The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer., 1863-01-23
From the journal Of Commerce.
ABOLITIONISM.

since, III the pleasing dclusiou that thnse
who desire to get rid of the abol,ionlsts
have only to get rid Of slavery and they
would accomplish their purpose. "lf
there were no slavery there would be no
abolitionists,' argues this authority
Mistaken man have you indeed so little
knowledge Of the truth Are you in fact
so innocent as to Imagine that this mad
spirit of radical abol,,ionism is the evil
evoked from the place of evil spirits, by
the existence of slavery in America in
the nineteenth century and that it never
before mnde its appearance among men !?
1t is undoubtedly true that great many
people do believe that slavery is the sole
cause OF the existence of Northern radi-
calism. Hence it is that SO many, inclu-
ding Mr. Lincoln, arc misled into the
idea that it slavery were ouly removed we
should enter on an American millennium
of peace and union.
The error is fatal, and until this crror is
corrected, the country will not be saved.
Remove slavery before this fierce spirit of
rodicalism, and it will become ten-foId
more fierce. 1t grows strong on success.
1t thrives Oh the destruction of all that it
opposes.
1t is no new thing in the world Fr m
the earliest periods, the spirit of the Plla-
risee, which pronounced all other men in
ferior to him, has animated more or less
men. This is part of the spirit of aboli-
tionism, and another part is the desire to
compel other men to submit to its views
of right and wrong. The American Union
might have existed in peace to the end of
time, if it contained no radical mcn; but
without slavery, and with radical men,
either at the North or South, East or
West, it was certain at one time or anoth-
er to plunge into fcrocious se:tionali ism ---.
IF men were content to live and let each
other alone, as regards all offensive de.
monstrations, VIC should have no quarrels.
If men in one State were content to live
and let the men of other States alone, we
should have no aggrcssions, and no State
quarrels If, when wishes, or opinions, or
interests differ and collide, there existed
on both sides willingness and desire to
yield for the sake Of harmony, Instead of
spirit Of obstinate determination to COM
pei submission, we should have eternal
peace, Nor can people unite in any form
of republican government on any other
principle. Peace and prosperity will re-
turn to America only when this compro.
mise spirit Of our fathers is restored aud
made permanent In vain We look else
where for union or peace. If Mr.. Lin
coin by wave Of his hand could remove
every slave from America to Africa to day,
he would not add one iota to the perma-
nent character of the American Union,
unless he could remove the spirit of radi-
cal abolitionism with it, and restore the
spirit of mutual concession and comprom-
ise, on all points of State or sectional diff
ference. These are truths that radical
men do not understand. But it is as sui
eMn truth as the existence of the war it.
self, that there is no future of peace for
America until the abolitiouist spirit is an
INITIATED. 1t will not cease to exist When
slavery disappears. Slavery might have
existed in the South till the bondmcn
and frecmen witness the final catastrophe
of the world, and without causing rebel.
lion or war, if the aggressive spirit of abo-
litionsm had not made the contest.
The simple fact is, that the bad clement,
the combative element of sef.esteem and
desire to compel others to submit to our
views and opinions, is the spirit of Amcri-
can radicalsm, and whether the radical is
a Northerncr or Southerner, the mo-
ment he attempts to become politician
he becomes disuniouist.
In all ages and countries these men
have been the meters of broils, troubles,
revolutions. They were known in old
Rome. They were denounced in Greece.
They were especially we'll known among
the Hebrews. They were pcstilent fel-
lows always and everywhere; nor is it to
be doubted that when we come to decipher
the Egyptian writings, VIC shall find that
they were executed for sedition and con-
spiracy in the days of the Pharoahs.
The spirit came down through all the
political history of European civilization.
1t was present in church and state. 1t
was always rampant for the abolition of
something; always bent on what it called
reform always using fire and faggot to
compel submission. 1t kindled the flames
of the prosecutions in the later Enpirc.-
1t burned the Knights of the Temple at
the stake in France under Philip. 1t re-
joicedin St. Bartholomcw's day. 1t cross
ed to England as early as the days of the
Saxon kings, and remained there with the