Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-01-30
Speech of Senator Hunter, of Virginia
southern Feeling.

We clip the following extract from the late
speech of Senator HUNTER, of Virginia, for the
purpose of showing Southern feeling, which it is
all important for US of the North to be made ac-
quainted with. Said Mr. HUNTER:
But say that coercion is impossible, for if you
attempt it upon one of the States, all the slave
holding States will rally around it to its assistance,
and the idea that you reduce seven, ten, yes,
fifteen States, Is preposterous. L acknowledge
you NAV make war, and bring distress upon both
sections, but as to acknowledging that either could
subdue the other, as to place its yoke and laws
upon it, do not entertain the idea for an instant
How is this war to be waged? Ii would cost you
800 000,0 You would have to sustain it by
direct taxation. Is it to be supposed the people
would bear such burdens in such a cause that?
believe they might submit to any just taxation
in defense of their homes, but would they submit
to such an amount of taxation for the purpose of
depriving their people of the right of self-gov
ernment? And whose would be the commerce to
be preyed upon? not the Southern commerce for
that would go in foreign bottoms Which sec
ton offers the greatest temptation to plunder?
Where are the cities and the concentrated wealth
of the community? You could not steal our
niggers, your people would not allow it. How
could you carry on such war? Where would
YOU find the means? You could not carry il on
for six months. say, therefore, it is not possible
by any such means. TO coerce the Southern peo-
pie to submission.
| know there is talk of blockade Of our coast;
that is, which would collect the customs,
nothing more. Where would the ships come from
which could blockade the whole Southern coast?
But YOU can not under the treaty, collect any
duty on exports. 1t would not prevent the peo-
pie from sending any thing in foreign bottoms.
We might prevent the people from using any
thing which not manufactured among them
selves, and thus YOU would lose your most vaube
customers Would the customs bear half the ex
pense of the blockade? No, sir. But blockade
TO he efiectual, must be blockade to that which
| is going out well that which is coming in.
is it to be supposed that England would allow
this, when the existence of so many of her people
depends upon cottong IL is not TO be supposed
! for one moment. And there arc other powers
that would prevent such blockade, in addition to
those which can be raised by the section il is thus
attempted to coerce. / say il is idle to think OF
Coercion. You my infiict evils by civil war; but
will you inflict more than YOU receive in return.
Will YOU be benefited by the operation? ! think
not But suppose YOU could succeed, and that
you had conquered the South. how then would
YOU exercise the power of the Government.
Would YOU apply the doctrine that there can be
no property in slavesl In that committee OF
5000, 900 whites and 100000 slaves. would
they turn them loose by setting the slaves free
Would you repeat the experiment of the British
in Jamaica! Would you stand and see cult
waited fields return 20 the bushg Would the grea
interests of civilization and humanity permit sucl
a result? Would your own interests permit IL
Ii is not to be supposed that such thing woulc
be permitted. What, then, would be the result
They would have to recognize and maintain thi
social system, and to recognize property in slaves
If you recognize il as property, YOU must caus,
fugitves to be restored. And if Won recogniz,