The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1849-02-16

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The effectshave been to widen the difference
between the TWO sections and to give a more
determined and hostile character to ~theirron-t
hict. The North no longer respects the Mis-
souri, line, although adopted by their alnost
unanimous vote. Instead of compromise they
avow that their determination Is to exclude
slavery from all the territories Of the United
States Pcquired, or TO be acquired, and Of
couFaato prevent the citizens of the Southern
States from emigEating Aheir property in slaves
in any Of them. THEFT object, they allese,is
TO prevent the extension Of slavery, and onrs
TO extend i, thus making the issue between
them and US the naked question, shall slavery
be extended or not? We DO not deem it me-
cessary, looking to the object Of this address
to examine the question SO fully discussed at
thelast session, whether Congress has the right
10 exclude the citizens Of the South from i'm
migrati! 6 with their property into territories
belonging to the confsdernted States Of the
Union. What we propose in this connection
lis, to make a few remarks on what the North
alleges, enormously to be the issue between us
and them.
So far from maintaining the doctrine which
the issue implies, we hold that the federal gov
ernmeRt has no right to extend or restrict Sic
very, no more than TO establish or abolish III;
nor has it any right whatever TO distinguish
between the domestic institutions of one State
or section and another, in order TO favor the
one and discourage the other. As the federal
representative Of each and all the Statca, IL is
bound to deal t,within the sphere Of its pow
ere, equal and exact justice and favor to all.
To act otherwise, to undertake to discriminate
between the domestic institutions of one aud
another, would be to- act in total subversion of
the end for which il was estdblished-to be
the common protector and guardian Of all.
Entertaining these opinions, we ask not, as
the North alleges we do, for the extension Of
slavery. That would make a discrimination in
our favor as unjust and unconstitutional al the
discrimination they set against us in it's favor.
II is not for them nor the federal government
to determine whether our domestic institution
is good or bad, or whether it should berepress-
ed or preserved. 1t belongs to us, and us on
ly, to decide such questions. What then we
do insist on is this, not 10 extend slavery, but
that we shall not be prohibited from lminigra-
ting with our property, into the territories Of
the United States, because we are slave hold
ere, orin other words, lhatlwe shall not on that
account be disfranchized of privilege pos
sessed by all others, citizens and foreigners,
without discrimination as to, character, profess
sion OF color. All, whether savage, barbarian
or civilized, may freely remain, we only being
excluded.
We test our claim not only on the high
grounds above stated, but also on the solid
foundation Of right, Justice and equality. The
territories Immediately in controversy-New
Mexico and Calilornia-were acquired by the
common sacrifice and efforts Of the States, to-
ward which the South contributed far more
than her full share of men, to say nothing of
money, and is, Of course, on every principle Of
right, business, fairness and equality, entitled
tn participate fully in the benefits to be derived
from their acquisition But as %impregnable as
is this ground, thete is another not less so.
Ours is a federal government, a government in
which, not individuals, but States, as distinct
sovereign communities, are the constituents .
To them, as members of khe Federal Union, the
territories belong; and they are hence declared
to be territories belonging to the United States
The States, then, are tho joint owners. NOw'
it is contended by all writers on the subject.
that in all such governments their members
are equal-equal in rights and equal in digni-
ty. They also concede that this equality con-
stitutes the basis of such government, and that
it cannot be destroyed without changing their
nature and character To deprive, then the
Southern Statesand their citizens of their full
share in territories declared to belong to them
in common with the other States, would be in
.derogatiOn of the equality belonging to them
as members of the Federal Union, and sink
them from being equals, into a subordinate and
dependent conditions Such are the solid and
i~mpregnable grounds on which we rest oar de-
mand to an equal participation in tho terrific
RES.
But as solid and impregnable as they are in
the eyes sof justice and reason, they oppose a
feeble resistance to a majority determined 10
enaross the whole. At the last ssession Of
Congl ess, a bill was passed establishing a ter
ritorial government for Oregon, excluding sla-
very therefrom. The President gave his sane
ton to the bill, and sent a special message to
Congress assigning his reasons for doing 50.
These reasons pro.supposed that the Missouri
compromise waste be and would be, extended
west of the Rocky Mountains TO the Pa
cife Ocean, And the President iutimated
his intention in the message 70 veto any
future bill that should restrict slavery, south
of the line Of the compromise. ASsnm-
ing it to have been the purpose and intention