James Redpath, The Roving Editor: or, Talks with Slaves in the Southern States.

Westward, slavery cannot go. Northward, its influence daily diminishes. The sentiment of the Eastern world is hostile to it always. Can it extend Southward? It will look in vain to Central America. The same mixed races who hate the modern “Norman” in Mexico inhabit those regions, and are animated by the same true spirit; and the attempt, if ever made, to subdue this people, in order to extend the area of bondage, will justly precipitate a war with the powers of Europe. The South does not dare to hazard a war with such great powers on such an issue.

The islands of the American Archipelago are to-day almost exclusively in the hands of the liberated African race. The first serious attempt at annexation will put them entirely in the possession of the blacks. Cuba has already, within her borders, seven thousand self-emancipated citizens; and it is a fact, well known in our State Department, that the Spanish rulers of that island would unhesitatingly arm the black population, both slave and free, in the event of any serious attempt at conquest.

But I would not fear the extension of American slavery, even if the neighboring nations were more friendly to it. The South will soon find enough to do at home. Canada has hitherto been the safety valve of Southern slavery. The bold and resolute negroes, who were fitted by their character to incite the slaves to rebellion, and lead them on to victory, have hitherto, by the agency of the underground railroad, been triumphantly carried off to a land of freedom. The more sagacious Southrons have seen this fact, and congratulated themselves on it. They forget that the same Qualities which induced these