the President of the United States to decaT
war; or to announce blockade without the consent
Congress- that he would be satisfied with the authorit
of Daniel Webster, on a similar case 80 years agt
when he said:
l. for one protest in advance against such renedl(
S as l have heard limited The Administration Use
keeps profound silence, but its friends have spoken
it. We are told sir, that the President will inmcd
: ateIy employ the military force, and at once blockad
~ A Sy dU nv roC
beligeren operation has been suggested, as the inter
e ded means of preserving the Union. Sir there is n