The North-Carolina standard., 1849-08-01
From the Pe'adleton Messenger July l4.l
IN the People Of the Southern Stat

from the PeadLeton Messenger JUN l4.1
TO the People Of the Southern States.
Several reasons would have prevented me from ia.
tiuC any notice of Col. Benton, if his attack in his
late speech delivered in the Capital of Missouri had
been directed exclusively against me. The line OF
conduct have prescribed to myself in reference to
him is have little to do with him as possible
and accordingly never notice what comes from
him. even in his character as Senator, when can
ovoid doing so consistently with my public duties
regard him in light very different from what he
seems to regard me, if may judge from the fire.
roency and violence of his attacks on me. He seems
% think | stand in his way, and that am ever en-
C,ged in some scheme to put him down. |, on the
contrary, have for moment thought of raising
bin to the level of competitor, rival, con-
aered 1t of any importance to me- whetherh should
/. be put down or not. He must think he has some
hing to gain by assaiing l, the contrary, feel
4 hat L have nothing to gain by noticing him, and
vben compelled to do so am satisfied, if escape
Without some loss of selErespect. / have another
ason for not desiring to notice him the present
occasion. All his charges against me, with few and
nfng exceptions, but the reiterations of those
ofen made heretofore by himself and others, and
which | have met and successfully repelled in my
Place in the Senate. That they made no impression
Cainst me at the time either in the Senate or COM
nuny, there be no better proof than is afforded
the laborious and tiresome effort he made in his
prsent speech to revive and give them circulation
Under the influence of these reasons would have
pmained silent had alone been concerned. But such
/ is not the case. His blow is aimed much more at
YOU than He strikes at me for the double pur-
pose of weakening in your confidence, and of stri
king at you and your cause through me, which he
thinks can be done effectually indirectly, than
Directly. Thus regarding his attack feel it to bea
duty owe you and your cause to repel it.
The effort of Col. Benton, from the beginning to
he end of his Speech is to make out that have ever
been unaithfu your cause, and true to that of the
fee soers and aboitionsts while, on the contrary,
You had in him unknown but faithful friend all
ecasions He assumes that you and they have been
both mistaken in reference to my course; you in re-
gariing friend and supporter of your cause,
and they in regarding as hostile to theirs. Judged
5yappeaTnce, his object would seem to be to dSPel
his delusion while in truth it is to give you and
Tour cause what he hopes will prove deadly blows.
This the aboonists and free soilers well understand
| The disguise not assumed to deceive them, but
to deceive you. They understand him, and have
hailed with acclamaton his speech, and published it
md circulated it far and near, and gored it and its
author the skies. They rejoice In the belief that
has demolished me, and this tOO while 1t holds
ne up as the truest and best friend their 1t
snains to be seen, whether you viii understand him
PERFECTLY as they do, and will the speech, so
aded by them, with the reprobation due to eronery
and desertion. 1t is not the first time that deserer
has had the assurance address those he deserted,
aud while protesting regard their cause, denounced
hose who remained faithful to it. The history of our
rToluon furnishes notorious instance of the kind.
The deseter that instance faled to deceive those
dQ0ToSS6u,
hose who remained faithful to them, and in return
hr his effrontery and deseron, have.sent his name
bwn to poserity with reprobation. 1t remains to
seen, whether such will be the fate of the desert
|Iin this instance. - --'
He commenced his speech with attacking the res
otions offered to the Senate the 18th February,
I7, and charges that they were introduced for the
|npose of disunion. That you may Judge for your
lives, whether they are liable to the charge or not
insert them: e54
ResoIped, That the territories of the United States
aong to the several States composing this Union,
ind are held by them their joint and common prop
ResoJed, That Congress, as the joint agent and
|rpresentativesof the States of this Union, has no
light to make any law, do any act whatever, that
|haI directly or by its effects, make any discrmna
lon between the States of this Union, by which any
them shall be deprived Of its full and equal right
many territory of the United States acquired to
|A acquired. ~FJ
Resored That the enactment of any law which
aould, directly or by its effects, deprive the citizens
any of the States of this Union from emigrating
With their property into any of the territories OF the
United States, will make such discrimination, and
would therefore be violation of the constitution, and
he rights of the States from which such citizens
migrated and in derogation of that perfect equality
Which belongs to them as members OF the mon, and
Hould tend directly to subvert the Union Itself.
ResotUed; That, as fundamental principle In our
Political creed, people In forming constitution,
AVE the unconditional right to form and adopt the
goVemment which they may think best calculated
secure liberty, prosperity and happiness; and that
conformity thereto, other condition Is imposed
the federal constitution State, in order to her
omission into this Union, except that its constitution
efepublican; and that the imposition of any other
Congress, would not only be in violation OF the
onstution, but in direct conflict with the principle
Which our political system rests ''
They are, you see, confined to asserting Prlncl-
PES appertaning to the nature and character OF our
Yem of government, and making lnferences clearly
eeduclbe from them; and which are of vital ImPor-
<1ee in the question between you and the ort, In
Sahon to the Willnot Proviso. If the facts be, as
e resolutions stated, there is denying the infer
3e; and if both be true, then your rghtto enigrate
nh your slaves into the territories becomes unques-
unable under the constitution. This he felt, and
*nce his bitter denunciation of them. But he has
.ahned himself to dendnciation without making an
0f to refute the resolutions by showing they con-
@ error either the facts asserted or inferences
~duced. He knew that to be beyond his power and
qaently avoided it.. But if the resolutions be true,
ne is compelled to admit they are by his silence,
wv can they be frebrand, as he calls them, or be
ety chargeable with disuniong Col. Benton has
- y own way of proving things, which appears to be
y satisfactory to himself, bot to no one, who will
the pains to examine his assertions and reasons.
uesParing of finding any thing like disunion in the
Soiahons themselves he seeks for it in the motive,
rea ne gratuitously assigns to me for introduc-
mem. He first asserts, that they are the proto-
r of those adopted by the Legislature of Missouri
"eir late session, and then asserts that the only