The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-20

JACKsosvILrE,- ALA, Oct II, 1880.
-SourHsHE RIsHTs MEETise,-Agreeabls 10
"a cali made by q Meeting OF a previous date, q
large and enthusiastic meeting of the citizens of
Benton county, assembled at the Courthouse,
it being the first day OF Court; after the charge
TO the grand jury, the Court adjourned for the
purposes OF the meeting 49, 49,
Upon motion, e. t. Smith (DemoeraD and q.
L. Alexander (Whig) were called to the Chair,
and Gen. X. 6. Earle (DemocraD and DIR. Robert
Burton (Whig) were appointed Secretaries.
Upon further motion, a committee OF three,
consisting of J. b. Martin. esq, Col. J. X. Clark,
and Col. John N. Young, was appointed to ex-
tend invitations to Messrs +. w. Bowdon, our
member to Congress, Hon. l.. p. Walker, Judge
of the Circuit Court, s. +. Rice, J. l.. NJ. Curry
and A. O. Nicks, esq, lgenilenicn who reside
out of the county to address the meeting
On motion Of A. j. Walker, esq, a committee
consisting CT twelve, to wit A. }. Walker John
Foster, J. G. Watkins, E. s. Simmons, Miles NJ.
McCatherine, John Boyd, John M. Crook, j. L.
Pope, G. w. Sorter, John N. Wills, Jerry Lang
ston, and William c. McMahan, was appointed
to draft resolutions to be offered for the consid-
Grafton Of the meeting, who Immediately with
drew, and Mr., Curry was called for. he, as
cended the Judges stand and had addressed the
meeting in an eloquent and soul-stirring address
of about 90 minutes, when it was announced
that from the press of people in the Courthouse
there was Danger of its giving way. The meet
ing was then adjourned to the open air where
Mr.. Curry continued his remarks some 90 min
utes Longer, amid the cheers of vast multitude.
When Mr.. G. concluded his remarks, the
committee through its chairman reported the
following preamble and resolutions-w were
discussed by Messrs. Bowdon and Rice in their
support, and by Mr.. Alexander White in oppo-
sition.
The resolutions were as follows:
Whereas it is a conceded right Of free Amer-
can citizens to meet and commune together in
reference to all questions, that involve their
peace, happiness, prosperity, rights and liberty,
and to express with fearless freedom their opn-
ions, and their mutual firm and fixed resolu-
tons and determinations, and whereas we, por-
ton of the citizens of Benton county now assem-
bled together, deem the subjects connected with
slavery and its extension, acted upon by the re-
Gently adjourned Congress Of the United States,
as fraught with the most momentous and fear
full consequences to us and to our prosperity,
and as presenting crisis in which it behooyes
us to speak, to resolve, and if need be 10 act with
the firmness, and unterrifed boldness which
characterized our revolutionary ancestors, whose
example we revere and desire to initiate, and
whereas we have calmly, deliberately and dis.
passionately taken council together on those
subjects, now therefore we do adopt the follow
ing resolutions, pledgng ourselves to maintain
and support the same. @.r
Resolrel, We regard the admission of Cali
fornia into the Union by the recent Congress of
| the United States, rs ameasure unauthorized by
the Constitution, which eontainsthe stipulations
| Of the Union of these States, as measure with
out precedent, and both pre-cminently unjust
and degrading to the slaveholding States,
and in its consequences perilous to the nstitu-
ton Of slavery as it exists In the South.
| 2. Resolred, The rights of the sayeholding
States, and of their citizens in the territory ac-
quired from Mexico are equal with those OF the
non-slavehodng States and their citizens, be-
cause under the Constitution of the United
States and as freemen, we acknowledge no in
feriority to any other States or people Of this
| Confederacy, and because Southern, no less than
Northern yalor and treasure were instrumental
in the acquisition of these territories. II .
| 8. Resoired, When we recollect that at the
| first clash of arms between Mexico and the
United States, the Southern people rushed with
| q promptitude and boldness unsurpassed in the
annals Of history, to the endangered standard of
their country, and in its support bore promi-
nent, if not the chief part in every action which
ensued, and left the bones of their best citizens,
killed in battle, and dying from the diseases of
the climate, scattered from the Rio Grande to
Buena Vista, and from Vera Cruz to the city of
Mexico, we cannot regard the surrender of the
rights of the South in the territories acquired,
as the result of the Mexican war, otherwise than
| as degrading, and debasing, and will never con-
sent to that surrender. '....
4. notwithstanding the rights of the
Southern people to emigrate to the territory ac-
quired from Mexico with their slaves as clear
and indisputable, we consider that it was the
duty of Congress to have maintained that right,
| by making or causing to be made, provision for
its protection in Utah and New Mexico, and by
settling the question, whether the Mexican laws
prohbtory Of Slavery are IN force in those ter
ritories by an act declaring their invalidity and
the continued assertion of the validity of the
Mexican anti-slavery laws, and that their failure
to do so, are indicative of determination on the
part of the Northern majority in Congress to de-
grade the South, and prevent the extension or
expansion Of slavery
5. ResOlred,-The action of the recent Con-
gress Of the United States in the admission of
California, in the failure to provide protection
| for the rights of the shareholders in Utah and
| New Mexico, and in the prohibition Of the slave
trade in the District of Columbia under the pen
atty of the emancipation of the slaves sold, in
dictate fixed determination to do injustice to
the South ,.@ ..:..'. .. u.......'. 49,. .
6. Resotred-The growing spirit of Abolition
and fanaticism on the part of the non-slavehold.
ing States-the hemming in of the slave by free
States on almost every side; the prospect of a
great increase In few years Of number of free
States, and of abolition power, and the growing
state of Infatuated and relentless opposition on
the part of the free States and their people, ad-
monish us that the institution of slavery in the
! South, is in danger, and that If we would guard
against war of determination between the
black and white races in the South, to come
upon us or our children, or the general enamel
patton of the slaves, and the consequent neces-
sty Of abandoning our sunny South, by us or
our children, We must resolve and act now
T. ReSolred-The crisis requires action on the
part of the aggrieved Southern States as States
8. Resoirea, We as citizens of the State of
Alabama do conjure the Governor of the State
to speedily convene the Legislature-that the
Legislature may call q convention to speak the
wishes of Alabama in reference to the question
Of submission or resistance-that we owe allie