The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-17

| TO us matter Of life and death aud ii you do
not imu edntely and forever abandon your pur-
pose Of wreSting it from us, and reducing us to
utter ruin and despair ace shall consider The con-
tederdcy as dissofred By your act, and will protect
ourselves accordingly This appear to me the
only alternative left to the South We see that
the Northern States are bent upon our destruc-
ton; that all their movements tend that way
that they are determined to force Us into the abo-
| lition of slavery, and in consequence to plunge
us into greater horrors than ever befel civilized
people The sentiment is now publicly avowed
BY the most prominent of their leaders and
acted upon by all that the emancipation of South
ern slavery is an obligation higher than all Others,
and above any oath to support the Constitution (;
and the Government of the u. 5. controlled and
administered by those acting upon this fanatical
sentiment has hecome, in their hands, an instru-
| ment for the fartherance and final achievement
of their unhallowed end. Certainly this leaves
the South no possible escape from the ruin that
menaces her, except through the door of seces-
sion. This is her only hope.
s.In native swords, and native ranks,
Her only hope Of safety dwells."
| No true friend of the South can any longer
doubt the fact, that the extirpaton Of slavery is
not only resolved upon by the Northern States,
but that they regard its accomplishment as a
matter of certainty. The only question with
them is the best manner Of effecting it. One
portion of the anti-slavery party, impatient OF
delay, are disposed to attempt it at once, without
any regard to consequences; while the more tenn
perate and calculating portion, equally bentupon
the purpose, are laboring to achieve it by less
Irecipitate and perilous action. The one, is not
unwilling to resort to force; the other, however
DESTROYS to avoid a conflict which might endan-
ger success, and in which they could not hope
to escape from their full share of heavy blows,
prefer to work by slow degrees, and to throw
their tolls around us SO artfully as not to excite
alarm until they have MS fully bound FOR the
sacrifice; and then, q fear not until then) when
| the fatal blow i; about to descend upon us, we
shall see the folly and madness of our present
suicidal conduct and shall perish as all other
supine and f, olish communities have persisted,
who lie down TO sleep, whilst the enemy is bat
tering at the gates. s
Foreseeing the catastrophe, it is crime not to
provide against it. The designs of the enemy
are no longer masked-we now fully compre-
bend them, and seeing that all things are tend
ing TO their accomplishment, ] would put the
question to the born Southern man, whether he
does notthink it high time that something should
be done to avert the approaching calamity, and
to place his country and her institutions in a
state Of greater security! He cannot hesitate
! to. answer yes. Then what is his RENE 1y! II
he can devise a better one than that OF secession,
let him name it, In my opinion this is the
measure adequate to the occasion; and so fully
satisfied are our enemies of this truth--so CON
i fident are they that separation is the only means
of salvation to us,and defeat to them--that they
have not scruped to indicate their intention of
OBTAINING us in the Coniederacy by military force
AN intimation which fully confirms the danger
of our situation, and increases the necessity OF
our withdrawal
] am not wanting in due respect to the Amer
lean Union, nor a just appreciation Of its value;
but no one will pretend to say that the present
is the Union of the Constitution--thc Union es-
tablished by the sages of the revOlution--the
Union that was to "ensure domestic peace and
tranquility" but another great dynasty erected
:. upon its runs--a Russian empire which makes
Hungary of the South. Such Union cannot
be desired it is Il curse instead OF a blessing
we never entered into it, nor should we any
longer endure it; it should be dissolved imlned
ately, if the North do not pause at once in theil
aggression and give us back the old charter witt
all its guarantees and securities unilnpaired anG
unrestricted Ii the present Congress, then, il
defiance of our own circumstances, should
adopt any Of the abolition measures now pend
ing before it, would recommend the Southern
States, lis soon as possible, to hold conyen-
ti6N, duly empowered to organize Southern
coHfederacy, and TO make all necessary arrange
ments for public defence.
/ | advise this course, not from choice, but
from necessity. We are forced by our enemies
into the alternative Of retiring from the Union
or of remaining in it upon terms altogether in
compatible with honor, peace or safety. They
do not hesitate to avOw their hatred and abhor-
renee of us, and publicly to proclaim that their
connection with us is degradation to them.
This itself is no very unreasonable ground for
separations; but how doubly keen and affective
does the Insult become when we know that the
scorn and contempt Of our foes is founded upon
! that very submission which we so wofuly mis-
take for a virtue. How can they respect us
when we do not respect ourselves .--irresolu-
ton is the basis of their presumption.-That we
should desire to remain in the Union under all
these circumstances of outrage, defamation and
contumely, and with the certainty too of ulti-
mate ruin, is species ofinfatuation, of insanity,
as incomprehensible to me rs it is lamentable.
The chief argument of those who are opposed
to this measure of redress, is directed rather to
the fears than to the understanding of the South.
em people. We arc told that sanguinary war
will be tl}V1mmediate consequence of dssolu-
ton Of the Union. This may or may not be-
1t depends upon the disposition of our enemies !;
and it is more than probable that they will find
as many arguments in favor Of peaceful sepa-
ration as ourselves; but if this should not be
the case if they shall rashly resolve on war,
am confident of one thing, that the direst ca
lamities that can possblyHesult, will be nsignii-
cant and trihng in comparison with those which
follow in the wake Of Abolition. ! will not,
however, attempt to place them in contrast; but
proceed to say that cannot perceive anything
so terrible in war that we should avoid it at the
sacrifice of everything which gives value to life,
honor freedom, and social equality. If it is then
inevitable, let it come; we must meet it as our
fathers did before us, with stout hearts and
sharp swords y and having justice on our side
we cannot fail to have victory also. We shall
have our border striies---formdable invasions--
sudden incursions and bloody retaliations all
very hurtful, no doubt, but as hurtful to the foe
as to us and surely we shall be able to endure
them MS long he, having better reason for
the war; he fighting for tanaticsm, dcsPotism
and military rule, and we for our lives and our
homes-for our VIZ men and chidren--for truth
honor justice and political rights Nor can the
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