Edgefield advertiser. (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, March 20, 1850, Image 1
4, F.
"We will ding to te Pillars of de Temple of our Liberties, and f a we wil Pish amidst the Ruins.
VOLVInE XV. NO.9.
Sa
PUBLIStIED EVERY W :NES1)AY
BY
W31. F. DU IISOE.
PRO P I 1E TO R.
Speech of Hon. . C. Calhoun.
.: On the Slavery Questtion.
DELIVERED IN THE SEtATE OF THE U. S.,
March 4, 1850.
I have, Senasers,.belioved from the first,
S t-- t taflc~gtation of ties 0 -of slavery,
would, if not prevented by some timely and
effective measures, cud in disunion. En
tertaining this opinion, I have, on all proper
occasions, endeavored to call the attention
ofthe two great parties which divide the
country to induce them to adopt such mel
sores to prevent so great a disaster, but
without success. The agitation has been
permitted to proceed. with almost no at
tempt to resist~it, until it has reached a pe
riod when it can no longer be disguised or
denied that the Union is in danger. You
have thus had forced up.mn you the greatest
and the gravest question that can ever
come wder ynur.cmsideration. How can
the Union be preverved I
To give a satisfartory answer to this
mighty question, it is indispensable to have
an accurate and thorough knowledge of
the nature and the character of the cause
by which the Union ise trdangered. With
out such knowledge it is impossible to pro.
tounce n ith any certainty, by what mea
sure it can he saved ; just as it would be
impossible for a physician to pronounce in
the case of some dangerous disease. with
any certainty, by what remedy the patient
could be saved, without similar ktnwledge
of the nature ant character of the cause of
the disease. The first question. then, pre
seuted for consideration, in the investiga
tion I propose to makes. in order to obtain
such knoll ledge. is: What is it that has
endanger.d this U niiu ?
To this question there can he but one
answer; trhat the immediate cause is the
almost universal discontent which pervade,
all the States compnosing the Southern see
'inn of the Union. This widely extended
discontent is not of recent origin. It conm
menced with the agitation of the slavery
question. rnd his been increasing ever
snce. The next question. guinc one step
further back, is: What has caused thtis
widely diffused and alrnqst universal dis.
it is a great mistake to suppose. as some
have done. that it riiginated with dema
gogues. who excited rite discontent with
the intentiun of aiding their personal al
vancerent, or with the disapp..ittted amobi
tion of certain poli'icians. %% ho 'esorted to
it as the means of retrieving their torlunes.
On the contrary. all the great p litical i
fluences of the section were arrayed against
exciternett, and exerted to the utmos: to
keep the people quiet. The great rtma8s
of the people of the South were divided,
as in the other sction. into Whigs and
Democrats. The leaders and the presses
of.both parties in the South were very so
licitous to prevent excitement and to pre
serve quiet; becatuse it was seen that the
efl'ects of the former would necessarily
tend to weaken. if not destroy, the politi
cal ties which united them with their res
pective parties in the other section. Those
who know the strength of party ties will
readily appreciate the firce which this
cause exerted agitation, tand in favor of
preserving quiet. ERt, as great as it was.
it was not sufliciently so to prevint the % ide
spread discontent which now pervades the
section. Nit; somie cause, far deeper and
more powerful than the te'supposed, must
exist, to account fordiscontetr so wide and
deep. The question, then recurs : W hat
is the cause of this dliscoutent I It will be
found in te belief rtf tire peorple of tire
Southern States, as prevalent a; the'dis
crntenrt irself, tihat they cantnot remain. as
thing~s now arc. consistently with hronor andl
safety, in the Utnion. Thre next question
to be considered in : What has caused tis
* belief 1
One of the cauises is, trndoubredly, to be
traced to the iorng-cotntinuedl agitat ion of
the slave quaestion en the part of rthe North,
and the mntany arggressins which they have
made upon rte rights orf tire South during
tire rime. I will not enumrerate them at
present. as it wvili be dotte hrereafter in its
proper place.
There is anrother lying back of nt wibh
wich this is inrtim~ately connreced. that
many be regardedi as tihe great and primrary
cause. it is to lie liruid inrtifact that tihe
equilibrium bet ween tri two setions in tire
Government, ats it stood when the Conrsti
rution was rarsied and tire 'overnmrenrt
put in aiction, has been deltroyed. At
that time there was nearly a etreet equi
librium between the two, wv tch afordedl
ample meants toi each to fotct itself
against thre aggression of thre thier;~ but,
as it now st ands. one section listhe exclo
give power of coutrrrliing the Governmrenr,
wich leaves the ther witho' t any ade
quate means 1f protecting it elfr againtst
ira encroachmentt and1 oppression. To place
this subject distinctly brefore ygou, I hrave,
Senaiors, -preparedi a brief srtustical state
meet, showing the relative wdiht of the
two secuionsa inthe Goverrnmieut under the
first census of 1790 and the ia r census of
1840.1
Aecordtig to the former,. thd'population
of the Urrited States, includini . Vermott
Keintucky wni Teannessee, hich thetn
* ere rin thet indipienrcoirditiot of becom
ing Srtes, hi ere not aetuali. admitted,
amiouoted t1 3,929,827. or~ rh nuber
thet ortherni brales had '1.9 ~99, anrd
the Southeon B.5Z072, neakirt ta difl'er.
enee of wily 25.827 ini favor of 1 formnrer
Statecs. rThe inumber of. State nldn
Veront Kntuky ndTenrned e, werre
sixteen ; of which eight. including Ver
mont, belonged to the Northern Section,
and eight, including Kentucky and Ten- I
nessee, to the Southern, making an equal t
division of the States, between the two
sections, under the first census. There (
was a small preponderance in the House 1
of Representatives, and in the electoral I
college, in favor of the Northern, owing-to
the fact that, according to the provisions of
the Constitution, in estimating federal I
uumbersJve slaves count lu three; but
it was too s.'9a1 tfo-a rcl sensibly, the jr..
lect equilibrinm, which. with that excep- i
tion, existed at the timne. Such was the I
equality of tl.e tIwo sections when the I
States composing them agreed to enter t
into a Federal Union. Since then the i
equilibrium between them has been greatly
disturbed.
According to the Inst cenens the nagre- 1
gate population of the U. States amounted t
to 17.063.457.of which the Northern section
contained 9,72S.920, and the Southern ,
7,3:34.537, making a uiferenice, in round
numbers, of 2,400,000. The number, of
States had increased from sixteen to twen- t
ty-six, making an addition of ten States. i
In the meantime the position of Delaware I
had become doittlul as to which section 1
she properly belongs. Considering her as
neutral, the Northern States will have
thirteen and the Southern States twelve,
making a difference in the Senate of two I
Senators infavor of the former. Accord
inlg to the apportionment under the census m
of 1840. there were 223 members of the
House of Representatives, of which the s
Northern States had 135, and the Southern
States (considering ielaware as neutral.) I
87, making a d;lference in favor of the
former in the douse of Representatives of I
48. The dilTrence in the Senate of two
members. adding to this, gives to the I
North. in the Electoral College. a maj.>rity
of 50. Since the census of 18.10. four
States have been ridded to the Union:
Iowa. Wisconsin, Florida, and Texas. I
They leave the difference in the Senate as
it stood when the census was taken ; but I
add two to the side of the North itt the
H ouse, making the present mnajority in the
House in its favor of 50, and in the electo
ral college or 5'.
The result of the whole is to give the
Northern section a predlomimtance in every
dlepartmcnt of the Governnetnt, and there, t
ho conceutrate it 't the two elements e
a Majority of States. and a .mtajterity of the
populatin, estimated in federal numbers.
Whatever sceion concentrates the two in
itself possesses the control of the entire I
(Government.
But we are at the close of the sixth de
cade, and the cotttencemt ent of the
seventh. The centts is to be takee this
year. which must add greatly to the deci
ded prepondernnco of the North in the
(louse of Representatives and in the elec- I
toral college. The prospect is, also, that I
a great increase will be added to its present t
preponderanco in the Senate, during the t
period of the decade, by the addition of I
new States. T'vo Territories, Oregon, I
and i1inesota, are already in progress, and
strenuous etThris are making to bring in I
three adtitional States from the Territory
recently conquered front Mexico, which, i
ifsuccessful, will add three other States. i
in a short timne. to the Northern section, t
htaking five States; and increasing the t
present number of its Stties from fifteen to I
twenty, and of its Senators from thirty to i
forty. On the contrary, there is not a sin- I
gle Territory i progress in the Southern -
seelion, and no certnittty that any addi
tiounal State will be added to it during the I
decadle. The prospect then is, that the
two sections i the Senate, should the ef
forts now matde to eve-lude the South from
the newly acontired Territories succeed,
will stand, heloere te end of the decade,
twenty Northern Stoics to twelve South- I
en, (coinsiering Delaware as neutral)
anod forty Northern, Senators to twenty
fir Southern. T1his great increase of
Setators. addedl to the great increase o~f :
membhers of the lhouse of Represenetatives i
and the electoral icolleg~e on the part of I
the North, which muset take place under I
te ntext decaide. will efTectually antd: irre
trievably destroy thte eiilibriumi which
existetd when ithe Governtient.commtetnced. I
I hai this destructiont been the opernetion
of tiotte, without the interference of Gov
ernmentt the South would htave h'ad tno
resont to complain: lbut such was not the I
fact. It was cautsed by the legi-lation of
this Govermnent. which was atppointcd as I
he c-otmont agemnt of all, and charged
with the proteetion of tihe interests and se- i
ctrity oif all. The legislatint by which it I
has- heen ellected, may be classed untder I
three heads. The first is, that series of r
acts by which te South has been excludedti
fomr rte cosmmon Territory beltonging to
all of thte States, as the members of theI
Feternl Unint, aind which have had the
effect of extendittg vastly the .portion al-<
oemd to. thte Northtern seerCion-, and res- I
tricting within nearrow limits, thte portione
left the South. TIhe next consists in adopt- I
itg a system of reventee and disburse-e
merts, by which sn- untdue proportion of I
the' burden of taxationa has been itmposed
epon the South, nitd an tnd'ee proportion
of i-ts proceeds a.; propritetd to thte North;
and the last is a systemia of political tmen
sures by which the originah character of
the Governtment has beett radically chtang-i
ed. I propose to bestow opont each of I
these. in thte order they stand, a few re
arks, with the view oh showing thut it is I
lwintg to tite action of thtis Government
that the etiuilbrm between thle two sec,
tios has becet destroyedl, and the whole i
powers of the system cenrtered ini a sec- I
tionat~l majority.
'The firot of the series of acts by which I
he South was deprived of is dun share
if the Territories, originatedI with the Con.
ederncy, which preceded the existence of
his (overnment. It is to be lioond in the
irviion of the Ordinance of 1787. Its
'fesct was to exclude-. the South entirely
ron that vast and fertile -region'which lies
>etween the Ohio and the -Mississippi ri
rprs. now embracing five States and one
rerritery. The next of the series is the
lissouri Compromise, which excluded the
South -from that large portion of Louisiana
vhieh lies north'of 360 3f',excepting what
s iceluded in the State of Missouri. The
ast of the series excluded the South from
he whole of the Oregon Teiriory. All
hee, in the slang of the daig, were what
s called slave territories, and not free soil;
hat is, territories belonging to slaveholding
moi ers and open to the emigration of mas
ers with slaves. By these several ats,
he South was excluded from 1,238,025
qigare miles, an extent of country conside
ably exceeding the entire valley of the
lissisi.ippi. To the South was left the
iortion of the Territory of Louisiana lying
touth of.8b0 301, and the portion north of
t inclnded in the State of Missouri. The
tortion lying south of 360 301, including
he States of Louisiana and Arkansas, and
he territory lying west of the latter and
routi of 360 30', called the Indian country.
Phis, with the Territory of Florida, now
he State, makes in the whole 263.5U3
quare miles. To this must le added the
erritory acquired- wish Texas. if the
vhole should be added to the Sonthern
ection, it would make an increase of 225,
20, which would nake the whole left to
he South 609.023. But a large part of
'exas is still in contest bit ween the two
cetions, which leaves it uncertain what
vill lie the real extent of the portion of
erritory that may be left to the South.
I have not included the territory recently
rquired by the treaty wiitt Mexico. The
iortlh is making strentous efforts to appro.
riale the whole to herself, by excluding
ie South from every foot of it. If sie
should succeed, it will add to that frrt
chir'' ' u.has. alread.y been exelu
led, .
-rea
trap
rlud
ne
lee
lestroyii Ithe egtitairtoi betwee ie two
eetiont in the Governurent.
The next is the sistet of revenue and
isbursements which has been adopted by
he Governinent. It is well known that
he Government has derived its revenue
nainly from duties on imports. I shall
tot undertake to show that such duties
nust necessarily fall mainly on the expor.
ing States, and that the South, as the
resit exporting portion of the Union, has
u reality paid vastly more thani her due
>roportion of the tevenue ; because I deem
t unnecessary, as the subject has on so
nany occasions been fully discussed. Nor
hail I, fur the same reason, undertake to
how that a far greater portion of the rev
:nue has been disbursed at the North, than
is due share; and that the joint effect of
hese causes has been to transfer a vast
tiount fron South to North, which, under
i equal system of revenue and disburse
tcrts, would not have been lost to her.
If to this be added that many of the duties
vee imposed, not for revenue, but for pro,
ectIion--tht i, 1 intended to Pit money,
tot in the treatsury, but directly into thie
ictcket of the mnanufacturers--somne co
:eption may be formed of the imimense
imont wvhich, in l'he long course of sixty
ears, has bteen transferred fromn South to
orth.t There are ito data by which ii
~an be estimated with any certaiinty ; but
is safe to say that it amounts to hun-t
lireds of imil lions of dollars. Under the
nsi tnoderate estimate, it wouhd be sutfi
-iet to add g..atiy to ite wealth of the
North, and ihns greatly itncrease tier pop.
ahtion bty attraciing' emigration fromu all
Iutrters to that section.
This, combtitted with the great and prim
try cause, amply explaints why the North
tas acijizired a preponiderance over every
epartmnent of the Gtovertnment, bty its ths
>rzportimate increase of populatiotn and
tates. The foirmer, as has been shoiwrr,
tas increased in fifty years 2,400.000 Over
hat of the Situth. This increaise of pop
ition, durr-ng so long a period is. satisfac
orily accountted foir bty the numbiter of etn
grants, and the inicrease of their descemi
mts, whieb have bteen attracted io theo
sortherni sections, from Europe and the
iouhi, in conseqiuence of the ndvattges
lerived from theecauses assignted. If they
tmdi tiot existed-if the South had retained
i the capital whlich has beeun (.-:rnetedl
rum her by the fiscal action of the Gjov
rtment; and, if it hid not been excluded
y the nrdinance of '87, aud rte Missonri
3mpromse, frtom the region lyinig lie.
ween the Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers,
od between the Mississttppi aind the Rocky
houtains, North of 300 30'-it scarcely
ildits or a doubt, that she would have tdi
ided the emnigratiotn iiih the North. and
ty retaining her own people, would have
t least equalled the Nitrth in populbtittn,
indr the census of 1840, and probably
mder t-hat about to be taken. Shte would,
len, if shte had retained her equal rights
t those Territories. tiaitained art crpiai
y in the numbier of States with the North.
tnl have preserved the eritilibtrium lie
maen the twa econnat eoited at the
commrneem of the Government. The
loss. then, of he equilibrinm is to be at,
tribated to t noetion of this -Government.
But while ese measures -were destroy
log the equi riutm between the two sec
lilns, the a in of the Government was
leading to. a dical change. in -its charac
ter, by con irating all the power of the
svtem In ~i If. The occasion. will not
permit me-is trace the measurteehy. 'hich
this great eb ' e aclieen. consummated.
if, it ditL , JonrCiiedlioltto show
that the pr coteiteced at nin early
period l Ie-Government ; that it pro
ceeded almtit withqut interruption, step by
step until it ipsorbedvirtually itsentire pow
ers; but wi1out going through the whole
process to estblish fhe fact, it may be done
satisfactotillyby a Eery short statement.
That the iovertment claims, and prac
tically mainIins,)he right to decide in the
last resort, as to $hc extent of its powers,
will scarceljgbe 4enied by any one conver
sant with ihepolitical histoty of the coun
try. Tmht il alho claims the right to re
sort to force to staintain whatever power
it claims. against all opposition, is equally
certain. uietd it is apparent, from what
we daily hear. that this has become the
prevailing dud fixed opinion of a great
majority ofrhe cotmnunity. Now, I task,
what limitation can possibly be placed up
on the powers of a government claiming
andi exercsing such rights? And, if none
cnn be, how can the separate governments
of the States maintain and protect the pow
ers reserved tothem by the Constitution or
the people of the several States uain:ain
those which are reserved to them, and
among. otheus,, the sovereign powers by
which they. ordained and estAblished, tint
only their separate State Cons'itutions anl
Guvernmnents, but also the Constit ution and
Goveroanetit of the United States? But,
if they hare no constitutional moans of
tmainlailting them against the right claimed
by this Guyertanent, it necessarily follows.
that they hold them at its pleasure and
discretion, antd that all the powers of the
sybtet are:in reality concentrated in it.
it also follows,' that the character of the
lln~mrnnantt...a Lnnc nyn w in siton
- - ' 1sC Will Ul
the tumercal ma-jority, has now, in fact,
the contrtuf the Govertnem and the en
tire powes of the system. What was
once a co' stitutional federal Republic, is
ntov conve ted, in reality, into one as abso
lute as thaf of the Autocrat of Rnsscia, amI
as desputig in its tendency, as any abaluto
government that ever existed.
As then the North has the absolufte con
trol over he Government, it is titnifest,
that on all questions between it and the
South, wiljere there is a divetsity of inter
est, the itnterest of the latter will be sacri
(iced to fltp former, however oppressive the
effects tmav be, as the South possesses no
means by which it can resist. through the
action of the Government. But if there
was no question of vital importance to the
South itn. -reference to which there was a
diversity 'of views between the two see
tions, this state of things might be endu
red, wiukut' the hazard of destruction to
the South. But such is. not the fact.
There is a qtestion of vital importance to
the Southern sectiou, in reference to which
the views and feelings of the two sections
are as opposite and hostile as thtey can
posil be.
I refer to the relation bet ween the two
racea int the Southern section, which cnn
situtes a-vital pttrtiat of htersociatl organi
zatior.. FEvery portion of the North en
tertain-s views and feelings more or less
hostile to it. Those most opposed and
hostile, regartd it as a sin, and consider
them~elves under the most sacred obliga
tioni to use every efltrt to destroy it. Itn
deed to the extent that they conlceive they
have power, they regard themselves as
implicateed in the sirs, and responsible for
suppreo it by the- ase of all and every
tmeans., Those less opposed and hostile,
regardi it as at crime-orr offence against
humanitg, as they call i1;~ anti ahhtvugh
not so fanatitcal, feel themselves bound to
use all etftrts to ellect the same nh'ject ;
while those who are, least opposed1 and htos
ile, regardl it as a blo'i atnd a stain ont the
character of ,vhat .they call the Natiot,
and feel themsel'ves necordingldy bound to
give it no cotemmee~W) or sutpport. Ont
the contrnry, the Southern section regartds
the relamiont as one which catnnnr be de
stroyed wvithotit subjectitig thte two races to
the greates~t calatmity, and the section to
poverty. destlution, and wretchetiess;~
and accordlingly they feel bo~utnd, by every
consiterationi of interest and safety, tode
fend it.
This hosile reeling on' the part of the
North towards the social organization of
the South, long lay d'ormant, htu it only
reoired somte cause wrhich would mnakte
the itnpression on thtose wrho felt it most in
tetsely, that they were respotnsthle for its
contituaince, to call it into actiott. rThe
increasing power of this Governmien', and
of the ctotrol of thte Northtern section over
all i's depar-ttmets, furnished .t-he cuuse.
It was this which madte an impression ott
the mtinds otf matny, that thtere was lit:he
or no restraint to preveaw the Government
from doing w hatever it might choose to do.
This was sufficient oaf itself tir pt the
.nnst fnnatical pnrti.m nf the North in nr.
tion for the purpog. of destroying the ex
isting relation betweek the two tales in
the South
The first organized movement towards
it commenced in 1335. .Then, for the
first time. societies were organized. presses
established. lectures seat forth to excitethe
people of the North, and incendiary puttrr
lications scattered over the- whole South,
ihtough the mail. The South as ;tho:
roughly. aroused. Meetings were =held
everywhtereu mi resolutions adopted, cull
inj upon'tae Nitb to apply. a remedy to
arrest the threatened evil, and pledging
themselves to adopt measures for their
own protection. if it was not arrested. At
the meeting o.f Congress petitions poured
in from the North, calling upon Coigress
to aholish Slavery in the District of Co
lumbia, and to prohibitis hat they call the
internal slave trade between the States.
announcing at the sate time, that their
ultimate object was to abolish slavery, not
only in the District, but in the States, and
throughout the Union. At this period, the
number engaeed in the agitation was small,
and possessed little or no personal influence.
Neither party in Congress had, at that
titme, any sympatlhy with them, or their
cause. The members of each party pre
settted their petitions with great reluctance.
Nevertheless, as small and contetiptihte
as the party then was, both of the great
parties of the North dreaded them. They
felt that though small, they wete organized
in reference to a subject which had a great
and a commanding influence over the
Northern mind. Each party, on itar ac
count, feared to oppose their petitions, lest
the opposite party should take advantage
of the one who might by favoring their pe
titions. The elioct was that both united
in insisting that the petitions should he re
ceived, and that Congress should take ju
risdiction of the subject for which they
prayed. To justify their course. they took
the extraordinary ground, that Congress
was hound to receive petitions on every
subjec1. however objecimtalle it might
be, and whether they had or had ttot juris
diction over the subject. These views pre
---..~t -- -t.^ '.n of Ronresentatives.
low, and that it would in the etnd, if not
arrested, destroy the Union. I then sit
expressed tmyself in debate, and called tip
on both parties to take ground against as
suming jurisdiction, but in vain. Had my
voice beet heedetd. and had Congress refu
sed to take jurisdiction, by the united votes
of All parties, the agitation which followed
would have been prevenret, and- the fanat
ical zeal that gives impulse to the agitation,
and which has brought us to-our presetrt
perilous cotdition, would have becomuire e*
tingrished from the want of something to
feed the flame. That was the time for the
North to show her devotion to the iJnion.;
hut unfortunately both of the great parties
of that section was so inted en obtaining
party ascendency, that afl other cousitera
tions were overlooked or forgotten.
What has since followed are but the nat.
ural consequences. With the success of
that first movement, this small fanatical
party began to acquire strength; and with
that, to bec :me an object of courtship to
both the great parties. The necessary con.
sequence was, a further increase of power
and a gradual taintitng of the opitnionts of1
both or the other parties with their d'c
trines, until thte ittfectiott has extetnded ovet
bioth: and tho great mass or the popuila
lion of the North, who, whatever may be
their opintion of the original abolition party,
whtcek still preserves its distinctive organi
zation, hardlhy ever tail, when it comes to
aciing, to co-opertate in carryitng out t-he'k
measures. WVith the increase of their ''
fluence, they extended the sphere of their
actimcr. Jiar a short ritne anter rhe com
mnencement ot their first movement, they
had acequired sullfcient infloenee to induce
the Legislatures of most af the Northern
States to pass acts, whieb in' effect abroga
ted the provision of tt'e Constitution that
provides for thte delivering up of l'ugitive
slaves. Not lotg arter, petitions followed
to abolish slavery in forts. magazines, and
dlock yard.. antd all other places where
Coongress had exclusive power of legisla
tion. T1his was followed by petitimtis and
resolutitmns of Legiskt sions States end pop.
ular meetintgr, to exclude the Southnertn
S'cates from all Territories acqutired, or to
be acquired, and to prevaen! the admnission
of any State' hereafter into the Union,
which, by its Constitution, does not pro
htibit slavery. And Congreus is invoked to
dio all this expressly with the view to the
final abolition of slavery in the State.
That has 'oeen avowed to be the ultimate
object frorr the beaimtit of thte agitation,
until thte presentt time; amil yet the great
bod-v of boith parties of the North, wtth
tfhe'tull linowledge of the Fact. abthough
disavowing the Abolitionists, have en ope
rated with themn in almnost all their mneas
urcs.
Such is a brief history of the agitatiotn,
as far as it hi yet aeleaiced. 1N-ov I ask,
Senators, what is there to prevent its tctr
ther progress, unttl it fu16ls rte ub'imaote
end' proposed, unless some decisive mecas
rore shon'ld' be adopted-mr prevettt it ? Has
anyv one of the causes. which has add'ed to
its'increase from i's original sjmall and coo
tentatibiea lacinning ntil ii has an'ained its
present magnitude. diminished in force 7-.
Is the original cause of the movement, that
shtvery.is a s'm. andought to he suppressed
weaker now than at the commencement'I
Or isthe Abolition party less numerone
or-influential, or have they less iOHuence
or control ov'er'the two great parties of
the giorth in elections 7 Or has the South -
greater means of iufuenciug orcootrollin'g, "
the mwoements of the Government now?
than it had whren the agitiatiim cOtame-'"
ced'To all these questions but oit 4n"
swer eivbe giva.. -N, no, ato. ..The very
reverse is true. Instead of being weaker "
all the elements to favor of agitation ne'
stronger now than they were in )8'35. when
the agitation first commenced, while all
the elements of influence on the part of
the South are weaker. Unless something
decisive is dune, I again ask, what is wo
stop this agitatiom, before tire great and
final object at which it aims-the abolition
of slavery in the States-is consutnated 1
Is it, then, not certain, that if sorhering
decisive is not now done to arrest it. the
South will be forced to choose between
abolition and secession 3 Indeed, as events
aro now moving, it will not require the
South to secede to dissolve the Uion.
Agitation will of itself erect it, of which
its past history furnishes abundant prouf,
as I shall not proceed to show.
it is a great mistake to suppose that
disunion can be effected by a single blow,
The corde which bound these States to
gether in one cummon Union are far too
tnumerons and powerful for that. Disun
bon must he the work-of time. It is ouly
through a long process. and' in succession,
that the cords can be snapped, until the
whole fabric folie asaoder. Already the
agitation of the slavery question has snap
ped some of the moat important, and lras
greatly weskened' all the others, as I shall
proceed to show.
The cords that bind the States together
are not only many, but various io cha-rac
ter. Some are spiritual' or ecclesiastileal1
some poli'tical{ others socil'. So.r-e ap.
pertain to the benefit conferred by the
Union, and others tothe feeling of duty
and oblisation.
meetings the principal clergyrmen anu
lay members of the respective denomiua
tione from all parts of the lnion teet, to
rransact business relating to their entmon '
concerns. It was not confiuei rte w hat
appertained to the doctritesano di'seipliud
of the respective denvninarions. but ex
tended to plane for disseaaviarting the $i
hle, sendi'ng out nissionarive'. distributing
traets,. and- cstthlishing presses for the
ptaicatiorn of tracts, newsprapers anti peri
oticals, with a view of dailusitig religious'
informatimnr, and fur the support of the
. doctrines and creed of the denouMination.
All these comlinet, contributed greatly t6
strenghen tore bonds of the Unisn. The
strong ties which hold each denominatiot'
together formed a strong cord ttvhold the
whole V'nion together. but, as powerful
as hey were, they have not been able ta
resist' the esplosive efect of the slavery
agitation.
The first of these cardttfr which snapped,
under its explosive force, was that of the
powerful afeth-ndist Episcnys! Church.
The nta:neruus and strong ties which held
it together are all broke, and its utnity
gone. They noaw fot m seprarate chtnrehee'
andI, instead of that feeling of attachment
and devotion to the irrte'reste of the- wshole
Churchi whi'ch stas fortmerly felt, thtey are'
ne arraye I itnto two hosrile bodies. en
gaa.-d in litigation about what was for
tmerhy their coarmion property.
The anext eurd thes sneppe'd wnia that
of the Baptiuts, one of (he fatrgest and most.
respectable of the donominations. That
of the Presbyterianis not ea'tiiely snapped,
hut some of irastramis have' given away,
That of aipo Episcopai Church is the onl~y
an.of the four- wemProtestnanisdenoti
net-ions-which remi-memtiroken and entire.I
Tfhe strongest eutrd oIfa. political chat'
acter, conisis of te many ad strong ties
that have hehl together the t wo great para
t'k'a whicht have, withs some mdifications,
existed froam tire beg~inning of the Govera
mnent. They buthy extendeil to'every por.
tion or the Union, and stronfl'y c-otributed
so holhl all its parts together. But this
powerfut cord hins fared nto better than the
epirirtial. It resisted for a long lime the ~
explosive tendency of the ag'itation, but
lots fi'nally snappedtiunder its fore-if not
etntirely, in a great measure. Nor is thiere
one of the retaaining cprds which havse not
been greatly wealtened. Ti) this extent
the Uinion bats already been dlestroyed by
agitatiotn, in the only way it can be, '.
snapping asunder and weakeninig the cordt
whichy bind it targether.
If the agitation goee. on the same force.
acting wish 'increased intensity, as has bees,
shown, will fmally snap every csard, whenr
nothing will be left to hold the Stases to
gethier bum force. But, surely, that can,
with no propriety of lansgua.ge, he catlled ,
a Union, when the only tmeans by whaicht.
the weaker is held cotnnected with iho
stroanger portion is force. It may, indeed,
keep them eeonected. hint thse coannection
wvill paittake tmuch tmore of' the chaaracter
of subjogutiun ont the part of the weaker
[co~scLUDED ON FOURTh FAOE4