New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-01-25
THE "sACRED HONOR" OF AMERICAN
SIAVE-OWNERS!

From The Lirerpooi Daily Time, Jan.9.
The "sacred honor Of the slave-owDers OF South
Carolina has been more SYSTEMATICALLY pledged
before the world in support Of their Free sovereign,
and independent right TO load men with chains TO whip
them like dogs and TO sell them rom one estaeowner
10 another like any domestic animal or any beast OF
burden Those man-stealers-those Geld blloded and
systematic trackers in the lives and liberties Of hu-
man beings-tbose men whose very breath seems
drawn from an atmosphere in which fends and evil
spirits, WHO have set divine power at dehtnce, could
alone luxuriate and triumphantly hatch black plots
against human happiness-do not blush TO offer ad-
0tional insult 10 heaven and earth by blasphemousy
appealing 10 the Supreme Judge Of the world for the
recitude of their intentions and to Divine Providence
for protection in the pursuit Of their unhalowed and
accursed practices. Such profanity must have sadly
shocked the feelings Of every EDglishman who has
perustd the document we published yesterday called
the declaration Of causes which are put forth as usi
fynQ the secession Of South Carolina from the Federal
Union as reported by the Committee appointed to pre-
pare an address to the Southern States.
The argument put forth 10 favor OF the Of
South Carolina is made TO rest mainly on two points,
namely-f'st, the original separation and equal po-
son Of that individual State one of the nations Of
the world; and, secondly the night Of the people Of
such State to alter and abolish any form of govern
ment, and 20 institute new one, whenever in their
oIiion that system becomes destructive of their sup
roeed original freedom and independence in all things
These two propositions meant 10 be illustrated and
proved by reference 10 the fact Of separation from the
mother country and 20 the consequent declaration Of
are with sudious care and manifest purpose repre-
senied as the simultaneous acts of many sovereign
States, each acting as II were apart from the others
and for itself alone. That these socaled Southern
States immediately contiguous to each other, should
have acted together under one impulse toward one
end and that their sbors should have resulted in their
COMPLETE union under one Federal system is either
altogether ignored, meant to be looked upon a.
trivial and accidental circumstance scarcely worthy
of notice. Indeed, it seems difficult 10 ascertain
from this declaration OF causes for what cause
Union was effected at all. We asked 70 believe
that each State still reserved to itself such high de-
gree Of positive independence that driven to
entertain the idea that Federal laws meant
TO he binding on anybody who chose TO defy them Or
we are TO consider that any positive benefit
anticipated likely TO accrue any Of the "sOyereign
States" from this almost mythical "Union" it seems
10 have been only that OF protection TO the Southern
Saveholdng States against the agations and agrees
sions OF Northern Aboorists If there il anything
more than another particularly deserving notice in
perusiDg this declaration by South Carolina State il Ia
The assumption that the "instituion" of Slavery CON.
stuted the and only indispensable bond Of the Union
of that nation which has 10 vainly boosted it.
telf the freest in creation Because The aggressiae
sioveo wning States hare been defeated in The election
Of President, .torsOOth, the laws Of the General
Government have ceased to effect the objects
Of the Constitution. Not 10 recognise the
rights of slaUeopnerS, epen an Free Statcs-not
to permit them by any to aggravate and extend
the evils Of their abOnnabe domestic institution as
they call the mortal sin Of enslaying their feowman,
u.s. according 10 South Carolina, 10 nuA!ty the Con-
stItution and render Congress an nnSgBerabLe
nuisance. Now, it is mere nonsense to talk Of South
Carolina Ye,uing her former sovereign Independence.
Sic, along viii the other States in our North Ameri-
colonies, were permitted to cast off our authority
over them, and they Simultaneously declared them
selves jus6able in having done So and ao entitled TO
form a new Government, which they did. But it
needs small discrimin ton to detect that the act OF
separation now attempted by South Carolinaust Like
the former act Of separation from Great Britain-s
simply and purely act Of rebellion and an attempt
at revolution If there be any material difference be-
tween there two distant events the last certainly
seems the moro inexcusable and reprehensble.
What have been the specific criminal acts Of the
Northern Free States which now pleaded by the
Southern Slave States in justification Of this open
belion against their voluntarily constituted authoi-
ties The North has carried Abraham Lincon's cleo
ton; but then he does not into power until the
4th Of March next Oh, but we are told, in many Of
the States, fnglives "hed TO service and 10 labor"
have been claimed, but In none Of them has the State
Government complied with the stipulation on this sub
jeet made In the Constitution; but how does the sup
poed dereliction Of individual State Governments
impieate the Federal Government of the Union 2
Whatsoever may have been the views and course