The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-01-10
fffBiNA Gg9 Observation-Disclosures.

Alabama bids fair TO rival SOuth tlrollh1 III
/ the article of chivalry. The Washington Uaion,
always on the alert to apprze the Northern M IN
bers of the danger that overhaDgs them, gives
prominent place to a correspondence between the
Alabama delegation and the Governor of that
State, and to a report of his proceedings there
upon.
First We have a letter, signed by the Rev Hen
RI w. Hu1IARD, the rest of the members of the
House from Alabama and by Senator Clemens,
addressed to His Excellency, Ii. w. Collier, Gov
ernor of the State, dated Washington, December
18th. ls49-during the struggle for Speakership.
Solemnly and pathetically do they describe the
condition of things at Washington. The South
clnnot according to usage, elect its Speaker, and
this, they think, makes crisis, of which the Gov
ernor and Legislature should be instantly appri-
I red For the hrsl lime IN history they
SAY these men the Free Soil mem have acqui-
red sufficient strength to enable them seriously to
affect the action of the Government and in
view of this awful fact they feel constrained by a
solemn sense of duty to let the Governor and
the Legislature know all about it. They endeav-
or in the following paragraph to nerve Alabama
for the exigency, so that she may acquit herself
gloriously
awe think we are well acquainted with the
spirit of the people Of Alabama and we believe that
il is their fixed purpose never to submit to the
threatened encroachment on their rights; that
thew will never submit to any act Of the Govern
ment of the United States which excludes slave
ry from the territory acquired from Mexico, and
which is the property of the States of this Union ;
that they will never submit to any act If the Gov
eminent abolishing slavery in the District Of Co
lumbia, and that they will demand that the pro-
visions of the Constitution in regard to their prop
erty shall be faithfully observed We trust that
no further aggression will be made upon the
rights of the slavehodng States, but we regard
the existing state of affairs serious that we
cannot iorbear making this communication to
you"
The Governor, penetrated with sympathetic
horror. with breathcss haste transmits the letter
to the Assembly, and with Il mind made up for
the crisis, briefly remarks:
"The time for decided action has arrived and
recommend to the General Assembly to announce
the ubimdiDm OF Alabama upon the great ques
ton which now convulses the Union"
The twenty second Of December was memo
rablc day in our annals On that day Governor
Collier sent in his VIZ message to the Lcgisla-
mre of Alabama. calling for its Hljmatpm becau
the crisis had arrived in which the South could
not secure the Spcakership Of the House Of Rep
rrsenta,ives and on that day the crisis broke in
the election of Howell Goth
Our Southern brethren fear too iaueh and trust
too little. They fear too much the courage Of
o,y ,,a, unI trust too little IN he
ces We beg them not to be premature in the
exhibition of their alarm-ther Northern breth-
rem will always be the first to run. They should
hottie up their choicest chivalry for rare occa-
s0ns and not waste it upon crises which always
break of themselves As it il Alabama has play
ell her last card for nothing--f she had only
kent back her nliimaiHha she might have held it ia
reserve for future use Let her trust TO her rev.
crcnd representatives. in Congress they are quite
equal to the crises which generally occur at
Washington nobody understands better how to
operate on the nerves Of Northern men
Meantime, our readers must be curious to know
what is the ul1imB0m of Alabama The l.cgis-
lAturc referred brother IIillnrd's letter and
the war message of the Governor to Dint Com
mittee. imapjiHe3y The Committee prepared
their report the same day. The report WAS
adopted unanimously. After describing in brief
preamble the fearful state of things resulting
| from the action Of the Free Soil Party in Con-
gress LAUNDERING, we believe, in the House and
, in the Senate) it recommends the following res
elntions .... ,s.... ..-..--
| Re.olrtd bg the S,id,e anil House Of Representa-
| tires of me &ats Of Aidb0B@ an G,Heyi assembly
rOarea,d That we respond 10 the communication
| of his Excellency the Governor of the State Of
| Alabama, made hy our Senator and Representa-
tives in the Congress of the United States, under
date the llth December, lsi9 that we are well
scquaintcd with the spirit Of the people of Ala
| bama and we assert that il il their fixed purpose
never to submit to the threatened encroachment
on their rights that they will never submit to
any act of the Government Of the United States
which excludes the South from a fair and just en-
| joyment Of the territory acquired from Mexico,
and which is the property of the States Of the
| Union that they will never submit TO any act
| of the Government abolishing slavery in the Dis
| trict of Columbia and that they will demand
that the provisions Of the Constitution in reg I'd
to their property shall be faithfully observed.
Re,olpad That we behold. with surprise and
Indignation the failure to organize the House of
States We believe tia; his .ablure ;o not oecl-
stoned SO ny ASH isipn Of s,Yaa;aa 5,;we-a
the two arcc political parties in the United States,
a. it is by the refusal Of the members of Con-
gress representing what is kno~n as the Free Soil
party to cooperate in organizing the House, un-
less they can secure from the presiding officer,
whose duty il will he to appoint the committees,
some pledge to aid them in their purpose of di-
roc,ing the legislation OF Congr' 50 against the in
tcrest and honor Of the siayeh0iling States.
Should these conditions be demanded OF the rep
rescntatves of Alabama, we say to them, never
organize upon such surrender.
Re>0li,d, That in the event of the passage of
any law by Congress dcbarring the Southern
States from just participation III the possession
aud enjoyment of the Territories of the United
States, we call upon the people of the slayebod-
ing States to meet us in convention, for the pur-
pose of taking such action as our rights may de-
mnnd
ReSol,,d. That in the event of the passage by
Congress Of any act contemplated Ivy the forego-
ing resolutions. the members of Congress from
this State no longer participate in the action of
/ bqly so regardless Of our constitutional rights.
Thebes RESOLUTION of the series is the last.
True, We 10 not exactly see hat right certain
men elected by the People of Alabama for one
purpose, have to instruct certain other set of
men, elected by the People for another purpose,
to retire from their posts perhaps State legis-
lator in Alabama ranks higher than a Congress
man or perhaps the Assembly elects representa-
tiyes TO Congress, though we do not find that in
the Constitution of Alabama. But, be this as it
may, we like the resolution for We can easily
imagine how, in the absence of five slaveholding
representatives,, even the Doughfaces might find
it impossible to b,lleany unwholesome anti-slaye-