The Oxford intelligencer., 1861-03-06
The Interstate slaye-Trade.

Ine Interstate SiaVe-TraGe.
Now that the border slave States hare at
last been furnished with pretext for adher-
ing to the Uuion-and we suppose misera-
bic pretext will answer their purpose Just as
we'll as better one-it is naturally TO be ex-
pected that they will ultimately decide, after
making certain number of wry faces, to
give Black Republicanisn "a fair trial.
They have a perfect right so to decide, if
they think fit; and, much as we may regret
the fact, far be it from us to complain of their
decision. In the present juncture of public
affairs, the slave State that celebrates, like a
wsmmn in the same predicament, is lost.
Abolitionism, in all its forms, has hitherto
been odious to the Southern people; but
now, when cowardice and greed of gain COM
bine to repress' the natural repugnance Of a
portion of them to more intimate famliari-
ty with it, it is not difficult to forctell what
the end will be. "First they'll endure; then
pity; then embrace" Vile demagogues, like
Andy johnson and Winter Davis, men who
would sell their souls, as they have sold their
sections, for mess of pottage, will vie with
each other in bidding for the favor of Lin
coin and his successors in Office, until the
border slave States become as thoroughly
debauched and aboitionized as Hayti or rs
Massachusetts,. If we permit them to do so,
they will, however, first take the precaution
TO sell us their slaves. Then, having no
longer any pccuniary. interest at hazard, they
will become intensely virtuous, like their
more Northern prototypes, and begin the.
pious work of stealing the very property for
which we hold their bills of sale.
With this prospect before us, we are called
upon to consider what shall be the policy Of
the Confederate States. Self-defcnce is the
first law of nature; and States, no less than
individuals, must either assert their rights
under that law, or perish. In our Judgment,
The Congress of the Confederacy, whenever
any border slave States shall have announced
their final purpose to remain in the Union,
should enact a stringent law to prevent
single slave from being brought thence and
introduced within our limits. Thencclorth,
a sweeping prohibition should be enforced
a prohibition which shall not only prevent
traders from bringing slaves among us from
the nou-seceding States, but which shall
equally prevent our own citizens from going
thither to purchase slaves to be brought here,
and render it impossible for citizens of those
States, under any circumstances, to come
here with their slaves. This last restriction,
we are well aware, will not be universally
popular in the Coutedcracy. We shall be
told that it will have the effect of excluding
many of those who are anxious to cast in
their lot with ours, and who would be most
desirable as citizens. This is very true but
it is equally as true that each immigrant of
that description, while he contributed to in
crease our strength at home, would weaken
our cause in the State from which he emf
grated. So long as we can keep him there,
and keep him interested in the pcrpctuation
Of slavery, SO long may we count upon him
as a friend. If he is SO strongly determined
to transfer his citizenship to one Of the States
of the Confcderacy that he is willing tc dis
pose of his slaves in order that he ina, carry
out his purpose, we shall gain, in him, val
liable addition to our numbers, while the pur-
chaser of his slaves will still be our friend in
the State where he remains. We must look,
in reasoning upon this great question, to the
interests of our own people; and we shall
assuredly err, and wholly fail to reach cor
rect conclusion in the premises, if we suffer
our judgment to be disturbed by corsidera-
tons foreign to those interests. Many of
us, no doubt, are personally acquainted with
individuals in the border slave States who
would gladly come here, with their slave
property, il they were permitted to do so,
rather than submit to the rule of Lincoln,
but who would not be willing to sell their
slaves. 1t is natural that we should tl,ink of
the effect, upon that class of our friends, of
the legislation We have indicated but, at the
same time, we should bear il in mind that
sclfishness is the first duty Of every govern
mcnt. We mean, hereby, to be understood
as saving, that, while no government has any
authority to encroach upon the rights of
other peoples, or upon the rights of indyid-
uals, it is the highest duty of every govern
ment to adopt such measures as will most ef
fcctually promote the advantage of its own
citizens, without regard to the effect of those
measures upon the interests of others.
II Navigation of the Mississippi.
The Provisional Congress has enacted