Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-05-14
A Voice from the South.


consequences of the course which has been pursued
by Southern Senators and Representatives during the
present session of Congress- in relation TO the Oregon
question. Every intelligent Democrat has Jen the
truths portrayed by this artice-has been indignant
at the fathess of Southern men, repeatedly
manifested since IS40 and especially in relation to
Oregon. They bore this punic faith with compare
tive patience, so long as it was only manifested
against parzan integrity, and this very patience has
seemed at last to encourage reachery to the country
itself Our sovereign right and title to any part of
Oregon is evidently considered, by certain Southern
statesmen, as an incumJrdnce, simply because it is
likely "extend the area" of white freedom instead
Of negro slavery They seem to suppose also, that
they 'whip in the "northern dough-faces, ;" 10
acquiescence, as they have ever done, and as they
whip their negroes into subsection. But as
them that although they probably will succeed
in their policy of giving to England the best part of
Oregon they will be remembered for IL in the days of
their own extremity There is no so dull as not
to know, that if Oregon had been desired by the
South for the same reason that it desired Texas,
Southern men would have been fearless of England
as they were of England and France and Mexico
combined. We should have seen a naked "notice'
should have seen the Presidents recommendations
responded to and acted upon by immediate attitude
of offence; we should have seen settlement croUded
upon England at the very moment when the starving
condition of her subjects al home, and impending
difficulties elsewhere, would have compelled the Brit
ish Government to acknowledge our just claims. Had
all this failed to the territory, should not
have seen wdr-an evil which never desire to see,
by the way,-but we should have seen new negotia-
tons set on foot, by which through the establishment
of revenue tariff through guarantees of free nav
igation of the rivers, &C., of Oregon, and through
indemnifcations to the Hudson's Bay Company, 'the
whole of Oregon would have been secured to this
country, and to republicdnism But it was not so.
The territory was not susceptible of enjoying the
benefits of negro slavery. 1t would not have added
strength to ''southern institutions, but might have
turned the balance against them, in spite of dough
faces,"-and it follows matter Of course that the
result is as 1t as In this matter the South has sowed
seeds of gall and bitterness and she has sowed
let her reap.
From the Nsw Orleans JeGersOaidn. AprH l6.
PosITIoN OF PART1Es-THE PREsTDENT-THE De-
MocRACY-The Cumberland road bill has been killed
stone dead in the House of Representatives. This
was right but it will give the wings of the west, at
the next election fine hobby to ride and gather up
local influences against the administration.
Surrender Oregon now--pass the notice bill with
restrictions and condtons-submt to arbtrations. to
prolonged negotiations permit the British to navigate
the Coumba-dHd tchere IciH the democracy the
be this dan ttrelre months At the head Of Salt River
Just as dead as herring ten days out of water. Tho
wings will be every where triumphant. In the east
ern States our discussions beginning in New Hamp-
shire have been initiated in Rhode Island and will
tho
we fought the Presidential with the bate-cry
of Texas and Oregon, our Punic faith to north
ern brethren. destroying all confidence In pro-
fessons, stability and political honesty. In vain may
we hereafter appeal to the democracy of the morrill, to
stand by us and resist the plausible issues and argu-
ments of whiggery and fanaticism combined Slave
nv is unpopular in the free States-every body knows
land il freuuires great moral frmness, political
courage and patriotism to stand up in that latitude,
and defend it. The whole question of slavery--the
very existence of our domestic institutons--were in
voved during the last in the great question
of the annexation of Texas. Here in the South we
openly put it upon the ground that annexation was
Indispensable barrier to the abolition projects of
the British government and to the extensive schemes
of European colonization in western Texas, adverse
to the existence of slavery. Mr. Calhoun in his cell
ebratcd correspondence with the American minister
at Paris, even defended slavery IN the abstract and
thus properly identified institutions only with
wisdom of Providence. All this was revolving to I'M
iyersal public opinion in the free States--t shocked
mems minds--it was forcing terrible responsibility
on the democracy of the morrill, to call on them TO
stand by the south and sustain annexation such
Sues But did they shrink! Did they cover before
the camor of the infatuated abolitionists Did the
voice of misguided philanthropy, preaching Utopian
theories of liberty and human perfectabity seduce
them from their duty TO u.s. Not at all. Firmly
they stood-bravcly they fought-many of them fell
in the conict-Yet the victory was won by their eff
forts. Texas was annexed and southern institutions
yindicated by the votes of the northern democracy
Where would Texas have been if New York, Penn
sylvania, Maine and New Hampshire had altered and
equivocaed on that question, falter and equi-
vocate on the Oregon question!
Think of this gentlemen of the South Remember
that YOU sOlemnly pledged yourselves to Oregon I'm
the Baltimore Conventon-you made II one OF your
uniform issues in the canvass-you appealed for Al
and against the British claim, at all the assemblages
of the people, and you never thus appealed without
receiving acclamations and applause. You elected
President committed by his own convictions his posi-
tive declarations and the creed Of the party, to defend
our title He has abided by those pedges-he stands
where he has always stood undismayed by clamor OF
opposition or deseron--and yet ice falter--'re hest
tate--,ce tremble in shoes-,re pause to ask the
degrading question, what ,riH England dos
Is this Southern chivalryl Is it wise policy! Is
it good faith Is it patriotism :! Is it DEMOCRACY
No. no NO it is not Democracy. We dare an
swer for that The people Of the South are against
the British claim They for their country their
WHOLE COUNTRY and nothing but their country. They
are against sacrificing an inch of it, of giving up
drop of water in any of their great rivers,
to British keel. II IS true that member of the
Louisiana legislature democrat too stood up and
proclaimed that in his opinion not ten members were
prepared to vote that our title to the whole Of Oregon
clear and indisputabe, and that he preferred tc
leave it to the national Senate to adjust, some Of
whom (the members from his own State) he held ir
but little respect And his speech, and the action Of
the House, have gone forth and been quoted as the
index of democratic sentiment in louisiana