Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-02-08
From the Crescent CITY.
MISSISSIPPI RONHS.

| Inc ACPuuidlloll VI. Eoldte, DO1QS, WHlcn, w
fear, bids talr TO become popular, is matte
which calls Tor the sincere contemplation of ev
cry honest and patriotic American. Dishon
/ esty is contagious whenever and wherever
exists, andlike fostering plague spot soo
comes to rot the mass which surrounds it. III,
/ who reflects upon the terrible consequence.
which must'ever flow from low ebb of nation
al credit, will be stunned by and startled a
them. In case Of peace with the world, W.
suffer by reason of the languishment of work.
| OF internal Improvement undertaken and based
on the money realized, oftentime requiring
more means Tor their completion, and frequent.
" requiring new loans to advance still further
an enterprlzing people. In war, we lose oul
right arm. Noneutral or friendly nation will
assist us. The one can never be led to lend
us means, nor the other ships, ornaments OF
men. If we have no national honor and hon.
esty, we will not liquidate our dues TO the one,
nor fulfil our promises to the other.
On saturday last, we noticed in some re-
marks of correspondent 10 the Bee, an allu-
sion TO our sister Stale of Mississippi She is
the pioneer into this wilderness of deep shame,
and we cannot better express our opinion of
her as the author of great misery yet to be
endured, than in the works of the writer him.
self. We deem that too wide a circulation
cannot be given to the sentiments which bear
the impress of a sensible, honest, and truly
American heart, Unless the people of this
country take wise counsel in time. they viii
become that standing monument of shame
whichthe1ooth f!Time can never gnaw away,
nor the clouds of oblivion for moment OBJ
scuFes~
Examples says the writer.''are not wan
ting where other countries have not PAID their
public debt, principle or interest, as in-the case
OF Mexico, Chilli Columbia, and others who
might be named; but this has risen from sheer
inability as they never have denied their obi
CATION, but on the contrary have made, and
st,ll-do make, exertions more or. less success
ful TODD something towards paying, by means
OF customhouse regulations or otherwise. In
no instance have they given the most distant
lntlmatlon ofdisowning it. It was reserved to
Mississippi to bring the ineffable disgrace and
lnfamy on the American name and character by
such step ofunprece dented dishonesty, in to-
tally rejecting public debt, for which value
received was given, and which was issued un-
der the solemn pledged faith of the State, and
where no inability Is even. intimated as to her
means and resources to meet it fully and
promptly! And as if to make the transaction |
still more infamous, her chief magistrate INC
Nutt) who signed the bonds, and under whose
authority they were issued for negotiation, now
publicly and unblushingly declares, under his
official signature, that at the time he signed |
them, he considered them issued illegally and |
not binding on the State, and has lent the
whole weight of his private and official nfiu-
ence to have them declared void, after the full
amount had been paid for them by unsuspec-
ing purchasers!- If there is a proceeding of
greater moral turpuude to. be found in the his
DRY of any civilized state or country, should
Ike to have it pointed out! Were it Missis-
,PpI alone that was disgraeed by the transac
ION, we might leave her 'salone in her glory,''
tut unfortunately it will attach ina great de-
rec to the whole American family, and it
therefore, becomes the duty ofevery citizen of
he United States to -denounce It on every
uqltable occasion, in the most severe and in
1gnant terms, and to place the brand on-eve-I
man who advocates the measure, or init
lates the most distant suggestion that the ex.
mple should be followed by any other State
Mess Mississippi. reconsiders and changes her
eclsIon on the subjects she would become a bye.
ord and reproach in the mouth of men, her
anne should be gbbetted on high in the face
the civilized world, and go down to posleri-
with the broad stamp OF. shame on. her brow.
stermg IN the lnfamy of years.