Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-04-27


Union did every expression of the Convention and as do
the whole people of Mississippi. No men live who more
desire the pcpetuy OF the Union than do the sgnes OF that
Address if they have unmpared. But they believed
with the entire South that the North had teen pressng and
would again endeavo press the exercise Of power not dele
gated Congress by the constitution; and they believed
moreover that the South would not submit Their first hope
was TO avert the evil by timely declaration Of their rights
but that should fall natural look to consequences,
and TO provide for them. The Convention did not asyou
say, "act under the influence of excited feeng They
who had reflected well who knew and felt the
somny OF the occasion. In surveying the whoe ground,
il but natura puden-that they should look to
the possibility of failure in their fondest hope And it
only that contingency that single thought was turned to
Southern compact as of security of choice
repeat that desire Southern Copfederacywe desire the
pc peuity Of our present Unon but only be preserved
by keeping every department, of the Government within its
constitutional limits And your assertion is without proof
quote further from your examination" You say SIT
sis no longer matter of inference There exists disaecton
the Unon deeply seated than we had suPposeden-
genjeng designs against which the mass and body OF the
people of the South little aware OF as we were three
days ago the first termination Of which this project OF
Nashville Convention" am greatly mistaken il the "body
of the people Of the South" fully aware of all the
disaffecon to the Union which exists here, and fully
aware too of the of that disaecon You have i'm
parted information to them that subject. The first
organizations of disaecon grew out of an attack upon
their rights 1t is singular that you do not undertake to ac
for this disafecon and to show whether it is well
or i'll founded Perhaps may be us6abe tits said that
motive is the impulse human action, and oppression is
the handspring of revolutions. When desire change
Of Government enlarged liberty the great Objects end
changes are never desired when the form of Government
the best that can be established As OF that descp-
ton, can have motive change the attempt to
abuse is what complain Of If we disatected to-
wards the Union, (Which deny,) perhaps there may be
for it, which, if removed would restore harmony You
have that there deepseated discomfort on the
subject Of slavery, and, friends to your country, it
your duty to alay the excitement, if possible. You
but provoke the quarrel by tauntng the South with inf
deity the Government If You wish preserve the Union
from DANGER tell your Northern friends press no further
to fobea That the safe even the power be doubt
full They claim to exert tive deny their right II they
act they may violate the constitution but they are passive
they cannot. BY that means peace will be restored.
free Government must command the voluntary homage of
peoples and whatever tends to weaken their attachment
endangers its existence.
In the further progress of your examination you array the
proceedings of the South Carolina and Virginia Legislatures
These figure before your vision most appalling proofs of
dsoyay the Union. They but further developments
of the plan, the first examinations Of which appeared 10
Mississippi / see nothing alarming in them beyond firm
determination to maintain their rights and if there he secret
intention beyond that, leave you and the SET
tie it.
In your alarms for the safety of the Union, it is of
wonder that you had discovered unfendy indications
from other quarters You have heard petitions for the
dissolution Of the Union presented to Congress from the
North You have witnessed open, papabe inaction of
the constitution by Pennsylvania and other States by the
passage of laws annuling that provision in the constitution
which the the right to ccapure his fugitive
slave. You have heard proclaimed in the Senate by
Senator from the North, wha to support tie
stuon, that certain clause of that instrument which pro-
ec,s immoral and therefore not binding You have
heard the Of dissolution Of the Union described by
the picture Of gulf between the North and the South
filled and heaped high with the slaughtered bodies Of
countymen yet this revolving sight would be endured-the
reality witnessed-by member Of the lower house, rather
than be would yield his opinions and his the sub
ec of slavery You have heard your especial avoes
declare that dissolution must rather than the Wlmot
povso should be abandoned. You take alarm these
things bold and daring they Much they may show
total disregard for the Uniop they passed harm
less. You have been suspected OF devotion to
State sovereignty constitutional restrictions and if the
South had claimed power for Congress- instead Of denying it,
she would have found more friends.
My only motive in making this communication is 10 vim
dictate myself and those with whom acted fromhe charge
unwarrantaby made, of unendness to the Union. We
have been actua!ed by settled conviction throughout that
right We believe conscien,iously that Congress
has power the question of slavery either pemssive
prohbitory, and that any action the subject would be
gross inaction Of that instrument We desire the
question banshed from national counchouse and har
mony resored but the North to expect us to
submit We quite firm 10 resistance as they are
in their encroachment. Il.
That may stand indicated and have that justice to which
entitled, is hopel that you will publish this letter.
and the proceedings Of the Convention at least the Address
pamphlet copy of which send you; and lest the MSS
should be lost is published in the papers Of this place.
from which, in that event, it may be extracted.
Your obedient servant
w. L. SHARKEY.