The North-Carolina standard., 1850-06-29
Address Of the Southern Convention


To the People Of Maryland Virginia, North Carolina
South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Missis-
sppi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, Texas, Mis-
FELLow CITlzENs:-In obedience to the com.
mands Of those we represent, we have assembled TO-
gether to confer with each other concerning your rea-
tion with the General Government and the nonslave
holding States of the Union, on the subject of the nsti
tuition Of Slavery Wedeem it proper to lay before you
briefly the subject will permit, the result of
In order that your condition may be understood, and
the conclusions at which have arrived be Justly ap-
precated. it is necessary briefly to refer to few past
transactions - E.+
1t is now sixteen years since the institution of slave
in the South began 10 be agtated in Congress and
sailed by sister States Up to that tme the people
of the Northern States seemed to have respected the
rights reserved the Southern States by the Constit-
ton, and have acted under the conviction that the
subject Of slavery being beyond the legislation Of Con-
gres all agitation with respect to it the part of Con-
gress, was equally forbidden by the Constitution. But
at this time, portion of the people of the North began
to assal in Congress- the institution of slavery and
Congressional agitation, they claimed the right of petit
tioning Congress upon all subject whatsoever Asa
petition is only the first step in legislation it clear
that right to petition legislative body must be lin
right ask of another to do that which he has moral
legal right to do Nor can any tribunal have the pow
to receive and consider any matter beyond its juris
dction The claim to present petitions to Congress
the subject of slavery considered by the South
Representatives generally, attempt Indirect
to s ion. the ,h9t Itself in all
the overthrow of slavery in the States but assail
ants framed the petitions presented chiefly against slave
ry in the District of Columbia and our Territories, and
against what they call the internal slave rade-that u.s.
the transmission of slaves from Southern State to
another. Conscious of the fatal tendency of the aga
ton Of slavery in Congress to destroy the peace and
stability of the Union, effort made supported by
large portion of the Northern Representatives, to sup
press it rule in the House of Representatives, which
provided, that all petitions Oh the subject of slavery.
should be neither considered printed referred This
rule assaed by the people of the Northern States,
violating that clause Of the Constitution which pro-
hibts Congress from passing laws to prevent the people
grievances In December, 1914, this rule fell before
the almost unanimous voice Of the North and thus the
unlimited of introducing and considering The SUBJ
Jec OF slavery in Congress, asserted. In the
time, the of the Northern people showed clear
y that the agitation of slavery in Congress only
Of the means they relied on to overthrow this nsti-
tuition throughout the Union. Newspapers set up
amongst them. and lecturers were hired to abroad to
excite them against slavery in the Southern States Or
CARNATIONS formed to carry of slaves from the
South and to protect them by violence from recapture
Although the Constitution requires that fugitive slaves,
like ugtves from JUSTICE should be rendered by the
States to which they may have fed the Legislatures Of
almost every Northern State th'ess to this treaty stp
ulaton between the States passed laws designed and
calculated entirely defeat this provision Of the Con-
stitution without which the Union would have never
existed, and by these laws virtually nued the act of
1904 passed by Congress to aid its enforcement Not
content with the agitation of slavery in political circles
the Northern people forced it also into the religious
socations extending over the Unon and produced Sc
suit all these various methods of assaling slavery in
the Southern Sates was that it became the grand topic
Of interest and in Congress and out OF Con-
gress. and of most important elements of politics in
the Union. Thus institution belonging to the South
States exclusively, was wrested from their exclu-
sve control and instead Of that protection which is the
great object of all governments, and which the Consti.
tuition of the United States guarantees to all the States
and their institutions. the Northern States. and Con-
gress under their CONTROL combined together to assa
and destroy slavery in the South The Southern States
did nothing vndicate their rights and arrest this
course of things The Mexican war broke out and in
stead of that patriotic cooperation OF all sections Of the
Union which would have taken place in the better
days of the Republic, 10 bring to just and honorable
conclusion in the very first appropriation bill to carry
it on the North endeavored 70 thrust in the subject of
slavery Throughout the war, they kept the agita
ton thus clearly manifestng their determination that
the General Government in none OF its operations, in
ernal external. shall be exempted from the ntroduc
ton of this dangerous subject The war closed with
honor and an immense territory added to the Uni
ted States Their previous threats reaised and
the slavcholding States Immediately claimed the
right to exclude the people of the Southern States from
ali the territory acquired and to spproprate it to them
selves. If this pretension arose from mere lust OF
power, it would be hard to bear the superiority and
mastery it implies: It would degrade the Southern
position of colonial inferiory. But when your ex-
cuson is not from lust Of power, but is only
ltion Of slavery in the States, by the extension and
multiplication of nonslaveholdng States in the Union
the pretenson is to be alarming it is insult
ing The Southern States, in their Legislatures, set
forth with great unanmi,y, the rights in our territories
belonging them in common with the Northern Staes
and declared their determination to manhattan them
and finding in the Northern States disposition to abate
their demands, the Convention in which we assem-
be has been brought together to take counsel as to the
course the Southern States should pursue for the main
tenance of their rights, liberty and honor.
Such is BRIEF but imperfect statement of past trans
actions and they force upon the question, in what
condition do they place the Southern States And fist
what is their condition in Congress. The time was
offered, nor would they endure reproach in your behalf
But many years past they have heard you Congress
habtually reved by the most opprobrious epthets on
account of the institution OF slavery their spirits
initiation at the insults they daily receive your rep
resentatives You arragned as criminals Slavery
is dragged into every debate, and Congress has become
little ese than grand instrument in the hands of abo.
litionists to degrade and ruin the South Instead OF
peace and protection aggression and Insult on the South
characterize itsproceedings and councils And what
your condition, with respect to your sister States
Where is that respect and comfy which (due from all
nations towards each other more especially due from
States bound together in confederacy and which was
displayed in all their intercourse instead OF res
pect and sympathy-denunciation and hostility. on
of your institution e slavery, have fof years
past characterized the addressed TO you
by the Northern States. And what is your condition In
the Union The non-slaveholding States stand COM
bned, not only to wrest from you your comuoa proper
ty but place upon your front the brand OF interioty
You to EXTEND account OF your
but they increase and multiply, that the shame
be extngusned from amongst you But the worst iea-
ture of your condition is, that is progressive AS low
and huiliang it now may be, it is Destined II not
arrested to lower Deep. Every effect is cause
r. al IN The nrH.