The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-04-10
WHAT ARE THE INTERESTS OF THE
BORDER STATES!

\
One Of the most able and exhaustive ex>
aminations Of the secession question, with all
its various aud conflicting interests, that has
been made is contained in the speech OF Hon.
G. w. Summers, lately delivered in the
Virginia Convention. Its length deters us
from its publication entire, but we cannot
refrain from presenting TO our readers some
paragraphs in which the effects of secession
upon Virginia interests (and to about the
same degree upon North Carolina interests)
are presented with great directness and the
most convincing force Of argument.
Raleigh Register.
NOTHING TO BE GAINED BY SECESSION.
Mr.. President, ii Gods name what are
we to gain BY changing our positon? am
here as one of this family council. am
here to speak my mind as free man and as
a representative of free men ought 10 speak
it, in kindness aud brotherly love, aud at the
same time with boldness and candor. We
have been brought here for communion and
consultation. We are here celebrating up
on the question whether we shall pass an or.
dinance taking this old Commonwealth out
Of the Union, or whether we shall make fur
.ther efforts to restore and perretuate this
! Union.
What are we to gain BY secession. what can
we gain by separate action on the part Of
this Commonwealth In regard to any one
of the questions embraced in the whole scope
of our difficulties, what do we gain BY. such
step: What do you gain on the territorial
question: The entire abandonment OF all
connection with and control over them. II
is interesting to our people now only as a
question OF rlght-mnre so in that aspect than
as practical question Of value but as a
question Of right | would settle il fairly,
justly and forever. On that question are you
determined to lose everything
On the question of our absconding slave
population, what do you gains You ex-
change the constitutional provision. which
requires the rendition Of fugitlvcs from SER
vice, the laws Of Congress 10 enforce it, and
the amendment now proposed for the pay
ment in full Of unreclaimed and lost slaves
you exchange all these provisions and guaran-
tees, securing you ia your rights, Tor The
mere chance OF treaty stipulatious alter We
shall have divided on the slave line. and az
ter sovereign and independent nations shall
have taken the place OF cOnfederated States
How are YOU to treat with them upon that
question! Can YOU treat with England: Ii
was tried ia the Webster A,hburton treaty
Have you ever been able to open TO the En-.
gllsh mind the conception OF an arrangement
for the rendition Of fugitves from Canada
Not at all. And across the Ohio river YOU
would substitute for these confedrrated
States, not Canada merely, but States once
in communion with US thrown OF and cor
yerted possibly into worse than a hostile
Canada. That is what you would gain upor
the Fugitive Slave law.
And what do YOU gain in any particular
as TO this Institution IN which we are 50 muci
commemorative Institution Of slavery, whict
is and ought to be great and vital interes
in this Commemorative institution which
am prepared to say, is founded rot only Il
social and economical expediency. but is III,
best Of all positions for The African himself
an institution morally. socially and political
ly right-what do you gain for that instiiu
ton. say, BY sunjering this connection
Instead OF Commonwealth in the centre o
a great Coafederacy, made up Of slaveholdin:
and non slayeholding States, with c0nstitu
tional and statutory provisions for your safe
" and security, you exchange that position
for border attitude along the line OF State
no longer connected with YOU. not parlici
pating in that institution, but becoming pos
sbly by your own act mDre hostile TO il thai
: ever. You abandon all the guarantees whicl
I you now have under the Constitution, an
all which are proposed TO be added, for hi
uncertain chances Of an arrangement be
tween foreign governments.
WHERE SLAVERY NEEDS PROTECTION.
4 Mr. President, remarked ashile ago thu
liz was better to protect slavery 10 Western
Virginia than IN New Mexico; better i
legslste Cor the encouragement uf that lnstI
tuition upon your own borders than elsewhere
II you do not afford such protection, what i
The condition Of Virginia 10 regard TO the 10
stitution u slavery? DO you not prrceiy
that the institution al once becomes WORTHLESS
TO uss Ia nv region Of the State. bOrderin
upon the Ohio river, can you hold slaves a
al after separation come from count
which, by the census Of lsj0-the census !
1860 have not yet seen--c0ntsineI SON
5000 slaves. come from region u coun
try onstituiing--permIt me to say IN passln
/, Las lovely portion 81 this green earth .
i. perhaps lies within the limits Of the Unlnn-
Y mean the fertile and beautiful valley watei
ed By the KauaNha. 4bvuniing in al The M
terial resources Of wealth, commerce an
z power. country abUunding 10 sgricultl
d raj, mineral and commercial facilities 40
e material. come from the region 81 II
great coal fields, the great salt deposits, 40
q the OIL wells and mills now furnishing ligt
:. and lubrcstion for tie whole land. Loud i
1 my neigabors Of tie Upper Kanaaha,
o miles north Of inca valley filed with en-
. terprise, with capital and adsentdre, risallin
o in activity Of speculation and hope d lortun
|. the scenes Of Pixies Peak few years az,
!. Look, also, at the Wheeling region--its nc
d deposits Of coal and u extensive msnDfs,
q tories. Look at ihe@fegon represented
part by my friend from Monongalia, ~
z Wiley waiefed BY streams running 70 Pltt
q burg--ihe bead springs ofthe Ohio-his PEN
!" syltania neighbours within twelve miles
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