Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1849-02-10
PROHIBITION OF SLAVES IS }, !, N II..I :.


+ PROHIBITION or SLAVES IS NER-
CHANDIsE-EXTRA SESSION OF THE
LEGISLATURE.
A meeting Of the citizens Of Vernon and Vi
cinity was held al The Masonic Hall this day
/ Dr. William L. BalfogT was called 70 the chair,
and George Stokes appointed Secretary.
The object OF the meeting was stated by the
Chairman, viz 10 take into consideration the
| sIpediency Of Immediately calling the legisla-
ture Of our State together for the purpose OfenacI-
ing Law prohibiting the luther ingress Of'laves
into our State.
On motion, the following petition 10 the Gov
ernor Offered by Mr.. W. J. Denson,l was read
and unanimously adopted, as expressive Of the
views of this meeting. [Tbe petition is signed
by forty citizens of Madison county.--ED. Miss
To HIS Ercellency, J. ". Ma,tbees,
Governor of the Staie Of .Mitsissippi:
The undersigned petitioners, your ,e!low-cti-
zens, residing in the State, and feeling a deep
interest in your Institutions, and an abiding con-
HJence in ne ision AID n'f ..riiy II tue iunc'
tionaries lected By ~, sey=e ign people to
guard their interests, be- leave '.os, respectfully
to represent, that they view with alarm, the Ell
forts now being made by the RbolitosistS of the
North, to interfere, BY legislation, with the rights
of the South They have seen with feelings o.
( deep notification, an etfarl TO dissolve our g'p'
! rious Union, by abolishing slavery in the Dis
irict of Columbia, and applying the Wlmot Pro
vso oil our territorial organization OF New Mex
CO and California.
As the result of such action on the part Of oul
brethren at the North, we have seen efforts mad {
by the border States OF the South TO call conve H.
tions and manumit their slaves by constitutional
laws, and preparatory thereto, holding ont en-
couragement to their citizens TO send their slaves
to the South, in order that there may be as few
negroes amongst them at the period OF their le'
gal emancipation as possible.
The States Of Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky
and Missouri where slavery has ceased to be
profitable, from the uncertain tenure by which
they are held, ar C now throwing an immense
black population on the extreme Southern States
which is destined to increase with immense rap
idity, until our State will be ovsrrun with pop
ulation that will constitute the most dangerous
all the enemies We shall have to encounter
When the present border States shall have
emsncipatcd their slaves, they will in time JON
the Northern Confederacy, until the day vii
come when we or our children shall have It
meet this question as citizens OF border State
and when, too, the black population in our mlds
will present the most appalling obstacle to GU
success.
If we are destined to be overwhelmed by on
enemies we do not desire 10 be driven from on
homes and the graves of our dead, which Wi
be the inevitable consequence Of an issue to b
met with the abolitionists in our rear, and
crowd of telon slaves, which they have torce'
upon us, in our midst.
To avoid this evil, we hold il to be our duty I
keep those slaves in the States north Of us, i
order to force those States TO stand between
and those desperate fanatics who seem resolve
to crush us.
: By forcing those States to retain their slave
within their own borders, they will never consen
to manumt them, as they cannot permit them tt
remain amongst them as free negroes and thu
their interests will remain identified with our:
and they will be forced 10 stand by our side
the struggle for the constitutional rights Of tn
South.
} Impressed as we are with these views, an
the importance OF some immediate action, "
respectfully reques, OF your exccllcncy to CONVEX
; the legislature at as early day as possible,
$ order that the important matter may be submit
! ted to them for the purpose OF eliciIing sur
n action as their wisdom will dictate.
$ Drs. J. ". Phillips and G. Stokes by lnvit'
h ton addressed the meeting, and called on Il
. good people OF our State to meet the crisis car
" and firmly.
:. Dr. II. G. Blackman offered tie following
- Resolved, That should the Governor refuse
8 call the Legislature together Immediately, Il
r. good people Of this State be- and they are here
IS requested to hold primary meetings, and EXPIRE
e their views on this all Important subject.
r Resolved, That the thanks OF the meeting
N rendered 10 the gentlemen who have favored
e with addresses to-day.
J. Re oiyel Tint . F." Mss .nriai I'D Solthr
'r of JACKS j, and az OF the Sta
Or who feel willing, rsqn, a pubsh t
re above. w. L. BALI %oN, IN M
Id GEO. STOKES, SEc'Y.
Of Vernon, Jan. 20, lS40.
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