The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-12

l111lH
forgsn or press u Washington can Scut..ern
men communicate With the world, Or with
each other, upon thsif own peculiar inter-
ssts? So far from writing, or permitting
anything to be written, which is calculated
to defend the rights of the South, or state its
case, the papers here are engaged in lulng
the. South into false security, and in man
ufacturing there an artificial public sentiment,
suitable for some Presidential platform,
though at the expense Of any and every in
terest you may possess, no matter how dear
or how vital and momentous
This state of things results from party OBJ
Legations and regard 70 party success. And
they but subserye the ends of their estab-
lishment in consulting their own interests,
and the advancement Of the party TO which
they are pledged. You cannot look to them
as sentinels over interests that are repugnant
to the feelings of the majority Of the self
sustaining party
| In the Federal Legislature the South has
some voice and some votes; but overthe pub
lie press, as IT now stands at the Seat of
Government, the North has controlling in
iuence. The press of this city takes its
tone from that Of the North Even our
Southern press is subjected, more or less, to
the same influence. Our public men, yes,
our southern nen, owe their public standing
and reputation too oftento the commentator
and praise of the Northern press. Southern
newspapers republsh from their respective
party organs in this city, and in SO do
| ing, reproduce-unconsciou doubtless, in
most instances, Of the wrong they do--the
northern opinion in regard to public men
and measures. How dangerous such a state
1 Of things must be to the fidelity Of your re-
| representatives. it is needless to say! They
| are but men, and it would be unwise to sup
| pose that they are beyond the reach Of temp
tatons which influence the rest Of mankind.
Fellow-citizens, it rests with ourselves to
alter this state OF things, so far as the South
| is concerned. We have vast interests, which
we are bound, by many considerations, to
defend with al! the moral and political means
| in our power. One of the first steps to this
5reat end is to establish Southern Organ
here, a paper through which we may COM
mune with one another and the world at
large. We do not propose to NEEDLE with
| political parties as they now exist; we wish
to enlist every southern man in southern
cause, and in defence of southern rights, be
he Wing or be be Democrat We do not
propose to disturb him, or to shake him in
his party relations. All that we ask is, that
he shsll consider the constitutional rights of
the South, which are involved in the great
abolition movement, as paramount to all
party and all other political considerations.
And surely the time has come when all
southern men should unite for the purpose Of
self-defence. Our relative power in the
Legislature of the Union is diminishing with
every census; the dangers which menace US
are daily becoming greater; and, the chief in
strument in the assaults upon usis the public
press, over which, owing to oarsupineness, the
North exercises controlling influence. SO
lar as the South is concerned, we can change
and reverse this state of things It is not
to be borne, that public sentiment at the South
should be stifed or controlled by the party
press.
Let us have press Of our own, as the
North has, both here and at home--a press
which shall be devoted to Southern rights,
and animated by Southern feeling; which
SDdii look not 10 the NOTtn Out tue SOutn IOr {,
the tone which is to pervade it. Claiming
our share of rover in Federal Legislation, let
US also claim our share of influence in the
press of the country. Let us organize in
every Southern town and county, so as to
send this paper into every house in the land.
Let us take, too, all the means necessary to
maintain the paper by subscription, 50 as to
increase its circulation, and promte the
spread Of knowledge and truth. Let every
portion Of the South furnish its full quota Of
talent and money to sustain paper which
ought to be supported by all, because it will
be devoted to the interest of every Southern
man. 1t will be the earnest effort of the
committee who are charged with these ar
rangements, to procure editors Of high talent
and standing; and they will also see that the
paper is conducted without oppositi7n, and
without reference to the political parties of
the day. With these assurances, we feel
justified in calling dpon you, the people Of
the Southern States-to make the necessary
efforts to establish and maintain the proposed
paper.
A. P. BUTLER,
JACKSON MORTON,
R. TOOMBS,
2s' J. THOMPSON