The Arkansas banner., 1849-04-03
TO ouR coNsrIruENrs.


 to the people of the South theeSeitlng question of slavery We were unable to unite with them in the movement, and the abeeHce of our namfs from the paper which they hays published has given rise to strictures upon our course, which we pro- pose now to netce 0nr conduct has been miscon- sirued by some, and misu nderstooA by others aud, 10 place the matter iB it's proper light Is the object of the present communication. A proper appreeia- ton of our motives and feeliDCs req aires partial consideration of the address sa. Il stood, when Il first issued from the hands of hs author, The notifications which were subsequently, made, im- proved its tone, temper, and spirit, though they failed to render t wholly unOblrctieuable. Some of the passages stricken out can meet with Just
 cation from that portion of it's sigmers who belong 10 the democratic party, and, without stopping to comment upon aH of them. we eaRuot pass by in silence the remarkable attack SEas ApOn Mir. Polk. and those democrats who had supported tue Ofrgun bill. The addreSs, in this particular, was marked with spirit of opposition to the present executive, which well calculated 10 nrray the people of the South against an administration which has with signal fidelity carried into tBe practical operation of
 the government all the Cardinal principles of our political faith. The insertion of this paragraph in the original address was not more remarkable than its failure to make the slightest discrImn nation in ifs charges upon the North, in favor of those who have manifested a determination to stand nv the constitutional rights of the South, even at i,e price of sefsacrifce. It seemed to to foreshsdow a result in the organization of sectional party, which would neither promote the interest strengthen the securities of the South
 The address still more objectionable for what it did not contain It professed 10 give a faithful history of the abolition question, with the causes Of
 ifs increase, and the purposes it has sought to complish and was intended to place before the people of the South the condition ofthe feelings and sentiments of the Northern people in regard 10 it Its object in this respect to give the noril- | ern people such information would enable them | fO punDt such n nncv aS W0utd heat Uuard and
 maintain their rights. Thepurpose was good oae, but it was not an original one. The same object has been pursued with equal earnestHess for many years, by those who deeply interested in the I preservation of our peculiar institutions Mir. Calhoun; and 1t remains to be seen whether the efforts of the the other best calculated to effect the object which both profess 10 have in view The history of the abolition question, presented l by Mir. Calhoun, is incomplete and unsatisfactory
 There are important matters wholly omitted in his address, which necessary 10 be known, to a correct understanding of the question, these which he has presented and without a knowl ledge and appreciation of which the people of the South will be incapable of forming proper judgment on
 the subject, adopting the proper liue of policy
 Abolition IS not only question of religious fanati- cisrn, but one of political power. It has entered
 more or less, for many years, into the party politics 1 of the country, and has constituted eeulent in the organization of parties at the North, of uO in- considerable importance. It is in this view of the subject that inc address is marked with a silence
 which, in our judgment admits of justification
 If we contemplate the continuance of the Union, as the address professes 10 do, 1t is q matter of serious interest to the Southern people 10 know the terms of relationship which have heretofore. and do now
 exist oetwesn thcse snaiicsI assaiia Of peeu liar institutions and the political parties oE the country, with the the other of which our
 people associated in the bonds of political faith ] With this information in possession, would
 know whom to regard us friends and who as enemies In the hour of dauger and trial we enabled to
 form our political associations in reference to the | protection Of our dearest interest. Why, then, | should we fail to tell the truth upon this subject
 Was it because it would bear heavily upon the one
 party, and elevate, in the estimation of Southern
 men, the character of the other? It will not do to
 say that it thereby introduced party politics into | the address. Upon a question important and
 momenous as the address regards the present state
 of the slavery agitation, it becomes southern men
 10 forego the ties of party obligation. and to respond
 fearessy and honestly to the demands of truth and justice. it was indeed a strange demand upon the | berality of Southern democrats to ask them to
 withhold he truth from the people, because its
 declaration would offend the sensibilities of their
 Southern whig friends If the Southern whigs are
 not yet prepared 10 abide the judgment which the | public record pronounces upon their Northern as-
 .ociates, seriously fear that they beyond the l point where their minds be reached by any
 argument, however ably and forcibly addressed to | 'sN"' S'Oh ny siS dNthoA VI sic 1 Southern address.
 1 Without attempting an analysis of the congress ! sional record upon the slavery question, We will
 submit n few general propositions, which will pat
 this matter in its proper light The general propo-
 sition be fearlessly stated, and the records or
 Congress with safety appealed to for the evidence
 of it's truth, that upon all questions involving the
 rights of the South, in connection with the insti- | tuition of slavery upon which issue has been
 made, our only friends at the North have been
 found in the ranks of the Northern democracy.
 Without stopping now to discuss the merits of these
 issues which, surely, cannot be necessary before q
 Southern constituency, let us recur 10 some of them 1 m illustration of the proposition just laid down Among the most prominent of these issues and one
 which perhaps excited as much, if not more of the public attention than any other, was the famous
 2lst rule of the House of Representatives, which
 peremptorily excluded all petitions the subject
 of the abolition of slavery either in the States, Fer ! ritories, or District of Columbia. That rule was
 originally introduced into Congress by Southern
 whig, Mir, Johnson, of Muyland.) IL was the
 subject of repeated discussions a, numerous votes,
 from the time of its original adoption the period
 ei it's repeal in the twenty eighth Congress. Daring i that whole time it never received the vote of q
 single Northern whig. It was adopted and kept in
 existence hy the uaited vote of alt the Soathern ! members, twith two cxceptioDs,) and a ! portion of the Northern democracy.
 1 On the question of the annexation of Texas,
 which was opposed tt t4e A9,tA ..;ooaat of les
 slavery institutions, similar state ot things will be l found to exist. That measure carried by thc | aid of Northern democritic votes di0Rc-uen whose miuds were not like their whig brethren, so
 surcharged with bitter hatred of the South and her 1 institutions, to defeat this ldvorlte object oI Southern men, on account ofthe existence there o
 our peculiar institutions.
 ! An equally forcble and conviucog iliustratiaIf
 will bo found n the history o the present exciting issue which seriously threatens the peace
 and harmony of our Union if not its very existence
 Various votes bdya been taken boil, ia Use Senate
 1Hd House oi Representatives, dariag tho last thiee sossions, the Winot ProvisO, and il yet reuaius
 for tae rst Nor,hern whif 10 record hts vote against
 it. 1t has t dFcrent times been defeated m both braneih- of Congress, and m every iastaucc bs tbe s.id oi Northern democratic votes. The aciIoa o CausT.Ss oa this subject, tn conneciIon with Inc L ,..,. .a. i..an