Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-05-08

against LucSc COUlSQefalc OlalcS.
In addition to the long continued and deel
seated resentment felt by the Southern States
at the persistent abuse of the powers they
had delegated to the Congress, for the pur
pose of enriching the manufacturing and ship
ping classes of the North at the expense o
Of the South, there has existed for nearly
half century another subject OF dlscord, IN
volving interests of such transcendent mag
nitudc as at all times to create the apprehen
sion in the minds Of many devoted lovers o
the Union, that its pcrnancncc was impossi
bic.
When the several States delegated certain
powers to the United States Congress, larg'
portion of the laboring population consisted
Of African slaves imported into the colonies
by the mother country. In twelve OF th'
thirteen States, negro slaves existed, and tht
right OF property in slaves WAS protected by
law. This property was recognized Ill tn
Constitution, and provision was made agalns
its loss By the escape of the slave. Ihe IN
crease in the number Of slaves BY further I'm
portation from Africa, was also secured by
clause torbidding Congress to prohibit tht
slave trade anterior to a certain date and II
no clause can there be found any delegation
OF power to the Congress authorizing it IL
any manner to legislate to the prejudice. Diet
rmcnt, or discouragement Of the owners
that species OF property, or excluding 1t lrou
the protection of the government.
The climate and soil of the Northern State:
soon proved unpropitious to the continuance
Of slave labor, whilst the converse was tht
case ut the South. Under the unrestricted
free intercourse between the two sections, tho
Northern States consulted their own intercs
by selling their slaves to the South, and pro
hibiing slavery within their limits. The
South were willing purchasers Of property
suitable to their wants, and paid the price o
tie acquisition without harboring suspicion
that their quiet possession was to be disturbed
by those who were inhibited, not only by
want of constitutional authority, but by gooc
faith as vendors, from disQuietins II title
cmanating from themselves.
As soon. however, rs the Northern State:
that prohibited African slavery within thelI
limits had reached a number sufficient to give
their representation Il controlling voice in the
Congress, !; perSi tent and organized system
Of hostile measures against the rights OF the
owners OF saves in the Southern States was
iliauguratcd, and gradually extended. a
continuous series Of measures was devised
and prosecuted for the purpose Of rendering
insecure the tenure Of property in slaves
t,natical organizations, supplied with money
by voluntary subscriptions, We're asslduously
engaged in exciting amongst tic slaves 4
Spirit of discomfort AMI revolt: means were
furnished for their escape from their owners
and agents secretly employed To cntice thcrl
to absconi; the constitutional provision iol
their rendition to their owmcrs was first eva
lc.l. then openly denounced as violation .!
conscientious obligation and religious duty
men were taught that it was merit TO clude
'llsubcr, and violently oppose the execution
OF the laws enacted To secure the performance
OF the promise contained in the CONSTITUTIONS
compact; owners Of slaves were mohbcd a!d
even murdered in open dag, solely Tor apply
ing to 4 magistrate for the arrest ol Il iiigI'
tive slave: the Gngmas Of these voluntary or
sauzations soon obtained control Of the legis.
laturcs Of many of tic Northern States, and
laws were passed providing for the punish
ment hv ruinous fines and long confined i'm
prison,ncnt in lails and penitentialies, q
citizens OF the Southern States, wEo should
dare to ask aid OF the officers Of the law Ior
tie recovery of their property. Emboldden
cd by success. the theatre of agitation ard
aggression against the clearly expressed CON
stitutional rights OF the Southern States was
transferred to the Congress: Senator's and
Representatives We're sent TO the common
councils Of the nation, whose chief title tc
this distinction consisted in the display OF q
spirit of ultra fanatciSm, and whose business
was, not " to promote the general welfare OF
ensure domestic tranquility" but to awaken
the bittcrcst hatred against the citizens o
sister States bv violent dcnunciation OF theil
inS;itutons the transaction Of public affairs
was impcdc(l by repeated efforts 10 usurF
powers not del. gated by the Constitution, loi
the purpose of impairing the security Of pro-
pcrty in slaves, and reducing those States
which held slaves, to condition Of inieriori-
t.. Finally, Il great party was organized iol
the purpose of obtaining the administration
of the government, with the avowed object
%! using It's power for the total exclusion o
Tie slave States from al participation in the
benefits of the public domain, acquired by
all the States in common, whether by con
quest Or purchase: Of surrounding them en-
lrcly BY States in which slavery should he
prohibited; Of thus rendering tic property in
slaves SO insecure rs to be comparatively
worthless. and thereby annihia;ing in effect
psopcrt: worth thousands o: millions Of dol
lars Iii: party, th,,s crg,nizcd, succeeded
in the mouth o, November last, in the c!cc,
,iur ol lis candidate for the Presidency Of tho
United States.
In the meantime, under the mild and genia'
climate u! the Southern States, and the III,
crraSiny care and attention Tor the wclI-belng
and comfort oi' the lahoring class, dictated
alike by interest and humanity, the African
slaves had augmented iii number from about
GiE) 600. ut the date of the adoption of tho
constitutional compact, to up ards Of 1000:
GJ9 In moral and social condition., they
hal been elevated from brutal savages into
,ncic. intelligent and civilized agriculture
amycr$, and supplied not only with bodily
Comforts but with careful religious instruc
ton. Under the supervision of Il superb
race, their labor had been 50 directed AS nc
ouiy to allow, Il crr'ual and marked amcio
ration of their own condition, but to cuuyer
hundreds Of thousands OF Square miles OF th'
wilderness Into cultivated lands, covered wit!
4 prosperous pccpe; towns and cities ha'
sprung into existence, and had rapidly IN
creased in wealth and population under TIKI
.,,,c:;,! s,Slcn Of .'ic 'iaul the white popnla
,ion oi tie Southern sl;,rc!ln!,in. States !lat
oagmcalcd from ;:3,ut l.2j0Wp at the dait
q! the adoption OF III" Constitution, to more
than S,:,00.gG0 in ISG0; and the production!
o. the South in cotton, rice, sugar and lObac
co, ior TIC full Development and continuaMc;
Of which, the labor ni African slaves was, aa'
l., indispensable, had swollen to an amorm
which formed neally thrcc-iourlhs of the cA
ports Of the whole United States, and had be
come absolutely necessary 10 the wants 0
civilized man.
With interests of such overwhelming mag
ni,ulc impcrilIcd, the people of tic Southern
States were driven by the conduct of thu
North to the adoption Of some course Of ac
ton to avert tie danger with which they
were opcnly mcnaced With this view, tn,