American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-03-03
.RIFIED d..
8, 1896.


.oducing dissatisfaction and insurrec-
.;hv amongst the slaves of the Southern
"a created intense excitement. The President
IN his annual message called the attention Oh oon'
Oress to the matter, and, upon motion oil MI oai'
houn. of South Carolina, that portion OF the mes
,a was referred to select committee OF i've on sne
rsrt of the Senate, consisting Of Mr.. Calhoun as
chairman. Mr.. King, of Georgia, Mr.. Mangum' Oh
North Carolina, Mr.. Davis. Of Massachusetts ana
Mr.. Lewis F. Linn, Of Missouri.
regarded as a very important committee, and the
whole country, particularly the Southern section
looked forward to the Report with much interest
and anxiety. Every one saw and believed that the
time had arrived when the unfortunate agitation OF
the slavery question must cease or the result woud
be detrimental to the best interests of the whole
country, and might finally terminate in dissolution
OF the American Union. Every patriot felt the
most intense anxiety for twas clearly seen and I'M
derstood that il the Government, through the Post
of6ce-one of its departmsnts-cou be used as an
engine Of oppression towards fifteen states OIL tne
Union, a point had been reached from which m'gh'
be safely calculated either submission and degrada'
ton 10 the weaker section, manly resistance and
perhaps independence
Il was not long before the Senator from South
Carolina-Mr. Calhoun---as chairman oil SAID eoui
mittee presented to the Senate Report and BILL
The former consisting of two parts: LIST, the part
(which undertook to show that the Federal Govern
meut was founded in compact as distingalshaoie
from the view presented and enforced by Mr. Web
ste, in the great debate between himself and Mr..
hioh ttayn utp 10 NOint ont
the danger to the slave States resulting from an IN
reference with the institution by the people OF the
non slaveholding States. We quote from that por
tion Of the report embraced under the second head
and ask the candid and rejecting to ponder upon
the remarkable coincidence between the views pre-
sented by the great Caronan and the facts as they
now exist as part Of the history of our unfortunate
country
"Their protested object is the emancipation OF
slaves in the Southern States, which they propose
70 accomplish through the agencies OF organized
societies, spread throughout the non-siaVehoidlng
States and powerful press, directed manly 10 ex
cite in the other States hatred anu aohorieuce
against the institutions and citizens OF the save,
holding States by addresses lectures, and pictorial
representations, ahOunding in false ana exageer,
,rd IN SnS degree he measure By which to
Jndge of the criminalty Of project few have ever
been devised to be compared with the present
whether the end be regarded. or the means - by
which IL is proposed TO be accomplished. Inc
hindness of fanaticism is proverbial, With more
zeal than understanding it constantly misconceives
the nature of the object ut which 1t aims, and To-
wards which it PUSHES with headlong violence. re
rardess of the means by which it is to he eficcted
Never was its character more sxenphhed IMAM u
fhe present instance Setting out with the ao
strsct principle that slavery is an evil, the fanatca
yealots come at once to the conclusion that 1t IL
their duty to abolish it. regardless OF all the d'sas
tiers which must follow. Never WAS CONCLUSION
more false or dangerous. Admitting their assufnp
ton, there are innumerable things which, regarded
in the abstract, are evils, but which It would o.
madness to attempt to abolish. Thus regarded
government itself is an evil, with most OF us insti
buttons intended 10 protect life and property. com
urehending the civil as well as the criminal anc
military code which are tolerated only because Il
abolish them would be 10 increase instead OF dimin
ishing the evil The reason is equally applcaoi'
to che case under consideration 10 Illustrate winch
few remarks on slavery, as 1t actually exists 10 I'M
Southern States win he necessary.
ne who regards slavery in those States simpl.
nnder the relation of master and slave, as lmpOr
cant as that relation Is, viewed merely as qnestol
of property to the saveholding section OF the Union
has very imperfect conception OF the lhsttuuon
and the inpossibty of abOlishing 1t without dlsas
tiers unexampled in the history OF the world
understsnd ta nAtEre and importance fully, it mus
be borne in mind thst slavery as u exists IN IN
Southern States tincluding under the southern g.
the saveholding States), involves not ohiy the n
iation of master and sa We but, also the social an
polticaI relatsons OF two races, OF nearly equs
numbers, from different quarters oil the globe, au
the most opposite Of all others IN every particuIa
that distinguishes one race at men from HnoneI
Emancipation would destroy Il ese u
diyest the mas rs OF teir property ana suoVeIs IN
relation social and political, that mas existed oe
tween the races nom almost the first settlement
the Southern States. 1t is not the intention o. 70
committee to dwell on the pecuniary aspect oi ln
vital subject, the vast amount OF properly nVovee
equal at least to $3.50 900 900 The ruin OF iamile
and indiV iuais; the impoyershment mo EMU
prostration Of an entire section OF the MON, ah
the fsta. blow that would be given to the prouu
tiUns Of the great agricultural staples, on Wlc" "
commerce the navigation, the msnufactnr.s' an
the revenue OF the country, almost entirely depen'
As great as these disasters would pc, they ~
nothing compared to what must follow tine suoVe
sion of the existing relation between the Two RAJ =
N which the committee will connne ther IeinsiA
Under this relati0n the two races have long hved
peace and prosperity and il not disturbed WON
lang continue 90 10 live. While the European rae
has rapidly increased 10 wealth and mum oeTs, ana
the same time has maintained an equallty, AZ leAs
morally aud intellectually, with their oHthtsp
the non saveboliing States the African race %
multiplied with not less rapidty. accompanied
great improvement, physically and lntelectoali;:
and the enjoyment Of degree OF com1of WIZ
which the laboring class In few countries can 0ou
pare, anu NOulbSstulg BicoNAJ oePSa'O
free people Of the same race possess IN the no
slaveholding States. 1t may, indeed De SAFE
asserted, that there lie no example IN history
which q savage people, such a. their ancestors We
when brought into the country, have ever sdvanct
in the same period 30 rapidly in numbers Ana y
proyement. To destroy the existing relstol
would be 70 destroy this prosperity, eno " PA
the two races in state Of conflict. which must e1
in the expulsion or extirpstou Of one or The otne
No other can be substituted, compatible with the
pesee or security. The difficulty Is 10 the divers
ef the races 30 strongly drawn y the line betwe'
the two, in consequence Of il, and so strengthen
tyy the force n habit and education. that II 10 u
possible for them 10 exist together in the san
Community, where their numbers are 20 neaI
relation than which now exists. Social ana p1n
cal equality between them is impossible, NO po
er on earth can overcome the difficulty me aus
resisting lie too deep IN the prncipleE :" ~. nas
a. h. sarmoanted. Bot without such equality,
chsnFe fhs present condition Of the African rae
were il possible would be but 10 change the fofin
l.