Shreveport daily news., 1861-05-09

declaration of war against these Con-
federate States.
In addition to the long continued
and deep seated resentment felt by
the Southern States at the persistent
abuse Of the powers they had dele
gated to Congress for the purpose of
enriching the manufacturing and ship
ping classes of the North at the ex-
pense of the South. There has ex-
listed for nearly half century, another
subject of discord, involving interests
Of such transcendent magnitude as at
all times to create the apprehension
in the minds of many devoted lovers
Of the Union that its permanence
was impossible.
When the several States delegated
certain powers to the United States
Congress, a large portion Of the labor
ing population were imported into the
colonies by the mother country. In
twelve out of the fifteen States negro
slavery existed, and the right of prop
erty existing in slaves was protected
by law; this property was recognized
in the constitution, and provision was
made against its loss by the escape
Of the slave.
The increasein the number of slaves
by foreign importation from Africa
was also secured by clause forbid
ding Congress to prohibit the slave
trade anterior to a certain date, and in
no clause can there be found any
delegation Of power to the Congress
to authorise it in any manner to legis-
late to the prejudice, detriment or
discouragement of the owners of that
species of property or excluding it
from the protection Of the Govern
inent.
The climate and soil Of the North
ern States soon proved unpropitious
to the continuance Of slave labor,
while the reverse being the case at
the South made unrestricted free in
unfriendly.
The Northern States consulted
their own interests by selling their
slaves to the South and prohibiting
slavery between their limits. The
South We're willing purchasers ofprop-
erty suitable to their wants, and paid
the price Of the acquisition without
harborinS suspicion that their quiet
possession was to be disturbed by
those who We're not only in want of
Constitutional authority. but by good
faith as vendors, from disquieting a
title emanating from themselves.
AS soon, however, as the Northern
States that prohibited African slavery
within their limits had reached Il
number sufficient to give their repre-
sentation controlling vote in the
Congress, Il persistent and organized
system Of hostile measures against
the rights Of the owners of slaves in
the Southern States was inaugurated
and gradually extended. A series Of
measures was devised and prosecuted
for the purpose of rendering insecure
the tenure of property in slaves.
Fanatical organZatlons, supplied
with money by voluntary subscrip-
tons, were assiduously engaged in
exciting amongst the the slaves Il
spirit of discomfort and revolt
Means We're furnished for their escape
from their owners and agents secretly
employed to entice them to abscond
The constitutional provision for
their rendition to their owners was
first evaded, then openly denounced
as Il violation of conscientious obi.
cation and religious duty. Men were
taught that it was Il merit to elude,
disobey and violently oppose the exc
cution of the laws enacted to secure
the performance Of the promise con-
tanned in the constitutional compact.
Often owners of slaves We're mobbed
and even murdered in open day solely