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Bill designed for such a purpose should contain deci
dedly objectionable in tie eyes of either section. If such a
requirement is to be made, all bills of peace become at once
impracticable, and every sectional controversy, however
alarming or dangerous, is put utterly beyond the reach of
cure or adjustment. We may, therefore, lay it down that
sensible, reflecting men, friendly to the South, to the Union
and to the peace and happiness the country, will not take any
hostile stand against this Bill merely because it is obnoxiotUl
to a grave objection which they have no hope of being able to
remove by any amendment of its provisions. They will look
to the good which the Bill contains, and the evil which it will
prevent, as well as to the objections, great or small, with
which it is chargeable. And they will feel that, where such
tremendous interests are at stake as in the present matter, they
are under the highest moral and patriotic obligations to take
their stand firmly in favor of that side on which, on the whole,
they find the preponderance of good and the best ehances for
the country to lie.
We must pursue this course in order to avoid contributing
by a different action on our part to the present admission of
California as a separate measure with her constitutional inhi
bition of slavery, and contributing also the future successive
admissions of New Mexico and Utah with like anti-6lavery
constitutions.
We must pursue this course or we shall make ourselve#
partakers in the great political ct -me of withholding the bene
fits and protection of Chil Government from the people of
New’ Mexico and Utah until, years hence, they shall be pre
pared for admission and be actuary admitted as States into
the Union.
We must pursue this course or we shall be guilty of a great
and inexpiable crime against the South herself, —the crime of
keeping New Mexico and Utah without orgaization or go
vernmeiit, in order to serve as extensive fields for Frew
Swfiam and Abolitionism m the North, for years to
come. By means of the Agitation thus kept op. Abolition
ism and Free Sadism will rapidly grow and spread. Our
Mends at the North will be eut down to a mere eorporal’s
guard, if indeed there shall be a man left to tell the tale of
then fete, and heap burning reproaches upon us for having
contributed to it.
We must pursue this course, we must shat up this vast
territorial arena and vantage-ground of Anti-jJkvery Agita
iion, or the kneE of the Union is already sounded and its fu
neral procession will be seen dhtlneUy sleaAiwed forth in the
long lines of Geographical Parties that w3I emerge appalling
ly to view, in the next Presidential Election.
Southern Democrats are, in an especial manner y bound
to pursue thiseourse, that the magnificent territorial acquisi
tions which they had so prominent a part in making for their
country, may not become, by their fault in the present crisis,
die originating cause of their country r s ruin and an eternal
auomtment of their delinquency and shame.
For myself, as one who, six years ago devoted himself s
victim on the altar of party in support of tlie measure and ths
man with which, and whom began the cram es events which
tow threaten us with universal explosion and ruin, I cannot
foci a particle of doubt-as to the duty which every considera
tion sacred and profane concurs to Leap up mountain high up
•n me.
It should be our fervent prayer that this territorial quarrel
should he settled. Thingo have reached a point which ren
ders the effecting of some settlement eritieally, fearfully im
portant. It is a quarrel which is rapidly degenerating into a
malignant and incurable gangrene on the fair body of our
Confederate Republic. Already does she feel from it, a deep’
derivative morbidness taking possession of tier system, more
formidable, by far, than the cause of irritation eut of which it
has sprang..
lb addressing ourselves to the work of pacification and set
dement, let us do it in a manner and spirit comporting with
such an object. Let us be careful of involving ourselves Sc our
country in the perils of sine qua rums and sine qua mn ism
They are things essentially minatory and irritating and not
tonciliatory in that, character. -And we have seen that a con
ciliatory conduct is what duty and honor unite to demand of’
* in the present controversy, Every sine qua non gives
rise to a factitious point of honor—a point of honor which,
however small, requires oftlie party laying it down to stand
by it and insist upon it to the utmost extremity, without re
gard to the hazards or consequences. How perfectly sure,
then ought we to be of the position, we have taken, in all res
pects, and huw tmunriy nenain mat mere can do none other
which we can accept as a basis of adjustment and peace eon
•istently with our safety and honor, before we entangle our
•elves with sine qua no ns and points 01 honor absolutely com
pelling us to reject ail others, Mr. Clay’s Bill, although ob
jectionable in one leading feature, does present a general ba
sis of compromise and settlement to which, wo can accede
eonswiently with our safety and honor.
Let it not be said or feared , that by acceding to it and there
by manifesting a conciliatory and compromising spirit, we anal s
•mbolden and strengthen the Demon of Abolitionism, and ex
poae the South and her slave-holding institutions to increased
jeopardy.. The contrary will be the effect. That Demon
will be dispirited, weakened and crest-fallen, under such a
eourse of policy on our part. For well he knows, that we
•hall thereby raise up ever-augmenting troops of friend*
at die North, to espouse our cause there, and beat him
down in his own strong holds Weil he knows, that the
grant vantage ground of agitation which the Territories have
afforded him and will continue to afford him, as long a# the
Territorial controversy is kept open, will be taken away from
kim, so soon as controversy shall be closed on terms such as
dices contained m Mr. Clay’s fc ßili. Well he knows, and
fearfully foresees how straightly, from that moment, he will
be cribbed, confined,” and that from thenceforth
5e will be cut off, forever, from the vast range oflatitudes and
elimates on which he has grown so huge, and will be restrict
ed to comparatively poor mbblings and impotent if not contemp
tible ravings agaui3t the slave-holding system of the South, as
satrenehed securely in her impregnable citadels of State
Rights and State Sovereignty
For no man who has made himself aquaiiited, as every
Southern man ought to do, with the great doctrines of State
Sovereignty, State rights and State remedies, as they exist un
der our Federal system, that can doubt in them lie real safety
and protection for s against the assaults of Abolitionism. In
them each,Southern State possesses, in Majestic, Severally its
own all-sufficient wtadet, sword and shield, against the in
roads of this foul enemy, even though they should be made
through.the avenues of the General Government. If the day
•hah ever come when such inroads shall be made or attempt
•and, and the enemy shai not recoil and disappear altogether,
before the sharp sword of Nullification, who can doubt the
•curse whieh the Southern States will sternly take T Resu
ming at ©nee aH the robes of sovereignty and grasping again
all the awful attributes of mil united political power, they will
throw themselves, solemnly, on their sovereign right of se
session, and withdraw from a desecrated Union, in full pano
ply as organized States and Governments, with all their pe
liar institutions still standing undamaged and unjostled.
So, gentlemen, it is the Union of the States and not the
uMOitotion of Slavery in the South that is in real and ultimate
danger from whatever forward* the growth and stimulates the
audacity of Abolitionism. The first appaling shadow of Disun
!t thru will be east before it, as it visibly approaches, will be
a Geographical division of parties in the Presidential Election.
Should the present Territorial quarrel, instead of being adjus
ted as it ought to be, be prolonged as thousands and tens of
thousands in the North and South are striving to prolong it,
the very next election will exhibit a division of this kind. The
opening scene m the grand tragedy of Disunion will then havo
commenced. The catastrophe may not perhaps even wait for
the occurrence of a second car third election of this sort.
For when great National parties diffused throughout every
part of the Union and which form its strongest cement shall
cease to exist and shall give place to a state of things in which
she people of the slave holding and non-slaveholding states
•hah be arrayed against each other, in the elections, in solid
antagonistical sectional masses, then farewell, farewell forev
er, to this Glorious Federal Union, of ours, which now over
arches America from Oec-an to to Ocean like a very Heaven
•cut down to ns wretched undeservers by a too benig
nant God.
lam, Gentlemen,
Tour friend and ob’t servant,
A. H. CHAPPELL.
•pug ®S®U®I M, SIHIII o