The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-11-01
N0VEM. lst, 1862

their truth and 6rst. Of tn. dom inant ma
Jority Of the last session. ending September
1880 that majority, m every instance, was
helped out by votes from the slave States.
and generally by majority OF them. The
admission OF California, which was the &C.
OF the session most complained OF. most re-
sisted. and declared to be q .stest" aues-
tion, was supported by a msjority of the
members from the slave States so that
reason falls up~n the trial Of an issue of
fact. The second set of reasons have for
their point, An assertion that the msjo .ity in
Congress have . settled purpose destroy
the institution OF slavery in the State of
Mississippi and in the other slave States,
and 10 subvert the sovereignty of all the
slave States. 1t is the duty of history to
deal with this assertion, thus solemnly put
In legislative act IS a cause for the seces-
sion of State from the Uniou-and to say,
that it was an assertion without evidence,
to the fact There was no such settled pur-
pose in the majority of Congress, nor in =
minority OF Congress. nor in any half dozen
members OF Congress--if in any one at all.
II WAS q most deplorable assertion of a most
alarming design, caic ulated to mislead and
inhame the ignorant, and mako them fly to
disunion as the refuge against such an ap-
palling catastrophe. But it was not new
declaration. 1t was part and parcel of the
original agitation of slavery commenced in
| 1885, and continued ever since. To destroy
slavery in the States has been the design
attributed to the Mort hern States from that
day to this. and is necessary to be KEEP. up
in order to keep alive the slavery agitation
in she slave States. 1t has received its
constant and authoritative contradiction in
the conduct OF those States at home, and in
the acts Of their representatives in Congress,
year in and year out; aud continues to re-
without having the least effect upon its
repetition and incessant reiteration. In the
mean time there is fact visible in all the
slave States, which shows that. notwlth-
standing these twenty years repetition of
the same assertion. that there is no danger
TO slavery in any slave State. Property is
timid and slave property above all !: and
the market is the test Of safety and danger
to all property. Nobody gives full price for
anything that is insecure. either in title or
possession. All property. in danger from
either cause. sinks in price when brought to
that infallibls test Now, how is it with
slave property. tried by this unerring stand
ard Has it been sinking in price since
the year 1885? since the year of the first j
alarm manifesto in South Carolina, and the
FIRST of Mr.. Calhoun's twenty years alarm
speeches in the Senate? On the contrary, ,
the price has been constantly rising the s
whole time-and is still rising. although it I
has attained a height incredible to have
been predicted twenty years ago.
But, although the slavery alarm does not .
act on property. yet it acts on the feelings q
and passions OF the people, aud excites sec d
tional animosity, hatred for the Union. and
desire Tor separation. The Nashville con.
vention, and the call for the Southern Con. t
gress. were natural occasions to call ou, Q
these feelings and most copio usly did they
dow. Some specimens. taken from the
considered language of men in high author. a
i,y. and speaking advisedly. and for action. b
will show the temper of the whole = the
names withheld. because the design is to
show q danger. and not 10 expose individu- {
als
In the South Carolioa Legislature. a ;
sneaker declared u
1--WE must secede from q Uoion pervert- $
ID fiom its original purpose, and which has
low become an engine of oppression to the !, !,
South. He thought our proper course was u
or this legislature to proceed directly to
he election OF delegates to Southern Con-
,ress. He thought We should not await the I
Iction of all the Southern States but it is Il
prudent for US to await The action of such Il
states as Alabama. Georgia. Mississippi. c.
md Florida; because these States have tt
equested to wait. II we cen get bat h
me State to unite with US. then we must N
.ct. Once being Independent, we would u,
ave a strong ally in England. Bat We p
must prepare for secession" Ii.
Another:
"The friends of the Southern movement
n the other States look to the action Of 70
,outh Carolina aod he would make the hi
ssue in q reasonable time, and the only ag
raw to do SO is By secession. There would d,
70 no concert among the Southern States OF
,nti q blow is struck And if We are sim &C
ere in our determination to resist, we must fr
i've the South some guarantee that We are tr
! earnest He could not concur with the -
,entleman from Greenville in his express de
ions OF attachment to the Union. He hated OF
nd detested the Union. and was in favor CO
f cutting the connection. He avowed him. VI
elf isunionist-a disunioniss per se. If to
e had the power, he would crush this Y
Jnion to- morrow" au
Another: ~
Denied the right or the power Of the de
eneraI government to coerce the State in \.
,se OF secession. This State 10 sovereign -