Moreover, their anger was probably increased by the fact that the Abolitionists could make out some kind of a case against them.

Property in slaves was contrary to the Declaration of Independence, and had been denounced in theory by the earlier American democrats.

So long as a conception of democracy, which placed natural above legal rights was permitted to obtain, their property in slaves would be imperiled: and it was necessary, consequently, for the Southerners to advance a conception of democracy, which would stand as a fortress around their "peculiar" institution.

During the earlier days of the Republic no such necessity had existed.

The Southerners had merely endeavored to protect their negro property by insisting on an equal division of the domain out of which future states were to be carved, and upon the admission into the Union of a slave state to balance every new free commonwealth.