STATE-RIGHTS. 375 



out the seeds as quick as lightning with its iron teeth ; 

 land and slaves abounded in the South ; the demand 

 from Manchester became more and more hungry — it 

 has never yet been completely satisfied — and, under 

 King Cotton, the South commenced a new era of 

 wealth, vigour, and prosperity as a slave plantation. 

 The small holdings were unable to compete with the 

 large estates on which the slaves were marshalled and 

 drilled like convicts to their work ; society in the South 

 soon became composed of the planters, the slaves, and the 

 mean whites who were too proud to work like niggers, 

 and who led a kind of gipsy life. While the intellect 

 of the North was inventing machinery, opening new 

 lands, and laying the foundations of a literature, the 

 Southerners were devoted entirely to politics ; and 

 by means of their superior ability they ruled at 

 Washington for many years, and almost monopolised 

 •the offices of state. When America commenced its 

 national career there were two great sects of politicians ; 

 those who were in favour of the central power, and 

 those who were in favour of state rights. In the course 

 of time the national sentiment increased, and with it 

 the authority of the President and Congress ; but this 

 centralising movement was resisted by a certain party 

 at the North whose patriotism could not pass beyond 

 the State House and the City Hall. The Southerners 

 were invariably provincial in their feelings ; they did 

 not consider themselves as belonging to a nation, but 

 a league ; they inherited the sentiments of aversion 

 and distrust with which their fathers had entered the 

 Union ; threats and provisoes were always on their 

 lips. The Executive, it was true, was in their hands, 

 but the House of Representatives belonged to the 

 North. In the Senate the States had equal powers, 



