The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-09-09
,NOL. VINO. 2l.
An Old Letter

4 female friend has placed IN our hands
a letter written by her ancestor William
Dickson, Of Duphn county, t. hi, cousin,
the Reverend Robert nickseu rrcsby,c
rian clergyman living near Narrow Mater.
Newry, in Ireland The latter = dated
Goshen 2sth December l79a
William Dickso was native of ireland.
county Of Down aud IN IA faith l'r.shSte-
ran Tie was the dcs>endent Of simon
Dickson probably his great grand son who
was an English puritan and an officer ot
Cromwells army William Dickson came
To North Carolina before the war of the Rev
oluton and was a very prominent citizen ot
Dupn county. He filled many position oi
high trust being one ~ the representatives
Of Du2lin county in the Conventions which
were held at Newbern IN ia aud a, Hills
boro In Ia. He was also member ot
The Convention AT Halifax IN l',6 which
formed the first constitution for the State
of North Carolina.
The following extract II taken from the
body Of the letter We have spoken OF
II am much Indebted to you for the pans
YOU have taken IN considering and giving
me your general opinion OF the general plan
/ of our Federal Government will readily
agree with YOU that n better could not he
formed or the United states IN general |
think il i formed a. to lay the iounda.
the world, and from the high opinion have
of the merit of those iIlustrious character
who now hold the reins of government.
have no doubt tiearO OF any revolution
taking place in my day. Since | wrote Ia
YOU on the subject have become rcconcil-
sd to it. | was convinced OF proprIety a
well a. necessity Of yielding up some OF tn"
privileges We enjoy a. freemen for the SAKE
of more permanent and ethclent govern
ment. but believe the State oi North TAR
oliua would not havo adopted the Govern
ment Of the nited States from this prnci-
ple only 1t was matter OF necessity rath
er than choice when the Convention of North
Carolina received it about twelve months
ago. we being the last State except one
Rhode Island which came into the meas
! ure Virginia, though with much reiuc-
tance and the other States around us, hav
ing previously adopted the federal plan, the
{ State of North Carolina could not remain
independent of the Union and support the
: dignity Of "A State itself. Had Virginia Only
: stood out with us, ! think North Carolina
. would not have been IN the nion yet H.
appears to me that the Southern States will
not receive equal benefit in the Government
! with the Northern States. The interests
: manners and customs OF the inhabitants o
: the Southern are very different from those
OF the Northern and Middle States. They
. being more similar In their interests, man
: ners, customs and trade will be more united
and by being more numerous and more 10"
erful, will form the laws of the Genera
o Government more to their own advanta =
Y and convenience The Southern States vii
: have their vote, but will not be able to carr.
o any point against so powerful party II
= cases where either general or local interest
. are the subject. Son,e ntt'mHf "h'ch "eT
:. O,n,le IN The courw ~ the last Session ~ 90"
> oress hare much uL,rmed The Southern I,eo
~ DLe The most strenuous ererttons ,cere n'd'f
r Ly sone of the Northera Rprese"tnf'rcs I
10 I,erutc and emonctpnte the shrres m he u"
% ted States and Utough hty did not carr
mar point they secn, determinod nerer
:. drop n.e mo,ter til Mey do. This If ctfccte
Is will be arbitrary, cruel and UNJUST. III
- pc opie in the Southern states who have an
property hold it mostly in lands aud negroe,
Il and if dvested OF their negroes, their land
to will become useless or rather burthensonl
If to them. They will not be able To cultlvat
20 or pay the taxes on them. aud the mo-
n opuent and considerable families would III
r. short time be reduced TO Indulgence and eh
re trcme poverty
The predictions contained IN the aboV
extract were fulfilled with surprising acc'
racy. and after interval Of fifteen years 7in'
.r, the emancipation Of the slave populatio
~ We have only shght Improvement III u
n condition Of affairs That the laws OF Il
.w general government have been shaped
a a great extent for the benefit Of that comps
ed interest existing in the Eastern and Midd
- States, witness the Protective Tariffs al
,e the vast sums Of money spent by the TO
he ernment In those States on construction,
w. the erection Of custom houses, on harb
he improvements, on navy and army contra
II. tors, and horde Of Government favort'
th Fayetteville Euom,me.
.ad This IL most important letter, consld'
20 ed as reflex Of intelligent Southern oplni
he at the time of the formation Of the mue
ses vaunted Union. One remark. which We
nd In italics deserves special notice.
me Every Yankee historian without exc'
md ton 80 far as we know asserts that |
yht Southern leaders at the suggestion OF 10
ne. G.. Calhoun and others, took up, and urs
on on the slavery aggitation as an enc"se
the Dis union Dickson's letter, and tho
ar ands Of contemporary writer shows Il
gbt within less than year after the ! mon
bv formed, the South was disturbed by thre
ow- of robbery Of the slave property