Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-09-04
.sWno nre enc southlM
From the New York Post

-.,....-.. Who are the South
'-.- From the New York Post.
There is much talk in these days abou
''the South, and the rights of "the South.
Now what is meant by these phrases p
Who are ''the South Z" In the opinion oi
those who most constantly use the words
"the South" is composed of less than hall
million of persons, many among them
women and children. "The South" is the
slaveholders, and no one else. They alone
are thought worthy of our care, of our
attention they alone are to be prOpitiated;
their "rights, and nobody else's, are to be
protected.
The consummate impudence of this as
sumption alone carries it along, with the
unthinking part of the public. Bat is it
not time to prick this bladder with which
the northern friends of the shareholders be-
labor the nationH What are these four hun
dred thousand mau owners and woman
whippers, that they alone, of the eight mil.
lions of the southern population, are to be
taken into account when we discuss the tu-
ture the Union2 What have they done for
the Union that their private and peculiar
interest is to be held more sacred than
aught else; that their wishes are to be con-
suited and their desires fulfilled, without
a thought of the seven and a half millions
of working people whom they and their
northern allies so completely put out of
sight and consideration Ha.
Mr.. Adams, whose letter we have dis
cussed in another place, speaks of the
rgreat mass of the southern people," and
appeals on their behalf for the re-eusIave-
ment of the black people of the southern
states, But he clearly has in his mind
only the '.great mass" Of the Shareholders; !;
he spoke only with slaveholding pOliti-
clans; he tells us only of their views; he
relates to us their confession that blow
struck at slavery is death blow at rebel
lion and because 1t is that-aud for no
other reason-they desire that slavery shall
be re.enactsd and protected by the general
government in the South. Are those who
began the rebellion, who ''ired the south
ern hsart' and t'precipitated the southern
states into revolution" the only ones to be
consulted2 Are their privileges the only
ones to be preserved with care by us2-
Are not the seven and half millions, by
depressing aud using whom they have
made war against US, to be consulted too Z
Have the four and half millions of nom
sIayeholding whites OF the South no rights
which we are bound to respect.
Isita 'state right to hold slaves2 Is
it not perversion of language to speak of
"slaveholding state2" Do states hold
slaves2 Not at all; individuals within
them do; and it ought not to be forgotten
that they are few in number compared with
the whole white population. On this point
we quote the sensible words Of a southern
mau-one born in state where slavehold-
ing was permitted, and where the slave
holders monopolised to themselves the
political power, aud used it in 1861 to
''precipitate the state into revolution" to
use the phrase OF Yaucey-against the
declared wish Of a majority Of the people.
The Nashville UntO"sAys:
etIn Kentuoky and Tennessee about one
thirtieth of the white population are slave
holders. Hence, il the government were
disposed to do so, it might destroy slavery
| 10 Tennessee, without importing her inter
nal authority or rights q particle. She
would be state as much as she ever was,
/ and exercise all the power that she ever
Ibid. Her representation in the federal
| Congress will be as large as it was before
the abolition of slavery. The system con-
lstitutes NO psrt Of what is called the SOW
lereienty of o state. This is proved by the
cases Of Pennsylyanta, New York, New
Jersey aud Illinois, all Of which were
once slave states Slavery, In the course
Iof time, was abolished in their border
without in the least diminishing theil
sovereignty or rights No one will pre
tend that New York has less authority il
Iany respect than she had in IsB; no ont
Il will pretend that aught has been detracted
from the power of Illinois or Pennsylyanta
Remove every slave from Tennessee to
morrow, and she will continue as much {
State as ever. Her local authority viii
q continue unimpaired.I Her Governor, Sen
ate. Representatives, State Cabinet, Con
lVressmen, superior aud Interior courts
sherifs, magistrates, will be elected q
!. lthey always have been, and viii posses
the same powers. Her banks, corporations
,tmunicipaiities, public works and institu
q tions will not be modified in the minutes
: particular. Taxes will be levied, improve
!. lments carried on, the State militia muster
q ed, State, county and municipal apPropri
tetions made, aud religious, educatiOua
seientific and charitable institutions con
Quoted With NO more restrictions than bay
;S3r-evionsIy existed The fact is this, q
, eyineed by historic testimon that Will
I the Federal Government has not eneFoach
: ed upon the local sovereignty OF the slaS
: states, the slave States have been intrine