Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-22

punishment, half the north 20 into mourning
II some of the perpetrators escape, they ART
shielded by the authorities Of these Northern
States--not by an irresponsible mob, but b,
the regularly organized authorities of tn,
States
My next proposition is, that We have a righ
to argue from the past to the future and to say
that ii in the past the North has done this, il
the future, if it shall acquire the power t
abolish slavery, it will do il.
My next proposition is that the North is il
the course of acquiring this power to abolish
slavery. Is that true? say, gentlemen, til,
North is acquiring that power by two
processes one of which is operating
with great rapidity-lhat is by the ad
is capable Of forming from twenty to thirt,
States Of larger size than the average OF tht
States now in the Union. The public territory
is peculiarly Northern territory, and every
State that comes into the Union will be tret
State We may rest assured, sir, that that Il
fixed fact The events in Kansas should
satisfy every one Of the truth of that
If causes now in operation are allow
cd to continue, the admission Of new
States will 60 on until a sufficient number
shall have been secured to give the necessary
preponderance to change the Constitution. -
There is process going on by which some o
our own slave States arc becoming free States
already. 1t is true, that in some OF thu slave
States the slave population is actually on the
decrease, and believe it is true Of all Of then
that it is relatively TO the white population or
the decrease. The census shows that slaves
are decreasing in Delaware and Maryland; and
it shows that in the other States IN the same
parallel, the relative state Of the decrease and
increase is against the slave population. 1t is
not wonderful that lnis should be 50. The
anti.slavery feeling has got 10 be SO great al
the North that the owners Of slave property in
these States have presentiment that 1t is q
doomed institution, and the instincts OF self
interest impels them to get rid Ct that proper.
ty which is doomed The consequence is, that
it will 20 down lower and lower, until it all
gets 10 the Cotton States-until it gets to the
bottom. There is the weight of a continent up
on it forcing il down. Now, say, sir, that un-
Ger this weight it is bound to 60 down unto
the Cotton States, one Of which l have the
honor to represent here. When that time
comes, sir, the free States in consequence of the
manifest decrease, will urge the process with
additional vigor, and fear that tine day is not
distant when the Cotton States, as they are
called will be the only slave States. When
that time comes, the time will have arrived
when the North will have the power to amend
the Constitution, and say that slavery shall be
abolished, and if the master refuses TO yield 10
this policy, he shall doubtless be hung for his
diSohedicnce.
Nv proposition, then, insist, is true, that
the North is acquiring this power. That be-
ing so, the only question is will she exercise ii:
Of course she will, for her whole course shows
that she will If things are allowed 10 60 on
as they are, it is certain that slavery is 10 be
abolished except in Georgia and the other cot.
ton States, and I doubt, ultimately in these
States ALSO BY the time the North shall have
attained the power. the black race will be in 4
large majority, and then we will have black
governors, black LEG csSlatures black juries, black
everything Laughter Tne majority accord
ing to the Northern idea, which will then be
the ali-pervadng, a.. powerful one, have the
right to control. 1t will be in keeping particu.
ially with the principles OF the abolltlon'sts
that the ma ajority, no matter OF what, shall rule
Is it to be supposed that the white race wlll
stand thai: 1t IS no; Il \ supposabe case. AL.
though not half So numerous, We may readily
assume that war will break out eyerywh here like
hidden fire FROM the earth, and 1t is probable
that the white race, being superior in every re-.
specr, may push the other back. They will
then call upon the authorities at Washington,
TO aid them in putting down servile insurrec-
ton, and they will send 4 standing army down
upon Us, and the volunteers and Wide-Awakes
will come in thousands, and we will be over.
powered and our men will be compelled TO
wander ike vasabonds all oTer the earth; and
as for our women, the horrors OF their state we
cannot contemplate in Imagination. That is
the fate which Abolition will bring upon the
white race.
But that is not all Of the Abolition war. We
will be completely cxterminated, and the LAND
will be left IN the possession OF the blacks, ana
then it will 90 back into q wilderness and be.
come another Africa or St. Domingo. The
North will then say that the Lord made TINS
earth for his Saints and not for Heathens, and
we are his Saints, and the Yankees will come
down and drive out the negro.
Sir. this is Abolition to the cotton States.
Would You blame US if we sought remedy 10
avert that condition of things? What must be
the REQUISITES of any remedy that can do It 7
Il must be one which will have one OF two
qualities. 1t must be something that Will
change the unanimity Of the North on the
slavery question, or something that shall take
from Them the power over the subject ANY
thing that does not contain one OF these TWO
REQUISITES is not remedy for the case; 1t does
not come to the root Of the disease
What remedy is it that contains these re-.
ouisites9 Is there any in the Union that does;
Let us take the strongest that we have nearo
suggested, which is an amendment OF tne
Constitution guaranteeing the power OF sell
preservation. Of dividing the public territory at
the line of Sc deg. 80 min, giving the South
all below that line know that remedy mas
not been thought of as in any degree pract,ca-
bic. But, let us look at it. Suppose thcy
grant us the power of self-preserVation-sup
nose they give to each Senator and meuloer
the veto power over any bill relating TO ShSe,
~. That is putting it strong enough. "ou'u u
that be sufficient now, to make it ProtectirDe,
I saw it would not, and for two reasons. lne
first IL that the North regards every such Sup
uIatiou us void under the higher law Inc
North entertains the opinion that slavery Is a
Gin and a crime I Inean when l say Tue
North, the Republican party, and that IS tne
North: and they say that any stipulation IN
the Constitution or laws in favor OF slavery, u
an agreement with death and covenant Win
he'll. and that it is absolutely religious merit
to violate it, They think it as Inucha meTl.
to violate provision Of that sort, as mere
stipulation in favor of murder or treason.
We'll, sir, people entertaining this opinion
Of covenant Of ,hat sort, is hey oud the pale oil
con,rac,.making You cannot make contract
with people Of that kind, because it is bond
not as they regard it, binding upon them
That being So how will it be any protection to Z,
us, that our senators and representatives shall
have the power of saying this bill shall not
pass. Suppose the bill to pass giving ,pro'ec'
ton to slavery, they would say hereafter, we
nroclaimed from the mountain tops from the
bustinys, from the forum, and wherever our
voice could b. heard, that we did not regard
stipu!a,ous in matters relating to slavery as
hind.nr unun US. We recognize higher law,