The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-01-03
Correspondence of the Baltimore Sun.

| Liverpool, Dec. l, IS4S.
! Correspondence of the Baltimore Sun.
WASHINGTON, Dec. %. lS4s.
Agreeably 10 notices served during yesterday
a meeting Of Southern members, of the twt
Houses, learn, took place last evening, in tht
Senate Chamber, in reference to Southern in
iercsis, as connected with the question of slave
ry. 1t was intended to be confined entirely Il
members from the saveholding States, and re
porters and the public were excluded, though
a resolution, understand, was adopted to pub
lish the proceedings, officially, hereafter.
Ex-Governor Metcale, Senator from Ken
tucky, presided, assisted by Senator Atchisor
and ex Governor Gayle, representative from
Alabama, as Vice. Presidents, and Mr.. Venable
representative from North Carolina, as Sec
retary. Between sixty and seventy members
ofthe two Houses, am informed, were pres
| ent.
SIR. Bayley, ofVirginia, offered series o.
resolutions, am informed, embracing essen
TALLY, in regard to the rights Of the States and
the powers of the general governments, The
principles of the resolutions of 1903.
These resolutions, Mr.. Stephens Of Georgia,
after some remarks, moved TO refer to com.
mitlee of one member from each OF the slave.
holding States, to report upon the whole sub.
ject involved, at all adjourned meeting to be
held 18th January ensuing.
An animating debate ensued. in which
Messrs. Bayley, Stephens, Toombs, Fpote, Pen
dleton, Woodward, Butler. Tompkins, Chap.
man Morse, Holmes, Rusk, Calhoun. and West.
colt and one or two others, whose names have
not ascertained, participated.
Mr.. Calhoun, understand, approved OF Mr..
Bayley's resolutions, but coincded generally in
the propricty of the reference proposed By Mr..
Stephens.
Gen. Rusk. one of The Senators from Texas,
| presume, from the information which have,
expressed the sentiment Of the majority Of the
meeting. Like those Of Mr.. Calhoun, his re.
marks were listened to with the most profound
attention.
He was therefore obliged 10 the gentleman
from Georgia (Mr. Slephens) for his motion to
refer these resolutions and adjourn until the
18th January. There was to his mind a man.
ifest inpropriety in passing them now, The
subject should be thoroughly investigated, and
the resolutions and address Git such an one as
spoken of ough. to be adopted) should cores.
pond with each other, and both be calm, Just
and dignfed, as well as firm. lie hoped there.
fore, the proposition Of the gentlemen from
Georgia would be unanimously adopted.
The proposition of Mr.. Stephens was finally
agreed to with great unanimity. Moderate men
and prudent counseIs, believe, will prevail at
the South, though all firmly unite in resisting 10
the utmost extent the encroachments of the fed.
eral government upon the constitutional rights
of the slaveholding States, and in asserting the
Justice Of their claim to an equal participation
in the benefits resulting from the territory &C.
quired. In this there will be no difference of
opinion between Southern Wings andDemo.
Gratis.
WASHINGTON. Dec. "a.
The slavery question, as to this District, is
rapidly approaching crisis. had supposed
that it would be deferred till after another ap.
portionment Representatives. have supposed
that the thirty second Congress would abolish
slavery in the District, or remove the seat of
government westward. But circumstances
have conspired to precpiiate the crisis, and i,
is now probable that the House, at least, is pre-.
pared to act on the subjc at the present ses.
sion. The House has already resolved that
slavery shall be excluded from the new posses.
sions of the United States, by vote of lO7 to
81. They have already decided, by vote of
95 to s., that the buying and selling of slaves
in this District should cease. They have also
declared by vote little less than tSat of ma.
iorily, that the negroes of this District should
vote themselves free! alude to Mr.. Gdding's
proposition TO submit the question Of abolition
to the vote Of the slaves and free blacks them.
selves. The design oflhe aboitionists in the
House is not limited TO the abolition Of slavery.
Their object is to insult and goad the South.
They will not be content even with abolition, if
it is brought about by the agency Of white votes
alone. They say to the South, the slaves shall
be your masters. They shall vote you out of
your property. We will give them the ballot.
box, and protect them against you with all the |
vast power of the free States.
Ofcourse, it was time for the South either to
resist, or to make up their minds to unconsti.
uional submission.
The convention Of the Southern members,
held on Friday night in the Senate chamber,
nave met the question in firm but conci|iatory
emper. There was perfect harmony Of views
between wings and democrats. at The meeting.
Some were in favor Ofan immediate declaration
If Southern rights, and an address to the South.
,rn people bu, it was thought better to refer
he subject TO a committee Of one member from
ZACH State, which connittee is instructed to re-