The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-10


+ B; HAMA c..,,o .
J. C. HERRoN,)
From the .4drocate.
To THE PEOPLE OF GEoRGIA.-I have executed
the trust committed to me, by your general assem-
bly,, to represent you in the Southern Convention;
and whether this has been done wisely or not, re-
mains for time to develope. What was done by
that body Is before you. ! accepted the Office
with the hope that something might he accom-
plished to save the Constitution from dissertation,
and your rights from abuse; and that all might be
accomplished in peace and with honor. At its
first meeting, the convention set forth the wrongs
which the Southern States had suffered as well as
those which then threatened them it also promu-
gated the rig hts to which they were entitled under
the Constitution, and u willingness on their part
to acquiesce in partial Infringement of them, for
the sake Of the quiet Of the country. Its proceed
ings received the general appreciation Of the peo-
pie, and believe were found to object to the
resolutions then adopted. They were consistent
with constitutional right, honor, and justice They
proposed wrong to none. Had the Federal au-
thortes, in the measures then before Congress-
respected your rights, and legislated in the spirit
Of the early days Of the Confederacy, you would
now have had no ground of complaint against
your Government, and all would have been quiet
and peace within your borders. Instead of that,
however, the policy Of Congress has been such as
| to exclude you, with your property, from an i'm
nense territory, in which you had an equal inter-
est with those who enacted the exclusion. "
| The Southern Convention, at its late session
has set forth the injuries you have sustained with
the dignity and calmness which became the repre-
sentatives Of an enlightened and free people; and
DESTROYS Of sustaining the Constitution Of the
Union, it has refrained from recommending to
you hasty action, even under the pressure of the
grievous wrongs which you suffer. 1t may be,
that by presenting an unbroken front, the slave
|
,eresed in the institution Of slavery, to refrain
from their unjustiiable aggressions upon their
| property, and to restore rights Of which they
have been unwarrantably deprived. With this
view, it is recommended that more authoritative
Congress or convention be held at such time and
place the States disposed to 90 into necessary
a measure may designate. The deliberations Of
such body of men as the people would doubtless
select, could not fail to result in much good to the
country. They may give sufficient strength to
men in the non-savehodng States, who are
| friendly disposed towards the CONSTITUTIONS to sub
| due IL power which threatens it and the Union
with destruction. If they should fail in this, then
measures adopted by such an assembly, under a
solemn conviction Of their necessity, will likely
receive the sanction and ratification Of the Suites
represented, and exert happy influence in pro
| ducing unity of feeling and action among the ag-
| grieved people.
| The convention asserts the ght in the States,
! severally to resume the powers delegated to the
| FederalGovernnien whenever 1t may seem to them
| proper and necessary This right results from
the nature of our political organization. The gov
. eminent was not formed when the Constitution
was agreed to by the delegates of the States in the
federal convention. 1t was not until the people Of
nine States, the people in such State acting in their
sovereign capacity, adopted the Constitution, that
the government was formed. State not adopt
| ing, were not members of the government, though
their delegates in the federal convention agreed to,
and signed the Constitution. The States parted
with no rig hit which belongs to sovereignties, eX-
cept such are specially relinquished in the Con-
st,tuton. They did not surrender the ri ght of re-
Stunning the powers delegated to the Federal Gov
eminent, when that government ceased to be one
| of protection and became one of aggression.
An argument might be drawn in favor Of the
right, from the fact that no words Of perpetuity
are used in the Constitution. There Is a striking
difference between the Constitution and the ar.
cles Reconsideration in this respect. The latter
Nhe articles of confederatioE) contain this decla-
ration, "And the articles of this confederation
shall be invioably observed by every State, and
the Union shall be perpeiuai' 1t is fair, therefore,
to argue that the omission of these and similar
words in the Constitution was intentional and
to obviate objections which might be made by
States to the adoption ola Constitution which inn
posed an nermnable obligation to a government
that might abuse its powers
But in another aspect Of the case it would seem
that the right is unquestonable 1t is understood
that the people of some Of the States, more eau
tlous than the rest, were not disposed to leave the
matter to argument or inference, and in their act
OF adoption, reserved this right. This reserva-
ton having been acquesced in by admitting such
States to participation in the government, is
recognition of the principle as to all, for there
be no higher duty resting on one State than on
another. Mutually of obligation is an essential
principle of contract.
| Hence, when by the stipulation, one party has
| the option to rescind, the other s not bound and
it is mere question Of interest and moral proprie-
ty with each party, whether he will keep the en-
gagement.
In matters Of government, however, the safety
Of the people is the supreme law, and the people
Of State ought to be well satisfied that the ext
gency demands the exercise Of the power which
the resolution asserts, before they resort to it.
This consideration renders 1t a matter Of great i'm
portance that the convention recommended, should
be held. Though the right belongs to the States
| severay, yet inasmuch as there are fifteen States
whose interests are more or less affected by the
| aggressive measures Of the government, they, or
as many of them as are soemnly impressed with
the magnitude Of the injury and injustice they
| have sustained, should hold common council to
determine, whether so extreme measure should
| lie resOrted TO, or whether the object desired can
he accomplished in some other manner.
The Convention further recommends that all
parties in the slaveholding States refuse 60 into
| a National Convention to nominate candidates for
the Presidency or Vice Presidency, under any
pHfU until our constitutional rgntS
nre secured The paramount interest of the
Southern States, involved in the legislation of
Congress- is their interest in slaves, and all legs-
ation in reference thereto, except for protection,
being unjust and unconstitutional, candidates for
these distinguished offices should be selected who
are sound in their views on this subject 1t is i'm
portant that this recommendation should be OBJ
served and that all parties at the South should
second it, because the union of the States depends
on arrestins the fatal progress of fanaticism. We
have woful experience to prove that candidates
who dumb on this subject, not be trusted,
no matter what latitude they hail from. Ambitious
men are sometimes more attracted by the allure
ments Of Office, than by the great and sublime
principles of moral and constitutional right Such
men will look TO the power and court it, which
can crafty their aspirations. The servlIity Of
such men has fostered fnnatcism, until it has be-
come too powerful for the Constitution. As long
as mere office is looked to, the evil will continue