The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-21
THE SOUTHERN PRESS.
From the (Ga.) Federal Union. 20
,,,sos Berrien's Speech at Bibb.

.Sn ~, nj the Courthouse, upon the great ques
ION If The day. The house was packed to over
aowing, and many left, unable to get within hear
ing distance. II is praise enough to say that the
treat senator equalled himself What a man
now on the wrong side Of three score years and
fen his great intellect seems to wax stronger as it
nears its immortal home. Inever listen to such
minds without feeling that they are the beacon
lights which shine upon earth TO make more mani
fest the line between mind and matter, the mortal
and the lmmortal--to give assurance of 4" The Di-
vnity that stirs within u.s." .#..'
Mr. Berrien said he had struggled to no practi-
csl purpose TO maintain our eouality--that the
South had been overborne and defeated, that she
had lost all but her honor--he showed by an argu-
ment so plain and clear, the wayfaring man
though fool could not fail to understand, that
the admission of California by Congress was a pal
pabe and plain infracton of the Constitution; an
nfraction, too, perpetrated by the means of the
most diehonorable frauds, and all done for no
other purpose or design than to deceive and
wrong the South. As TO New Mexico and Utah,
he said the Northern members organized them
without the Wilmot Proviso, because they ex-
pressly declared in Congress they were safe with
out it, LIST. By the laws of God uniting them
for slave labor. I'd. By the laws Of Mexico, and
that if both these failed they would hereafter take
care to attach d" the Wilmot." But they had the
evidence that New Mexico would exclude the
South, for she presented constitution prohibiting
savery-thus, we see, that Of all the vast empire
which we acquired from Mexico, ard in the ac-
QUESTION of which the South did and suffered so
much, he said the Southern people had not foot
where they could 90 with their property But,
said he, we told that the South holds to non
intervention and that they have given it to us in
New Mexico and Utah. He felt, as man, the
Southern citizens grossly insulted with such
taunt The doctrine, he said, of the South, was
that which is in the Constitution-that Congress
is bound to protect Shareholders in their persons
and - ,,nn cal. O..
and yet can take or control the property of neither
but for public use and that this has ever been the
Southern doctrine Of" non-intervention' and as
to the matter of fact, he said the North had not
practised non-intervention in any sense, but on
the contrary, their action had been constantly and
only aggressive.
That the South, at former session of Congress,
sought to form territorial government for Cali
fornia, saying nothing about slavery, but the
united North insisted on attaching the "Wilmot
Proviso," and defeated the bill, and forced them
10 live under military government until they
should form constitution excluding slavery, and
when they had thus robbed the South Of all that
could be valuable to her for slave labor they turn
round and sneeringly tell the South--you hold to
" non-lntervention, and we give it to you in
New Mexico and Utah, where, to be sure, you
never so, but we give you the principle, tempo
rary, as you are sticklers for principle. What
Southern man, he asked, ought not to feel insuted
and degraded, to be thus treated? And yet, said
he, we told "the South has triumphed?" 81
this is triumph" he exclaimed, with mos
conemptuous curl of the lips, " ask, in the name
of heaven, what they call defeat"
But they tell us, said he, that the compromise
this-he South gave up-nay--they took from
her by force, the vast empire for which they gave
US " the Fugitive slave bill" Well, said he
that is good bill he voted for it--but has the
South sunk so low that she must lick the hand
that smites her must she be told, and will she
own that it is a boon, favor, to receive a clear
unmistakeable, constitutional right, so plain, thai
no who can read, ever mistook or misunder
stood it! and is she under such high obligation tc
the North for suffering her to enjoy this clear
right, that she must pay for it SO dearly to give
up an empire that is to be converted into hel
enemy Besides said he, this biltis not North
"rn gift. Nearly all the Northern members eX,
erted all their powers to defeat it, and voted
against it, and will no doubt hereafter either re
peal or so modify it, TO render 1T wholly ineth
cient so that, said he the South has received NJ
equivalent--for all her losses, she has received
nothing but defeat and ms 1t, being treated not AZ
an equal, but an inferior.
As to what shall be our mode Of redress, and
prevention for wrongs that are never to end, while
the South holds slaves and remains passive, he
said-t was natural that diversity of views as to
the mode and measure should exist among South
ern men, but said he, is neither natural nor pa
triotic to hold that the South should do nothing.
! envy not the man, he exclaimed, who holds or
teaches that the Convention of Georsiu should
meet and adjourn without doing any thing for her
protection or honor May heaven save his noble
State he loved so well, from such disgrace and de-
graduation, degradation that would only invite
further and worse wrongs and insult. He held
that secession not the remedy 10 he adopted
for the evils that threaten us. lst., because he
thought there were other remedies within our
power, which he believed, if adopted, would be
efectual for our security. end, because the in
1 l. - ho
hazarded, before all other means were tried; that
in the case Of secession, he said, the South could
never be united, there would ever be in Our midst
a strong party who would in case of a conflict side
with the free States and against these ceding
State States, that civil war would be the con-
sequence, and besides the benefits Of the Union
too great to be thrown away lightly, but, said
he, there is far greater evil than dsunion, yea
than death itself, it is dishonor.
The South must have her rights, she must be
treated equal at all hazards, and said he, am not
to be deferred from the stern maintenance of the
rights Of the South by the senseless cry of
Onion" nor should he regard the ISLANDERS of
tn ose who brand all as dsunionists who are for
the firm defence Of the South, though it may lead
to disunion. His love and veneration for the
Union and Constitution, he trusted, equalled, fit
did not exceed, that fthose who cry" Union the
loutes for party purposes.
He said that it was plain, well known princi-
border States should not permit the citizens Of
either to plot or conspire against the peace and
tranquility of the other-that they may rightfully
demand the suppression Of all such plots and con-
spiracy and that failure to respect such demand
is even cas,ts beHi-that much more should this
law prevail among kindred confederate States like
ours, and his plan was that the Georgia Conven-
ton should solemny demand Of the people Of the
free States the prompt and total suppression of all
abolition societies and abolition agitation. And
that the convention command the legislature to lay
a prohibitory tax upon all goods brought into the
State which have not paid duty at the Custom
house !: thus far he clear they may go undo
the Constituton, and he had no doubt il would b.
eHrectual, and at the same time would advance on
State to great power and prosperity. He ais
held that the people should require Of their dele
gates to the convention, pledge, that at the CON
mencement of their session they should pass
ordinance, requiring their action to be submitte
to the people for their approval or rejection.
Mr.. Berrlen spoke about three hours and ye
with such power and eloquence, that his vast au
dience appeared unwearied to the last. | hay
given briefly, but faithfully, his remarks upo
such subject, as are at the Presen, time
tay in the words Of an old planter III -.