The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-23
THE ADDRESS

The committee TO which ,Das referred Mt
no. dun of preparing an address TO the Peo-
pile of the slaueholding States upon tht
subject Of a Southern Organ, to be estab-
Rsied in the City Of Washington, pul
forth the follo,cing:: 'a2s t.1 =
FELLow-CITIzENs: A number Of Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress from
the Southern States Of the Confederacy deep
ly impressed with a sense Of the dangers
which beset those States, have considered
carefully our means Of self-defence within
the Union and the Constitution, and have
come to the conclusion that it is highly impor-
tant to establish in this city a paper, which,
without reference to political party, shall be
devoted to the rights and interests OF the
South, so far as they are involved in the ques-
tons growing out Of African slavery. TO
establish and maintain such paper, your
support is necessary, and accordingly we
address you on the subject. ...3 liz ~ 9
- In the contest now going on, the consti--
tutional equality of fifteen States is put in
question. Some sixteen hundred millions
worth Of negro property is involved directly
and Indirectly, though not less surely, ann
calculable amount Of property in other forms.
But to say this is to state less than half the
doom that hangs over you. Your social
forms and institutons--which separate the
European and the African races into distinct
classes, and assign to each different sphere
in society-are threatened with overthrow
Whether the negro is to occupy the same
social rank with the white man, and enjoy
equally the rights, privileges, and immuni-
ties Of citizenship--in short, all the honors
and dignities of society--is question OF
greater moment than any mere question Of
property can be. 2i n#
Such is the contest now going on-a con-
test in which public opinion, if not the pre-
vailing, is destined to be most prominent
force; and yet, no organ of the united inter
ests of those assailed has as yet been es
tablisbed, nor does there exis. any papel
which can be the common medium for al
interchange Of opinions amongst the South
ern States, Public opinion, as it has beer
formed and directed by the combined infiu-
ence Of interest and prejudice, is the force
which has been most potent against US in
the war now going on against the institu-
tion on negro slavery anu yet we DdVc Ia
ken no effectual means to make and main
tain that issue with it upon which our safety
and perhaps our social existence depends.
Whoever will look to the history Of this
question, and to the e. circumstances un-
der which we are now placed, must see
that our position is one of imminent danger
and one 10 be defended by all the means
moral and political, Of which we can avai
ourselves in. the, present emergency. The
warfate against African slavery commenced
as is known, with Great Britain, who, ate
having contributed mainly to its establish
ment in the New World, devoted her mos
earnest efforts, for purposes not yet fully ex
planned, to its abolition in America. HOY
wisely this was done, SO far as her own col
ONES were concerned, time has determined
and all comment upon this subject on on
part would be entirely superfluous. II
however, her purpose was, to reach and EN-
barrass US on this subject, her efforts have
not been without success. A common origir
a common language, have made The English
literature ours to aogreat extent, and thu