LEONIDAS W. SPRATT

Slavery cannot share a government with democracy …. The South is now in the formation of a Slave Republic.

The tendency of social action was against us [the South]. The speaker to be heard must speak against slavery; the preacher to retain his charge, must preach against slavery; the author to be read, must write against slavery; the candidate, to attain office, must pledge himself against slavery; the office-holder, to continue, must redeem the pledges of the candidate. They did not originate the policy, but they pandered to it; they did not start the current, but they floated on it; and were as powerless as drift-wood to control its course. The great tendency to social conflict pre-existed; it was in the heart of the North--it was in the very structure of Northern society.

That the Republic of the South shall sustain her independence, there is little question. The form of our society is too pregnant of intellectual resources and military strength to be subdued.

Our slaves are still drawn oft by higher prices to the West. There is still foreign pauper labor ready to supply their place.

Opinions, when merely true, move slowly; but when approved, acquire proclivity.

Laborers have every disposition to work above the slave, and if there were opportunity would be glad to do so, but without such opportunity they come into competition with him… Already there is disposition to exclude him [the slave] from the trades, from public works, from drays [land transportation of goods], and the tables of hotels; he is even now excluded to a great extent. And when more laborers shall come in greater numbers to the South, they will still more increase the tendency to exclusion; they will question the right of masters to employ their slaves in any works that they may wish for; they will invoke the aid of legislation; they will use the elective franchise to that end; they may acquire the power to determine municipal elections; they will inexorably use it; and thus the town of Charleston, at the very heart of slavery, may become a fortress of democratic power against it.

The contest is not between the North and South as geographical sections … nor between the people of the North and the people of the South, for our relations have been pleasant …. But the real contest is between the two forms of society which have become established …. Society is essentially different from government … and within this government two societies had become developed as variant in structure and distinct in form as any two beings in animated nature.

Laborers have every disposition to work above the slave, and if there were opportunity would be glad to do so, but without such opportunity they come into competition with him… Already there is disposition to exclude him [the slave] from the trades, from public works, from drays [land transportation of goods], and the tables of hotels; he is even now excluded to a great extent. And when more laborers shall come in greater numbers to the South, they will still more increase the tendency to exclusion; they will question the right of masters to employ their slaves in any works that they may wish for; they will invoke the aid of legislation; they will use the elective franchise to that end; they may acquire the power to determine municipal elections; they will inexorably use it; and thus the town of Charleston, at the very heart of slavery, may become a fortress of democratic power against it.

Opinions, when merely true, move slowly; but when approved, acquire proclivity.

Our slaves are still drawn oft by higher prices to the West. There is still foreign pauper labor ready to supply their place.

Slavery cannot share a government with democracy …. The South is now in the formation of a Slave Republic.

That the Republic of the South shall sustain her independence, there is little question. The form of our society is too pregnant of intellectual resources and military strength to be subdued.

The contest is not between the North and South as geographical sections … nor between the people of the North and the people of the South, for our relations have been pleasant …. But the real contest is between the two forms of society which have become established …. Society is essentially different from government … and within this government two societies had become developed as variant in structure and distinct in form as any two beings in animated nature.

The tendency of social action was against us [the South]. The speaker to be heard must speak against slavery; the preacher to retain his charge, must preach against slavery; the author to be read, must write against slavery; the candidate, to attain office, must pledge himself against slavery; the office-holder, to continue, must redeem the pledges of the candidate. They did not originate the policy, but they pandered to it; they did not start the current, but they floated on it; and were as powerless as drift-wood to control its course. The great tendency to social conflict pre-existed; it was in the heart of the North--it was in the very structure of Northern society.