The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-07-05


mission, may as much betray the constitution,
as a majority by aggression. The constitution
does not protect majority; for they have all
the powers of the government in their hands
and can protect themselves. THE limitations Of
constitution are designed to protect the minor
ity-those who have no power, against those
who have it. Hence. the great motive and du-
ty Of self-protecton is peculiar to a minority,
independent of that faith to the constitution
which they owe in common with the majority.
They must protect themselves, and protect the
constitution; and if :hey fail in this double duty
they are at least as culpable as those who in,
aggressing upon their rights, overthrow the con-
stitution. And the public opinion of the world
is in conformity with these views, The oppres-
sor is hated-but the unresstingly oppressed is
despised. More respect follows the tyrant, than
the slave who submits to his power. The south
ern States, therefore, although majority, are
not exempt from the responsibility Of preserving
the constitution, and, in preserving it, TO protect
themselves.
In what way shall they preserve the constitu-
ton and protect themselves?
As general rule, it is undoubtedly true, that
when, in government like ours constitution
is violated by majority, who alone can violate
it in matters o. legislation, it cannot be restored
to its integrity through the ordinary means of
the government for these means, being under
the control O. thSmajortv, are not available to
the majority 1t is for this reason, that frequent
elections of our rulers take place In our system
OF free government in order that the people, by
their direct Intervention, may change the major
ity. But this resource cannot avail us in the
violations of the constitution, which now press
and harass the South BY changing their rep
resentatives, how can the people OF the South
affect the majority in Congress and restore the
constitution? Their Representatives are true;
and have done all that men can do, TO preserve
the constitution from the aggressions of the ma
jority. Removing them, and putting other Rep
resentatives in Congress, could have no effect
in restoring the constitution. 1t has Seen bro
ken by the representatives of the people of the
northern States, who sustain them in their viola
tion of the constitution. Ii is clear that the ballot
box in the South is powerless for its protection.
And the same causes which induced the viola
tons of the constitution by the northern majority,
prevents its restoration TO its integrity Through
out the northern States. there has been no lndl-
cation Of any change in their policy.-On the
contrary, the majority against the South is great
er in the present Congress than in the last, fol-
lowing the usual course of every successive
election for years past. Nor have we seen in
the action of the States with few exceptions, any
proof of returning sense of Justice to us, or OF
reverence for the constitution. Several of them,
least false nferences might be drawn as to their
position have taken care lately to reiterate in
the most offensive forms their former declara-
! tons against our rights; ard when great Sen.
ator, representing one OF them, anxious sor the
perpetuaton of the Union has ventured TO advo-
cafe something of Justice to the South, he has
been rebuked by the Legislature of the State he
represents and virtually denounced for his ideli-
! ty to the constitution. This resource then, un.
der the ordinary operations of the constitution,
| is Of no avail. And how is it with the present
Congress- the only other source Of redress in the
usual administration Of the constitution? For
| six months it has been in session, and during
| this whole period of time slavery has been the
absorbing topic of discussion and agitation.
Yet nothing mas been done to heal the discon.
tents which so Justly exist in the South, or re-
store bleeding constitution. All we have re-
! ceived has been bitter denunciations OF our in
| sttutions by many members of Congress-, and
threats to coerce us into submission. Although
nothing has been done, report has been made
in the Senate by committee of thirteen mem.
bers, which is now pending in that body; and as
the measures it proposes have been pressed up
on the South as worthy of her acceptance, we
deem it proper to lay before you brief conside
ration o! the matters it contains.
This Report embraces four distinct measures
LIST the admission Of California as State
with the exclusion of slavery in her constitution
| NJ U,bo rorriforiaI 10 ba "A
over the territories of Utah and New Mexico
with nearly one half Of Texas to be added to the
latter 3d. The prohibition Of the slave trade
in the District Of Columbia: and 4th, provisions
for the recapture Of fugitive slaves in non-sIave
holding States. To understand whether these
measures are consistent with our rights anC
worthy Of our acceptance, each Of them must be
considered separately.
The South is excluded by the bill from the
whole of that part OF California lying on the Pa
cifc. including one hundred and fifty thousand
square miles of territory; and if this is done BY
the legislation of congress, the. mode in which il
| is done, is of no Importance. California belongs
to the United States. and all action by the in
dviduals in that territory, whether from the Uni.
ted States or from the rest OF the world. appro
priating the soil to themselves or erecting GOV
eminent over it, is of no validity. They consti
tute people in no proper sense of the term; but
are citizens Of the States or countries from which
they have come, and to which they still owe
their allegiance therefore Congrese at
tempts 70 carry out and confirm the acts of thest
individuals, erecting California into q. State ane
excluding slavery therefrom, it is the same thing
as if Congress had originally passed law t
this effect, without the intervention of these in
diyiduas. The exclusion Of slavery from Cal
ifornia is done by the act of Congress, and BY
no other authority. The constitution Of Califor
MIA becomes the ac: of Congress; and the vii
mot proviso it contains, is the WImot provis,
passed and enforced by the legislation of Con
gress. Here then, is that exclusion from thl
territory by the act of Congress, which almos
every southern State in the Union has declared
she would not submit to, plainly and PRACTICAL,
enforced by this bill. A free people cannot b.
satisfied with the mode in which they are de
prived Of :heir rights, A sovereign State vii
disdain to enquire in what manner she is strip
ed of her property, and and degraded from al
equality with her sister States. 1t is enough
that the outrage is done. The mode is of it'll
consequence. There is therefore in the mode G
i extending the Wimot proviso over the territor
of California presented by the bill, nothing t
mitigate the indignation of the southern States
or to battle their determination TO redress tn
i wrong, if inflicted. They are excluded from, tn
whole Territory of California, Territory exten
sive enough to contain four large States,