The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-09-03

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on the people OF Nashville and the Tennes.
see delegation. Instead OF colduess and
alienation, we received tnc warmest hospi-
talty from the generous and noble people
of that beautiful city; aud the Tennessee
delegation, whilst mlnistering in every way
TO the accommodation OF the convention. act
ed with the utmost iorbearance and dignity.
and finally gave to all ofour proceedings and
measures, their unanimous support. The
toast of Gov. Brown, at dinner given bv
Gen. Pillow and himself to the delegates Of
the convention, declaring that, in hye DAYS,
the Tennessee delegation were brought into
line, shows how previous mistrust had been
changed into confidence. These were the
results, not of artifce or a refined policy, but
OF simple truthfuness and manly lrankness
amongst Southern men, conierrng face to
face upon the rights and wrongs of the
South. The proceedings of the convention
reflected the spirit of its members. 1t was
prepared to concede anything but principles.
These it laid down with distinctness and
irmness, exposing the constitutional rights
to which the South was entitled. Equality
in the Union. Equality in the territories.
But if the North refused us that equality
(Which constitutes the bond of the Union
ltseID in our territories, and insisted upon
putting the constitution aside then, for the
sake of peace and the Union, the convention
proposed that the South should accent as
an extreme concession, partition of our
territories, on the Missouri compromise line
Of 80 deg, 80 min parallel of north latitude.
by tins line the North would ret three
tourths Of our territories, but as it had been
twice before sanctioned by those who have
gone before us, the honor of the South was
at least saved by the proposition. But the
partition the convention proposed was not in
IN words Of the Neutrality-suspicious. of
rS22. That compromise 8Bk place with
respect to territory, over which slavery ex-
isted by the Louisiana purchase. 1t mere
ly prescribed that north Of Sc deg. 80 min.
slavery should be prohibited but it said
nothing with respect to the admission of
slavery south of that line. The reason was
obvious. 1t was not necessary to say any,
thing, because the whole territory was al
ready slave territory and slavery would of
course be admitted wherever it was not pro-
hibited. But the fact is directly the contra
ry as to the territory we have lately acquir-
ed from Mexico. When acquired, slavery
did not exist throughout this teritorry. The
convention therefore proposed, in the parti.
ton between the North and South on this
line, that there should be distinct recogni-
| ton OF the right of the two sections of the
| Union, to enter and cOlonize the portions
assigned to each. The admission of slave
| ry should be as distinct on one side of the
line as its exclusion on 4he other Not onlv
our equality and honor required this policy
but the peaceful enjoyment of the portion
assigned to the South rendered it necessary.
Truly or falselyj it had been boldly asserted
by some of the ablest jurists and statesmen
OF the country, that the people of the South
were excluded, by the laws of Mexico, from
entering any portion of these territories with
their slaves. 1t was not proper when set
ting aside the constitution to effect an ar
rangement to leave any doubt as to its ef-
feet on either side of the line proposed.
Nor would the words used in carrying out
this line through Texas, in the resolutions
OF annexation, suit the emergency. These
| resolutions contemplated the admission of
States. They do not apply to a country in
a territorial condition. New words, there
fore, sulting the emergency and the con-
ditlon in which our territories are placed,
would be necessary to carry out the terms
of partition proposed by the convention.
| Whist thus laying down the .'extreme con-
! cesslon" which the South should make with
respect to our territories-the convention
repudiated and condemned the measures
pending in the Senate of the United States,
called "the compromise" It condemned
them, not only because in effect they surren-
dered every thing to the North, but because
Southern men supported the Surrender. The
South, struck down by the arms of her own
sons, would find it more difficult to rise
from the blow Putting aside all other
methods of adjustment, the convention pre-
sented to the North the fair and simple al
ter3tive-Equality in our territories under
the constitution, or partition of them be-
side it.
Fellow Citizens It is a matter of the
gravest importance to us to consider wheth-
er either of the alternatives proposed BY the
Nashville Convention, will be adopted by
Congress Will an equality in our terrific
ries be conceded and if not, wiA the North
divide with us our territories on the line
proposed If either of these alternatives
shall be enforced by the legislation of Con
gress, all danger to the Union, from the
question of slavery in our territories, will be
over, although the subject of slavery itseli
would still continue, in other forms, to be
agitated in Congress, and in the Northern
States. The convention was unanimous in
presenting these alternatives, but | cannot
but suppose that great deal of our unanim.
ity sprung from the belief that the North
would yield US one or the other of them
and would not persist in the unjust, insult
fling pretension of seizing all our territories
for themselves. 1t was understood that tie
most distinguished statesman Of Pennsylva.
l,,., l.