The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-12

g and things, to become potent engines, by whic
r. cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will b
enabled 10 subvert the power of the people, ant
q to usurD for themselves the reins of Government
! destroying, afterwards, the very engines whfcl
: had lifted them to unjust dominion.
"Towards the preservation of your Government
and the permanently Of your present happy state
it is requisite, not only that you steadily dlscoun
. tenance irregular oppositions TO its acknowledge
authority, but also that you resist with care IN
q spirit OF innovation upon its principles, howeVe
specous the pretexts. One method OF assault!
may be to effect in the forms of the Constitution
alterations which will impair the energy or INT
y system, and thus to undermine what cannot bt
Z directly overlhrown. In all the changes to which
2 YOU may be invited, remember that time and habl
are at least al necessary to fix the true character
Of governments of other human institutions
that experience is the sures standard by which to
test the real tendency Of the existing constitution
= of country; that facility in changes, upon the
credit of mere hypothesis and opinion, exposes Ia
perpetual change, from the endless variety OF by
pothesis and opinions; and remember, especially
that for the efficient management or your common
interests, III Il country extensive ours, 4
Government Of as much vi gor as is consistent
With the perfect security Of liberty is lndispens-
able. Libtrty itself will find in such govern
ment, with powers properly distributed and ad.
iusted, its surest guardian. Ii is, indeed, little
else than name, where the government is too
feeble To withstand the enterprises of faction, to
coufne each member Of the society within the
limits prescribed by the laws, and to maintain all
in the secure and tranquil enjoyment Of the rig hts
Of person and property.
. have already minated to you the danger of
parties in the State, with particular reference To
the founding Of them geogra phcal discrimina-
tons. Let me now take more comprehensive
view, and warn you, in the most solemn manner,
against the baneu effects Of the spirit OF party
generally
After the reading, Col. E. S. Fisher, presented
the following resolutions, which were read -
Resolved That the Missouri Compromise line
must be construed in the nature of treaty entered
into between the people Of the free States on the
one part and the people Of the slave States on the
other part. BY this compromise the people ofthe
slave States stipulated not to introduce slavery into
the territories north OF this line while the free
States acitly agreed, in consideration Of this
cession on the part of the slave States, to leave
the institution ofdomestc slavery exclusively I'M
der the control Of those interested in perpetualng
it in the States and establishing it in the territor
les south Of this line.
! 2. That in all cases in which the General Gov
eminent has since acted, either in the formation Of
territorial governments or the admission of States
into the Union, this principle has been respected,
as well in regard to territories or States not spe-
callv included in this line as otherwise.
!. That a return by the General Government to
| the policy now about to be abandoned, would
speedily restore peace and quiet to the country,
and relieve the Union from the dangers which now
| threaten it.
9. That the people Of the South, having once
| Welded to the Entertainments Of the North, and
! consented to establish this line to preserve the
| Union which they then and now so much CHERISH
cannot and will not consent to surrender their
equal rights in the territories acquired from Mex
leo otherwise than upon the terms prescribed by
this compromise; and that these rights must be
sufficiently secured according To the principles
set forth in the first resolution.
+. w. Carr then offered preamble and resou-
ions, which were also read, and are rs follows:-
). That the territories Of the United States are
/ the property in common of all the States of the
confederacy; that citizens ufIhe saveholding States
have full and equal rights with citizens of the non
savehodng States to emigrae thereto, and to
settle therein, with all legal and recognized species
OF property and that property in slaves, being eX-
pressly recognized by the Federal Const'tutlon,ls,
| in such territory when demand is made, fair and
proper subject for protection by Congress, and
until such time wnen said territory shall come to
be legally erected into State Of the Union.
4. That the Federal Government has no right
whatever to distinguish between the domestic in
stilutons of one State or section, and another; and
no right to extend or restrict, any more than to
establish or abolish slavery in any territory of the
United Sta,es-but is bound to protect, in the ter
ritories any species of property recognised by the
Constitution, and belonging to citizens of the
United States.
5. That the institution Of slavery being an ele-
ment Of the Federal Government the power to
protect does presuppose the power Of Con-
yress 10 aboli h, to establish, to extend restrict
slavery in any territory belonging TO the United
States.
G. That it is the duty of Congress to provide
territorial governments for the territories belong
ing to the United States, and to define their bound
aries; and it should do so to enable the people Of
the territories erect for themselves at State gov
eminent preparatory to coming into the Union
II State.
7. That, in our opinion, Congress has the right
to waive irregularities in the formation of State
constitution
8. That, in opinion, the delay and refusal
| Of Congress TO pass laws providing proper GOV
/ ernmentS for the territories belonging to the
United States have resulted in great in jury TO the
South
the Federal Government, nor any branch thereof,
has any authority vested in them by the Federal
Constitution to influence or induce the citizens OF
any territory of the United States to establish or
TO abolish slavery by ENGRAVING such provisions
in their constitutions.
10. That we are decidedly in favor of fair,
equitable, and honorable adjustment Of the slavery
question now agitating the Union, that peace
and harmony may again prevail; and, as by COM
promise, our Federal Constitution established,
are willing to meet our Northern brethren
in order to settle this question in the same spirit
which actuated the trainers Of that instrument;
but at the same time, plant ourselves on that
constitution the sole ark OF our political safety,
we will stand by it and its guarantees, and should
the Abolitionists and Free -soilers Of the North
continue their aggressions upon the rights of the
South despite this spirit Of honorable CONFRONT
on our part, we will then take such modes and
measures of redress as we may deem necessary
for the protection of the South.
On motion, the papers of the county were
quested to publish the proceedings of this meet
ing.
The meeting then adjourned sine die.
THOMAS CARBRI, President
T. J. ". BR,DGERs, ss.,.,a.;os
B. 7. CLEVELAND,
A large and respectable number Of the citizens
Of Madison county, Alabama, met at F. B.
Whites Tan Yard, on Saturday, the cath u!t.,
according to previous notice, to endorse the
ton Of the Nashville Convention, and to express
their views upon those questions generally that
now divide the country. The meeting was or
ganzed by calling to the chair Samuel Smither,
esq, and on motion Col. w. Graves BouIdin. was