The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-16

on the subject matter contained i'll the recent
message of the President relative to Texas and
New Mexico
We referred yesterday morning to a commu-
nication in the Southern Press by writer who
takes for his signature the patriotic name of
:" Hampden." There are points in his article
which justify bestowing little further atten-
ton to it..
'Hampden" exhorts the ''men of the South !"
in the House of Representatives to resort to
the delays which the Constitution sanctions for
arresting the measure the California bill and
stopping the supplies" The alternative, in
his judgment, is its reception into the Union at
the imminent risk Of Georgas secession and
the furnishing supplies to the Executive at the
imminent risk of his employing them in making
war upon the South.
The imminent danger of Georgia's secession
consists in the fact that the Governor is re-
quired by an act Of her Legislature to call upon
the people, to choose delegates to a convention
to consider what farther it may be proper for
them to do. Hampden thinks no one can doubt
that such convention will, by ordinance, recall
her delegation in Congress, require all her citi-
zens in the federal service TO surrender their of
! fees, and notify the federal authorities that
! she resumed all those functions OF sovereignty
which she had confded as a trust to the Gov
eminent Of the United States; in other words,
that her secession, so far as depends upon her,
is accomplished. That done, he regards it as
aIf nT Ia 81
would follow her example; and that Florida,
Alabama, and Mississippi, would promptly
join; and finally, that the whole South, incud-
ing even Kentucky, would be involved, ''should
the Executive adopt Mr.. CLAWS mad coun-
sells, and attempt TO restrain or coerce her
Georgia by military power"
The exhortation to members Of Congress to
resort to the machinery Of mere delay, is based
upon the certainty of all the events thus pre-
dicted. Hampden exhibits just appreciation
Of the heavy responsibility which will rest up
on minority who may seek thus to subvert the
fundamental principle upon which a represen-
tatiye republican government rests-the right
of an ascertained majority to legislate-when
he puts the recommendation on the ground that
thus only can the secession Of Georgia and the
consequences enumerated by him be averted.
But how much Of certainty is there in them all2
Nothing that we can discern except the assem-
bIage Of convention in Georgia. convention
to be composed doubtless of grave, experienced
and patriotic men, for to such only can it be
imagined that the people will commit the pow
er TO involve them in the tremendous conse-
quences Of secession.
Without looking at all TO the probable aid TO
be obtained in resisting the power Of the Fede-
raj Government, the delegates would inquire
anxiousy into the disposition Of other States to
join them in establishing new frame Of gov
eminent, one sufficient in its territorial ex-
tent, in its population, in the diversity Of its
resources, 10 take and maintain a respectable
position in the community Of nations. The
other States, it must be remembered, are not
committed by any public legislative act, even
10 the calling of a convention. They are in a
position to deliberate coolly upon the question
whether they will encourage Georgia to take
the iuetrievable step, by engaging to join her.
or whether they will wait patiently for the con
clusion 20 which the sober sense and patriotism
Of the Georgia convention may conduct it in its
separate and Independent consultations. After
/ 1t has taken the Congress Of the Union nine
months deliberation before il could admit Cali
iornia, in the face Of vague approximations of the
evil Of secession, we may well conclude that no
similar body will be very rapid in determining
to front the certainty. Cool reflection will as
sert It's sway in the Georgia convention, and
yet cooler in the surrounding States, for whom
she is expected to play the part Of Bell-the-cat
, The question is then to be put TO the people
Of Georgia-Are you ready TO forego the posi-
tive benefits of the Union for an untried exper-
, iment2 Are you ready, by yourselves and for
yourselves alone, to go into the isolation Of a
separate independent government, with its bur
/ dens and its dangers-to maintain an army and
: navy for its defence corps of diplomatic
; agents to represent it abroad and at Washing
ton, who must be Immediately commissioned to
negotiate for the recognition Of the new power
in the world Are you ready to have your
boundary surrounded with Gordon Of custom
houses, and TO be unprvleged aliens the mo-
ment you cross it 2 Georgia is just beginning
to develop its magnificent resources. Are it's
people ready to have their power cramped by
load Of internal taxation, and by the shutting
up Of the markets Of the Union to its products
I For, if il could become foreign State, that
moment the tariff Of duties would apply to its
productions.
There is little hazard in predicting that upon
the suPPosition this great change could be