The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-25
SPEECH OF HON. A. G. BROWN.

Delivered at Eld,oood Springs, near Port Gibson
Mississippi ON the Cd day of November, 1850,
and published by order Of the Committee.
FELLOW. CITIsENs: Il shall speak to you to-
day, not as Wings, not as Democrats but as
citizens of common country having common
interest, and a common destiny.
The events of the last ten months have pre-
cipitated crisis in ourpubc affairs which many
of the wisest and sagest among us have fondly
hoped was yet distant many long years.
1t is not my purpose to enter upon critical
review of the late most extraordinary conduct of
the President and of Congress-. | am not at
rights have been the object of attack for ten
months and more, have failed to keep themselves
informed of the more prominent events as they
have TRANSFERRED. We ought, to-day, to inquire
what is to be done in the future, rather than
what has been done in the past.
confess my inability to counsel n great peo-
pie as to the best mode of proceeding in an
emergency like the present. Instead of impart-
ing advice to others, feel myself greatly in
need of instruction. But, will not on this ac-
count refuse to contribute an expression of my
own best reflections, when, rs in this instance,
am called upon to do So.
To the end that you may now clearly under
stand my conclusions, it will be necessary for
me 10 present a brief summary of the events
which have brought us to our present perilous
condition. To 60 no further back than the
last year, we shall find that in Mississippi, al
least, the great body of the people were aroused
to sense of the impending danger, at n meet
ing assembled in the town of Jackson early in
the last year: both Wings and Democrats unit
ed in an address to the country, giving assurance
that the time had come for action.
Gentlemen of high character, of great popu-
larity, and merited influence, headed this meet
ing; a convention of the State was recon-
mended, and every indication was given to the
country that, in the Judgment of these gentle
men. the time had actually come for bold and
decisive action. This movement was seconded
in almost every county in the State; and wher-
ever the people assembled, delegates were ap-
pointed to general State conventions and in
every instance, so far as | am informed, these
delegates were chosen from the two great po-
litcal parties, one-half Wings and the other half
Democrats. The contemplated convention as
sembled at jackson, in October, and recon-
mended convention of the Southern States,
to assemble at Nashville, at some future day, to
be agreed upon among the States. The Mis-
sissippi movement was responded to with great
unanmity in several ofour sister States-in Vr-
ginia South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and
Florida. There seemed to be for time very
general and united sentiment in favor of the
proposed convention at Nashville The scheme
was not without warm and influential friends in
North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana
and Texas. The other slaveholding States, to
wit, Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri gave
little or no indication Of disposition to favor
it. Early in the autumn of l849 some of the
first friends of the Southern movement began to
falter; and, as time advanced they continued to
+ho;r bnll - IA A.
South The secret influences which were at
work to produce these unhappy results, will be
found, | apprehend, elsewhere than in the places
now pointed out. We are now told by some
that they discovered better state of feeling at
the North toward the South. Others pretend
to have been convinced that the movement was
premature, and calculated to embarrass the ac-
ton of Congress; whilst a much more numer
Gus, and much more dishonest class pretend
to have discovered that this convention was to
be nothing less than an assemblage Of conspi-
rators, REASONABLY bent on the destruction of
the Union.
Whilst all this was going on, the sagacous
politician and the man of thought did not fail to
see the true reasons for all this infdelity to
once cherished and favorite measure. The truth
was, that ambitious aspiring politicians had dis
covered that the Southern movement was dis
tasteful to General Taylor General Cass, and
other distinguished gentlemen, then high in the
confidence Of their respective party friends
The movements in California be gan to deveIope
the true policy of General Taylor, and the "Nich-
olson letter" had received new reading from
General Cass. 1t became apparent that the
South must be sacrificed. or party leaders repu-
dated, and party ties obliterated, and politicians
had begun to take sides accordingly, when Con.
gress assembled in December Upt this time,
however, there remained enough Of Southern
influence to keep powerful phalanx of South
ern men and closely allied for common defence
The effort to organize the House of Represen-
tatives made it manifest, that the South meant
something more than an idle bravado in the
course she had taken. For almost an entire
month, the first successful step in the election
of speaker had not been taken; and at last,
when Mr.. Cobb was chosen, it was by plurality,
and not as usual by majority of the votes
given. At this time, there was manifested the
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