Nathan Appleton was born in 1779 in Ipswich, Massachusetts, into a socially prominent family. He attended Dartmouth College before joining his brother in a lucrative business in Boston. As a young man, Appleton amassed considerable wealth, which he invested in the growing textile industry. He and several partners developed extraordinarily successful cotton textile factories in Waltham and Lowell, Massachusetts. Appleton served in the Massachusetts legislature for 12 years and became a leader among the state’s Cotton Whigs. In 1830 he was elected to the U.S. Congress. Although he opposed the expansion of slavery in the territories, he was a Constitutionalist and a Unionist and therefore argued that slavery be permitted only in Southern states where it existed. Appleton published this letter and distributed copies, like how today we post an opinion on social media. Appleton died in 1861.
Cotton Whigs: Members of the Northern Whig party who favored a peacemaking policy toward Southern states
Agitate: To disturb or stir up
Impassable: That cannot be passed along, though, or across; impossible to traverse or travel through
Amalgamation: The action of combining distinct elements, races, associations, into one uniform whole
Futile: Incapable of producing a result
Palladium: A thing on which the safety of a nation, institution, privilege, etc., is believed to depend; a source of protection, a safeguard
Irrepressible: Impossible to restrain or put down
. . . I say to the North, to the Free States, why agitate or discuss at all the question of Slavery? There are four millions of negro slaves in certain States of the Union, with about seven millions of whites. Between the two races there is an impassable gulf which makes amalgamation or absorption [of Black people into the mainstream population] impossible. . . . Then there is the question of property, to an amount of thousands of millions of dollars. . . . Any thing is property which the law makes so. Slaves are therefore property in the Slave States, and we of the Free States have nothing to do with the question. . . . Slavery has died out when slaves cease to have value, and not before. . . . All attempts of the North therefore, to affect the state of Slavery in the South, are utterly idle and futile. Doubtless some improvement may be made in the treatment of slaves; but this had best be left to the parties interested. All pressure from without is hateful and unjustifiable.
To the South I would say, why continue this useless agitation upon mere abstractions? You have possession of all the territory in which slave labor can be profitably employed, and large enough to allow its expansion for many generations. . . . Your true palladium is the Constitution of the United States. This is your ark of safety. . . . Why talk of disunion? A peaceable separation is impossible. . . . A civil war … may be easily brought about, under excited passions; but a peaceable division of this glorious Union, a voluntary disruption of a great nation, appears to me utterly impossible; as impossible as is the abolition of Slavery. . . . The idea that there is an irrepressible conflict between the Free States and the Slave States, is simply absurd and untrue. . . . The actual condition of the North and the South, in their natural productions, is most favorable to a trade … mutually advantageous and agreeable. . . . That mutual interest and mutual good-will may resume their natural functions throughout the nation, is the sentiment with which I subscribe myself, with great regard,
Your friend and very ob't serv't,
NATHAN APPLETON.
Boston, 12th March, 1860.
Hon. Wm. C. Rives.
According to Appleton, what are the major reasons why the Free States should not concern themselves with the issue of slavery?
What assurances does Appleton provide Southerners?
Why does Appleton think a peaceful resolution to the issue is not possible?
What biased assumptions is Appleton implying in his letter? In what ways does Appleton's argument expose his inherent racism?
Why do you think Appleton would publish and distribute his letter for the entire world to see?
How does Appleton’s opinion that “slavery has died out when slaves cease to have value” insupportable? Provide evidence (from this or other documents in the collection) to support your argument.
How does Appleton’s description of the actual condition of the north and the South corroborate arguments in other documents in this collection?