The national Republican., 1861-03-28
VIRGINIA AND THE EXTENSION OF
SLAVERY.

menced, some fifteen years ago, one would
have supposed from the unsnimity Of the press,
of the politicians, and of legislative resolves,
that everybody in the free States WAS opposed
to the further extension Of slavery. To be so
was to be orthodox, and no party was yet
found to take the other side of the question.
But the sequel proved, that this unanimity was
more apparent than real, and that when the
motive of political expediency was presented,
very considerable minority could be rallied
to sustain the extension Of slavery, under such
specious pretexts as popular sovereignty and
the equality of States, and even, if necessary,
without the shelter Of any disguise whatever.
We have now an example Of just such de-
ceptive unanimity on the other side, in the State
Convention sitting at Richmond, in which the
speakers Of all parties assume as their common
starting point, that the interest Of Virginia re-
quires that the national territories should be
opened to coerced labor. That is the orthodox
doctrine at Richmond, and dissent does not
yet show itself. 1t is easier to fall in with q
general current or to be passive and silent,
than to take the trouble and risk Of opposing
it. But this apparent uusnimity has no basis,
either in the real interests Of Virginia, or in
any opinions of Virginians formed after discus.
sion, and is, therefore, no more reliable, than
was the frst-blush unanimity Of the North in
favor of the Wilmot Proviso.
In itself, the extension Of slavery is only USE
full to negro breeders, at most, so far as it in.
wolves considerations ofpolitical power, to slave
holders. But Shareholders are in a slender
minority in Virginia. The great body of Vir-
ginians own no slaves, and so have no personal
motive to help to extend slavery anywhere.
Nor is this all. Their personal interests are
precisely the reverse. As they are largely an
emgrating people, they must desire to preserve
the national territories free from slavery, as q
long and uniform experience has shown that
they prefer to emigrate to free States, rather
than to slave States They know what slavery
is, they deplore its existence and its effects,
and, other things being equal, they choose, in
migrating, to 60 where it is not found. This is
a matter of fact, about which there is no dis
pute, and the causes Of it require no recondite
speculations.
Virginia is said to be slaveholding, but that
means only that certain persons in Virginia
hold slaves. Tried by the test Of the condition
of the vast majority Of her people, Virginia
might more truly be said to be non slavehold.
ing.
The District of Columbia is slsveholding,
but we who live here know that the number
of shareholders is small, and that upon fair
presentation Of the question of the extension
of slavery, nineteen.twentieths of our people
would go against it. Such a result is not to
be expected in Virginia, where the number Of
shareholders is proportionately so much greater,
but there is no good reason to doubt that the
opponents of extending an institution, not
loved by the masses, but only endured as q
necessity, would soon show themselves formid.
able in numbers and power.
The Republican party, which is national in
its principles, ought to be equally national in
its organization. 1t has so far been excluded
from the South, by the clamors and falsehoods
ofthe various factions which divide that section
of the country, and which emulated each other
in greeting its first formation with a storm Of
denunciation which has continued to this day
But as we have beaten all those factions in
the nation at large, so we can beat them in the
South itself, if we set about it with resolution,
with just pride in our principles, and with a
steady refusal of all compromising entangle.
ments.
The first national meeting of the Republi-
cans was presided over by a Shareholder, and
there is nothing in their creed, which should
prevent its support by the South, or even by
the shareholders of the South. To oppose the
extension of slavery, implies no infringement
of its constitutional rights where it exists,
and it is the true interest of the institution, to
work out its destiny in peace upon the area
which it now covers, rather than to provoke
hostility by idle and ambitious enterprises.
CoMMERCE.-We annex q comparative state
ment of the imports of foreign dry goods and
general merchandise at New York, for the
week ending March %, and since January l:
Gsy.s Gsy ssP4s n:;;s:; s.ss ss: aS5ss
Total for the week. 4,o7o,2Ol 4,437,5Oe l,s8O,O77
Previously reported. 47S27Sos 52,2lo,O09 ss,576si7
Since January H.. 81 ,s97,S7o 66,G4s,sl4 Al ,+55,724
This dimnution of imports is not favorable
to revenue, but it indicates that continued
economy of the people, which will soon restore
the old prosperity.
The exports continue on an increased scale.
The following is a comparative statement of
the value of exports, from the commencement
of the year to March 81:
1850. 1851 Increase Decrease.
Cotton. .s3576l5O 81, 4O6l $i,927,9ll ........
Flour. 80. s78sS5 2,674,249 1897 ,364 .......
Corn Meal 535Sl 81 333 .,.,.., % 2Is