Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-01-08
Our true Policy.


We have so frequently presented our views
of what we believe to be the true policy OF the
South that they cannot be misunderstood. 1t
is, in brief, to avoid giving unnecessary offence
to the people of the North; to stand calmly
though firmly by all our constitutional rights
to RELY upon ourselves; to develope the rich re-
sources of our section; to establish factories OF
all kinds; to buy as little abroad as possible;
to live within ourselves and encourage In every
possible way every branch of industry In the
Southern States to labor and not to idle; to
hope and not to despond. In an able article,
the Richmond Enquirer has so well expressed
our views that we publish lengthy extract from
it in lieu of expressing them more elaboratey
ourselves. 1t says that ''our first aim should
be to undermine that organized hostility OF su-
perior numbers, which, while it exists, will rem
der alike vain, all appeals to reason and to GOV
enanted faith. Topreach passlonisto preachto
boreas-and never were people so wholly I'M
der the influence of passion as IS the dominant
party of the North to-day. We must therefore
avoid as far as possible all direct collisions with
Northern sentiment. We must refuse to ac-
cent sectional issues. The effort will be to draw
us into these, for then our ruin is assured. we
must beware such stratagems Wemust avoid
giving the evil-disposed material wherewlth to
irritate the Northern mind there is nothing
which those who most hate us at the North, SO
desiringly look for and so eagerly publish, as
taunts and sarcasms uttered here. 1t IS hard
indeed to endure in silence the voeys of vltu-
peration so ceaselessly poured upon us; but we
must learn the virtue of endurance. 1t is no
mark of cowardice in a soldier--it is rather the
highest test of his courage and discipIine-to
receive in silence fire which he may not eff
fectually return. 1t is hard to bear insults and
arrogances such as the coarsest and most brutal
STAKEHOLDER would have been ashamed to utter
to his meanest slave; but the disgrace is not
ours.
While refusing to scold and quarrel, and to
give an overpowering multitude excuse for pas
sion,-we must carefully watch and maintain
all our existing constitutional defences, and
make them as available as possible. We must
test in the courts how far this is indeed a gov
ernment of constitution and laws whether the
obedience demanded of us does not imply pro-
lection; whether taxation does not imply rep
resentation; whether the duties of States do
not imply the rights of States.
Not only must we disarm passion by moder-
alton, and restrain aggression within the mar
rowest practicable bounds, but we must seek to
avert hostile determinations by removing the
opportunities for them. So long as our social
composition differs from that of the North, we
shall be logged by fanatics and harassed by
hostile legislation. To obviate this we must
difuse the negroes. 1t will be fatal to keep
them all here. Send as many as possible North.
Scatter them over the whole country, and they
will no longer disturb its politics. Concentrated
here, We shall neUer hare peace
Again We must conform oar industry to
that Of the North So long as we produce cot
ton and New England spins it all, the cotton
grower will be taxed for the benefit of the cot
ton-spinner. So long as we plant and the North
manufactures, the planter will be taxed for the
manufacturer We must remove the opportu-
mites for discrimination. We must grow no
more cotton than we can spin. We must pro-
vide our own boots and shoes and cloths, and
mechanical implements, as we'll as our meat
and bread
1t will not avail us to inquire in what way
our industry, if unmolested, would be most
profitable. 1t will not be unmolested. 1t is
not our natural interest, not political economy,
but political exigency that we have to study
We must conform our lines to those that con-
front US. We must present no salient points
of attack. We must invite no adverse discrim-
nations by prominent pecuiarities. Better
fish for cod and share the bounty, than grow
cotton under heavy tax for Northern spinners
We must spin too. We must manufacture for
ourselves. Thus we shall share in legislative
protection, and escape Legislative discrimina-
tion It will indeed be worse for the country
to have its production thus uniform instead of
diversified, -articifcial instead of natural but
it will be better for US. IF not the best that
nature intended for us, it will be the best that
man permits to u.s. -