The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1849-03-09
THE ADDRESS
OF SOUTHERN DELEGATES ~ CONGRESS II
TnElR NONSrITrENTs.

"""'Sae va ~ uiscHei " W "uat VIC uSiiof"
TO be solemn duty, on Tho mos, important
subject ever presented for your consldoia.
ton. We allude 10 Ihe cor flet between
he two great sections Of the Union, grow
ing out Of u difference OF feeling and opin.
ion IN IcIefeGce 10 the relation existing be-
tween tue two faces, the European aud Al.
rcan, which Chabr the southern section,
and lie acts Of aggression and eneioach.
meni 10 which /, has led.
TIE cou0,ci commenced moi long SITTER
the acknowledgement u our independence,
aud has gradually increased until II has
iuayed The great body OF The North against
the South on this most vital sui lect. In
The progress Of this COT Oct, sggfessIsa has
follow cd aggression, ssd ep'ioaghmss',s en-.
cToacamea,, gait They have reached pom.
when u regard for our peace and safety
will not permit Us TO remain longer silent.
The object Of ihis address 10 to give you
4 clear, correct, but brief account OF tie
whole series oil aggression aud eDcroach.
men's on your rights, with q statement Of
tie dangers 10 which they expose you.
Our Object % making II IS Got TO cause tx.
eueneni, but 10 put you IN foil possession
pl all the facts aud circumstances necessary
90 full aud Just eonec p,ioa o! deep seated
dIsea-e, which threatens great danger to
sou aud the Whole nud} pol,ic. We &c,
10 the impression, that N popular gov
crhmcnt like ours. a tree conception oi the
chHtaclef and sia,e oi d,scasa IS ladspea.
sable TO dee,ing a cete.
We hase made n 4 jo,al address, because
sc bel.ese that tic wagnrude uf the sub
Ct required that II sboud assume the
most IMPRESSIVE and solemn form.
Not to 20 fur her back the difference OF
opinion end feeling IN reference to The 70,
'a.on betsecn the two races disclosed It
,ell IN the Convention that ffsue Cd the Con.
sllluilon, aud constituted ere OF the great.
cot d lli.ullses IN forming IT. After many
ctl9rs, Il wHs overcome by compromise
winch .tcd, IA ths first place, ,ha,
representatives, and direct taxes shall be
dppot,iourd among the States according 10
heu fesrcclyc number; end that, in as.
censluing the runber Of each. five slaves
shall be estimated as three. Ia the next,
bat slaves escaping iaio States " Aere sia
scty dlgs np.csIst. sLaA DOT ss discharged
from setsl;ude, lu, shalt be delivered upon
claim Of the party 10 81 Asn their 10 Dor on
service IS due. ln the lhird place, the. Con
gres, shall not ptoh,bi: he Importation OF
slaves befote 'hc yesr 1908, Lul tax GO,
exceeding tea dollars may be imposed on
each imported. And finally. that no espl.
'ation or direct tax shall 10 laid. Bot Ia
proportion TO federal numbers and that
90 amendment Of tho sonst,vlion, prior 10
l9Us, shall elect THIS provision. nor that
relailpg 10 The importation Of slaves.
So satisfactory were these provisions,
that the second, relative 10 the delivering
pP Of fugitive .'ives, IVES adopted uuanl.
mausly and all the rest, except the thid,
'slaii'e to the importation of slaves until
lses. with almost t9usl uaau,mny. They
fccogui2s the exjsieueG Of slavery, and
make spec fi; ptovisson fof rs protection
where II wss supposed 10 be the most cx.
posed, They 20 further, and incorporate
~ as al important slemeu', ~ determining
The relative weigh, o( The severed States 10
Vie government ef the mon, snJ the re
.pecine burden they should bear 10 laying
caplinl,ou Had direct iaxss Il was well
Understood at the time, that. vi'hou, the u
the consttulIon would not have been adop.
ted by lie Southern States, and OF course,
that they constituted eIcmenis so essential
30 the system that II never would have eK.
sied without them. The Northern Statts.
knawlng all ths, ratified the constitution,
thereby pedeing their faith, 10 the most
sclemr manner, sacredly TO observe them.
How that faith has been kept and that
pledge redeemed We shall next proceed TO
show.
With few exceptions Of no great iupor.
lance, the South had no cause 10 complain
PRIOR TO the year lslo--a year, II 10 TO be
feared, destined to mark = uaia Of events,
bringing with them many, and gfsat, aud
fatal disasters, on the county aud ito ins,i.
buttons. Nth II commenced the sgitating
debate on The question OF the admission of
Missouri into tho Union. We shall pas
by for the present this question, and others
Of tho came kind. directly grovlpg out OF
Il, and shall proceed ls CONSIDER the effects
Of that spiri, of discord which II reused
up between the two ssctons. Il first dis.
closed itself IN the North, by hostility to
that portion of tho constitution which pro,
sides Tor the delivering up of fugitive
slaves 10 lls progress !, led TO tho sdop.
iion OF hostile acts, inicuded TO rerder IT OF
non effect, aud nth so much success that II
may be regarded now az practically sx.
plunged from the constitution. How this
has been Effected will be next explained.
After careful examinations, truth con.
strains We to say, that It has been by clear /
and palpeble evasion Of the constitution. 7
1, Is impossible for say rrc-:I.su TO be .
more free from ambiguity or doubt, II 10
in the following words; No person held
TO service, or labor, in one State, under the
laws thereof, escaping into another State,
shnll. in consequence of any law OF iegnla.
tons therein, be discharged from such Ger.
vice OF labor, but shall DO delivered no on