The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-12-02


The clique who had struggled so hard to get up so
sorry meeting.
-s~S
The - Southern Rights Meeting"
On Saturday night last, there was large gath
ering of citizens of New Orleans at the ST. Louis
Ball Room, in the First Municipality, object
of which was to adopt the resolutions given below,
and to hear the Hon. Pierre Soule's exposition of
his views on the questions now agitating the public
mind.
Hon. Joseph Genois had been selected to preside
over the meeting. Ninety.four e.Presidenis
and eight Secretaries were named.
Recorder Genois, on presenting himself, said that
those who were opposed TO the objects of the meet
ing, charged them with hostility to the Union. He
repealed such charge with indignation. He could
say, with an honest heart that he deeply cherished
the Constitutional ties by which the Union of the
States was bound together. He said that the meet
ing was called to give expression to the views en-
ertained by a very large portion of the citizens OF
New Orleans, which expression embodied in
The resolutions to be submitted to the consideration
of the meeting. Mr.. Genos said that the Hon
Charles Gayarre was originally selected to preside
over the meeting but, having been unable to be
present, he had addressed letter to the meeting,
sentiments. He asked its reading.
The letter set out by stating that but Justice had
been done 10 its author, as gentleman, a South
ern man, and citizen of Louisiana, in assuming
that he would most heartily contribute his mite to
| The maintenance of the rights of the South, 50
| long a proper respect was shown to the COnsti-
| .ution by which those rights were protected. A
10 whether those rights had been inlringsd by the
| action of the last Congress, there was division
| Of sentiment amongst the people and, with those
who believed they had been, there was a diversity
Of opinion as to the mode of redress, which, in the
opinion of the writer was pregnant with life and
death. This diversity would soon be merged into
4 unanimity Of sentiment, or there would be a dis
solution of the Union.
At this point, the reading of the letter was ar
rested by the entrance into the room of Mr.. SoulG,
| who, amidst much confusion and noise, was con-
| lucted to the rostrum, After the cheering had
| subsidized, and quiet was restored, Mr.. Soul6 began
| his address,
Mr.. SoulGs Speech
He said that he did not come to court applause,
or to deprecate censure. He did not seek approba.
| ton for lhe opinions expressed or the votes given
| by him on the momentous questions which engaged
he consideration of Congress at its last session.
| Those opinions and those votes wera before the
country, and by them he was determined to stand
or fall. He had acted from a conscientious regard
10 what he believed was required by the interests,
| the honor and dignity OF the State of Louisiana,
and he should not supplicate mercy as to the mo-
| lives by which he been impelled He was not
present an humble suppant for compliments,
which his heart deprecated. He was there as a
freeman, in the midst of free people, to speak out
| his sentiments regardless of the preiudices they
might provoke.
| The great contest which had been carried on for
months was said to be adjusted by the measures
| passed by the last Congress. Ii was proper that
| the subjects embraced in the one, and settled by
the others, should be impartially investigated as
matters of history.
Yon remember. said the sneaker the evc;ted
state of Dpbc feeling which er;stad before tho nc.
ssmbling If the last Congrass ResoI,,ions b,,
heen adoDteJ b ps,r,,, al If tho So,,bor ST.,
| evDrsssiya If N. a,rrabars;o,s tho, antar,,i,,,
80 - ,h. r,,r,osos ar tho Nor,b r., MI
r,,r bad i,,s4 hoo, lo,,,,b, 10 q alec l,lI
oorr;r or tbar rc,s blo,d for tho r;cI,
| which wore tho boas, Of the coun,r,, Sor,hor
citizens ware about 10 he excludad from ann, r,r
cipatio, in tho apioyuoapt or than EoIIo,,,- 81,
ems said he do Won not rocoIIact the svc;,orrer
tben prevailing in all the Southern States? d
you not recoIlect that wings and democrats cor
| daily agreed in their support of that man for thu
| Presidency whose election would give the creates
security for the South 1t was then maintained
| equally by wings and democrats, that Gen. Gas
would surrender the rights OF the South, and tina
| Gen. Taylor would not.
And what were the interests of the South whicl
| claimed protection The question simply was
| whether we, of the South, through whose exer
| tons mainly the valuable territories had been az
quired of Mexico-whether we, of the South, VIII
have to pay two thirds of the debt contracted b
that war, should be permitted foothold on thos
territories? He, for one, had been elected a u 5
Senator when public opinion had decided that tn
South should insist upon her rights, and defend hi
Constitutional privileges. Such was the state
! things when the last Congress opened. How cou
: he, having under such circumstances become
l u. s. Senator surrender those rights which we
e guaranteed by the Constitution which had seal'
! and cemented that Union which had, for more thu
halt century, been theprlde and boast OF America
citizens
lie said that on the opening OF Congress, Il
questions between the North and the South we
only two IN number: the Territorial and Fugit,
Slave questions. These constituted the issue the
before the country. In these were embraced III
grievances to be redressed on behalf OF the Souther
states as equals IN Coniederacy oil Sovereigns.
scheme of pretended Comp omise for the Sc
Element of these two questions-which were ram