The Difference of Race Between the Northern and Southern People [pp. 401-409]

1860.1 The Difference of Race Between the Northern and Southern People. 403
troversy, that every department of it has
its ruling elements. The postulate, then,
now sought to be established, is that the
Southern people in the main-in other
words, the representative blood of the
South-comes of that branch of the human
race which, at this time, controls all the
enlightened nations of the earth, and
they are false to their instincts when they
even discuss, much less admit, the pro priety of a dissolution of this government.
The question of African slavery ap pears to form the cynosure round which
have gathered the leading normal dif ferences of the two races which enter into
the constitution of our republican society.
It has, however, been a subject of debate
and contention since the formation of our
government, which the South, under pres sure, as has been elsewhere said, of other
matters of more immediate importance,
has often arranged, according to its wants,
by some temporizing measure of settle ment. But these things having been
very generally provided for, the intelli gence of the times, according to the char acteristics of the two people, is being
directed to some definite measure of arrangement; and to this work only the
Southern people are eqtal, having reference to the general welfare of society.
The subject of slavery is one of singular
inscrutability, both as to origin and design, and all ordinary reasoning having
been exhausted, and still failing to establish its rights, its purposes, and its relations, to the enlightened races, it becomes
necessary to approach it from a different
stand-point.
That stand-point is to be found, and we
think only to be found, in the ethnological
superiority ofthat race to which the Southern people, in the main, belong, their particular capacity for executive control, and
their control of this particular institution
of slavery.
The question of right or wrong is in no
wise involved, nor are the wishes or moral
feelings of the outside world to be considered for a moment.
Its own necessities, our various relations to it, and our exclusive capacity for
its control, are alone to be referred to, in
fixing its status. Having failed to do
this in past time, the South has already
lost many advantages which properly be longed to her, and will continue to do so,
so long as she condescends to discuss
the question with an unappreciative,
unrelated, and an unfriendly party.
And so long as we attempt to settle it
by the temporizing expedients of schem ing and ignorant politicians, we shall
continue to involve the nation in greater
confusion and trouble, and the subject
itself in greater perplexity and obscurity,
and we may continue to look for reenact ments of the scenes of IIarper's Ferry
and Kansas territory,-none of which, is
it probable, would bring about a dissolu.
tion of the government,-that would still
continue to exist, and the South, as here tofore, would continue to control it, even
if she controlled it badly, as of late she
certainly has done-disunion being ap parently hostile to the present destiny of
the republic-and a surrender of au thority, which dissolution would amount
to, would be beneath the high calling,
the instincts, and the blood of the South-.
ern people. Our bickerings and contro —
versies will but result in diminution.
of national character and mutability in
the value of property. There will al..
ways be Souzthern men sufficient to pre —
serve the government,-the disunionist
of to-day will always be the unionist of
to-morrow, and vice versa.
What that measure shall be, by which
this great question will be put at rest, it
is perhaps, impossible to say at present.
It is more likely to be the growth, the
accretion rather, of time, and of many
minds. But it is more than probable,
that when it is settled, it will be by the
application of some just and simple rule,
which, doubtless, will have some direct
reference to the difference in race between the communities known as the
Northern and Sotlthern people.
Somewhat in substantiation of these
positions, it may be proper to present
some views of the history and character
of the two people.
The people of the Northern States are
more immediately descended of the Eng: