The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-11
STATE RIGHTS MEETINGS.

GIA-On Saturday the 3lst ult., Il number of
the citizens Of Cass county, without distinction
of party, met in the courthouse, at C..ssville,
for the purpose of endorsing the action of the
Nashville Convention, and of forming Southern
Rights Association for Cass county
The meeting was brought to order by COL J.
+. Foster in the Chair, and DR.. w. II. Maltbic
Is Secretary.
On motion, the following named gentlemen
were appointed to report matter for the action
of the meeting: COL L. Edwards, s. Fouche, G..
A. Hamilton, Thos Leak, and Col. Mark Hardin
The Committee retired to deliberate, and during
their absence the audience We're entertained bv
Capt. Nelson of Cobb, in Il speech characterized
10y sound sense and argument, upon Southern
lights and grievances
The Committee returned, and reported the
following resolutions, which were unanimously
adopted:
keS0leed, Isl That all governments derive
their just powers from the consent of the GOV.
Nncd, and are bound to protect the life, liberty,
and property of their citizens
Resolved, 2nd. That this duty of protection is
co-cXtensive with the powers Of t governments:
and faithful discharge of it, is the only ground
which can cnttle it to the respect, allegiance and
ul edence of the citizens
Resolred, 3d. That the right of any people
t" alter or abolish governments, is n cardinal
principle OF American politics of nestinablc
value to the people, nd formidable only to ty-
rants.
Resolved, 4th. That an imbecile Government
which cannn, or n corrupt and dcspotic Gov
eminent which aciI not protect the life, liberty
and property Of its citizens ought to be altered
or abolished.
Ike 'oired 5A. That the people being sove
reign. and the Government but :n agency, or
%anized by them, for the purpose of this pro-
lection, Government has no right to attempt
to pcrprtuate its own existence against the will
o., the people who created it.
R~%IteL, oh. That the independence and
sovereignty of the several States and the
equality of their citizens respectively, are fun
.mont principles upon which the Union was
formed.
RcSnlrn. hat the States, rs indcpcn-
dent severe yn -, tYymed the Constitution, each
having an equal voice.
R"Solrpd, Sh. That after the Constitution
WAS thus formed by the States as equals, it was
Submitted to the people, not Of all the States
rs oIc people, but of each State, as separate,
independent and sovereign people and each
State by itself and for itself, freely deliberated
upon and determined the question of the adop
ton or rejection of the Constitution, and thus
became n party to the Union by its own sepa-
Resol,ed 9Th. That, therefore, this is Con-
t-dcracy Of sovereign States not consolidated
Empire o: Nation, and Union, not of force but
Of consent.
Res0lred, lOM. That this constitutional Union
neither can, nor ought to be maintained by
the superior force of part of its members,
vino may usurp the system of government
which it establishes for the subjugaton of an
other part, or for the purpose of compelling
them to submit to plain, ralpable and dan
gcrous lnftact,n of their equal constitutional
rights.
ReMlced, Nh. That the Federal Government
Is common agency of all the States, with
specified powers for specified objects; and can
make no discrimination in the protection it nf
tords the life, liberty, a I'd property of the cit
zcns of the several States, without plain, pal
pable, and dangerous infraction of the vital
principle Of its own organization
Resolved, 18th. That when the Federal Gov
1, nment, by an eXerton Of the common force
Of all,,or an application of the common funds
OF all, acquire. territory, it is bound to rccog-
nlzc the equal right of all to go into such ter
rltory with their property of every kind, and to
give equal protection to the life, liberty and
property of all therein; and also to remove any
obstruction which may exist to the performance
of its duties, or to the enjoyment of this equality
of rights.
Resolved, l3h. That we concur with the
Southern Convention, in demanding tor the
Southern States and people, equality Of rights,
in the Union and in the territories.
Rssoleed, l4th. That we further concur with
that convention in recommending to the South
ern people, in the event the Nortl, shall refuse
US this equality of rights, and shall insist upon
sitting the Constitution aside, to acquiesce in n
division of the whole of the territory upon the
Missouri Compromise line Of $500, as an EEK
treme concession" for the sake of peace and
the Union.
RESOLVED, l5dL. That the honor and equality
Of the Southern people require, and their inter
est demands, that the recognition of their rights
on one side of the line should be as expl cit as
their exclusion on the other.
SOUTHERN RIGHTS AssocIATIoN.-The meet
ing then proceeded TO the formation Of South
rrh Rights Association" for Cass county, blsed
upon the following preamble and resolutions:
Apeople whose feelings are outraged-whose
Character is traduced-whose rights are assailed