The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1861-01-30

selves. Hence, they refused to pay the tax
es laid by the British Parliament sa.rn

selves. Hence, they refused to pay the tax
es laid by the British Padiament.a ~
And SO with the Southern States towards
the Northern States, in the vital matter Of
taxation. They are in minority in Con-
gress. Their representation in Congress is
useless to protect them against unjust tax
alton, and they are taxed by the people of
the North, for their Jensft, exactly as the
people of Great Britain taxed our ancestors
in the British Parliament for their benefit.
For the last forty years, the taxes laid by the
Congress of the United States have been laid
with a view of subseving the interests Of the
North. The people Of the South have been
taxed by duties on imports, not for revenue,
but for an object inconsistent with revenue
Ito promote by prohibitions, Northern in
tcrests in the productions of their mines and
manufactures. ,tgy .-s..t--s.,i.
There is another evil in the condition of
( the Southern towards the Northern States,
which our ancestors refused TO bear towards
Great Britain. Our ancestors not only taxed
themselves, but all the taxes collected from
them were expended amongst them. Had
they submitted to the pretensions of the
British Government, the taxes collected from
them would have been expended in other
parts of the British Empire. They were
fully aware of the effect Of such policy in
impoverishing the people from whom taxes
are collected, and in enriching those who re-
ceive the benefit of their expenditure. To
prevent the evils of such policy was one Of
the motives which drove them on to Revolu.
ton. Yet this British policy has been fully
realized towards the Southern States by the
Northern States. The people Of the South
crn States are not only taxed for the benefit
of the Northern States, but after the taxes
are collected, three-fourths of them are ex.
pended at the North. This cause, with
others, connected with the operation of the
General Government, has made the cities of
the South provincial. Their growth is para
lyzed; whilst they are mere suburbs of
Northern cities. The agricultural produc-
tions OF the South are the basis of the foreign
commerce of the United States yet South
ern cities do not carry it on. Our foreign
trade is almost annihiated. In l740 there
we're five ship-yards in South Carolina, to
build ships to carry on our direct trade with
Europe, Between l74o and 1879 there were
built in these yards twenty-five square-rigged
vessels, besides a number Of sloops aud
schooners, to carry on our coast and West
India trade. In the half century immediate
" preceding the Revolution, from 1925 to
1875, the population of South Carolina in
creased seven-fold.
No man can for a moment believe that
our ancestors intended to establish over their
posterity exactly the same sort Of govern
ment they had oyerthrown. The great OBJ
ject of the Constitution of the United States,
in its internal operation, was, doubtless, TO
secure the great end of the Revolution-a
limited free government-ag government limit
ed to those matters only which were general
and common to all portions of the United
States. All sectional or local interests were
to be left to the States. BY no other ar
rangement would they obtain free govern
ment, by Constitution common to so vast
a Confederacy. Yet, by gradual and steady
encroaohments on the part of the people Of
the North, and acquiescence on the part OF
the South, the limitations in the Constitution
have been swept away: and the Government
of the United States has become consolidate
cd, with claim Of lmitlcss powers in its
operations.
1t is not at all surprising, whilst such i
the character of the Government of the
United States, that it should assume to pos
sess power over all the institutions of the
country. The agitations on the subject o.
slavery are the natural results of the consol
idation Of the Government Responsibility
follows power; and if the people of the
North have the power by Congress !" to pro
mote the general welfare of the United
States" by any means they deem expedien
why should they not assai and overthrow
the institution Of slavery in the South! They
are responsible for its continuance or ex
istence, in proportion to their power. A ma
jority in Congress, according to their in
tcrested and perverted views, is omBipotent
The inducements to act upon the subject o
slayery, under such circumstances, were 81
iinperious as to amount almost to a mora
necessity. To make, however, their numeri
cal power available to rule the Union, tn
North must consolidate their power. ]
would not be united on any matter commoI
to the whole Union-in other words, on an,
Constitutional subject--for on such subject
divisions are as likely to exist in the Nortl
in the South. Slavery was strictly sec
tional interest. If this could be made th
criterion of the parties at the North, th
North could be united in its power, and thu
carry out its measures of sectional ambition
7 oncroac aclr,ant and aorsrran dizernenf To huiI