The Madisonian. (Canton, Miss.) 1850-1855, 1850-10-10
'EXTRACT FROM THE LET.
TER OF GEN. LAMAR.
\ TO The Macon Contention

U Tue MUCUW contention
I consider, gentlemen, the condition.
of tho South as eminently perllous EN-
barrasslng and painful. 1t is impossi-
BILE to contemplate it without feelings
ofhoTror and dread amounting almost
to despair. Not only her prosperity
and happiness, but her very existence
identified with an institution which it
is impossible that she can surrender,
or even permit to be touched by the
savage hand of fanaticism without in
volving her in train Of calamitres
which the imagination cannot easily
conceive nor the pen describe; and yet
against this very institution the whole
world is colleagued, aud now prosecu,
ting an unrelennng war, as if no misery
nor life nor ruin were involved in its
overthrow. Behold her begirt by foes
assailed by every hand and calumnia.
ted by every tongue. There may be
some apology for foreign dSnuncialion
but what possible excuse or palliation
can he rendered for the frightful per-
secutlon of those who are united with
her in the same government who have
long prosperedupon the fruits of her
industry; who have never received from
her even the shadow Of a wrong, and
who are bound by every obligation
that man can call contract or honor i'm
pose, to succor and sustain her--Lo
respect and vindcate her rights as their
own anu to rejoice in her prosperity,
and happinessl These were. the prom
ises of the union; and yet in the very
face of all solemn pledges Of peace,
friendship and security on the part Of
the northern States, they have never
rested day nor night in their fanatical
pursuit of our destruction, as if this
were the sole delight Of their existence
and the only reason of their connection
with us. Every energy Of the mind
and soul is brought into active operas
ton against the South. The press,
the pulpit, the colleges and schools and
indeed all the Institutions ofthe North
are made to minister to this gteat ma
lignant end, and continually sending
forth their Stygean streams of false
hoad virruperation and SANDER. Even
the women and children are taught in
their daily prayers to invoke, with the
spirit of Puritan, and the ostentation
| of Pharisee, the maIedictions of heaN
ven upon our heads so that this Union
which was intended to be shield and
buIwark to every section-which was
expected to make of the States politi~
cal PIeiades, shining together in harmo-
monious brotherhood, has now assumed
the aspect and character of ferocious
confederation of malignant powers for
our utter ruin and desoIation.
Nor is the South exempt from insid
ious foes in.the bosom of her own so,
ciety. Her arch enemies have their a
gents and emlssarles every where scat
tered through the country, whose duty
it is to preach the virtues Of submission
and to depict the horrors OF resistance
In their estimation, the greatest patri-
otism IS a patient resignation to injury
and the highest of all possible euormi-
ties Is self-protection. The better 10
secure our confidence and to practise
upon our credullty. they unite with us
in our denunciations, of the abolitionN
lists, and say that we have many just
causes Of complaint against the y orth'
ern States; but as soou as the slightest
allusion is made to the necessity Of
some action on the part Of the South
the cry of dIsunion is raised and with
out proposing any remedy themselves
for acknowledged grievances, they oP
pose every measure Suggested by O.
thers. FIN defiance of their clamors
the faithful patriot shall still persist L
demanding redress, he is at once der
nounced for disunionist and marked
for prescription. NO Wonder tuen u"'
der these circumstances, that the cause
of the South should languish within hel
own boundaries and that many OF hel
sons should be found in the ranks o
her foe; for in those ranks there Is
not only safety, but also fortune anc
i promotion-gold for the bastard aqc
/ a station for the traitor. Domestic
Esausl they sell their birth right for . 9
mess Of potlage. """
l am not wanting in due respect tf
the American Unlou nor ajust apPre'
citation Of its value but no one will pre-
tend to say that the present IS the Un
ion Of the .constilution--the Union es
r tabllshed BY the sages Of the revolution
: The Union that was TO ''enSure do'
9 mestlc peace and tranquility" but an
| other great dynasty erected upon Y
I ruins-a Russian empire which makes
a Hungary Of the South. Such'a on-
(, ion cannot be desired it is cuPse IN,
stead Of blessing; we never entered
) into it, nor should we any longer en-
II ;. ..sa.tIl I.,no1vad Imn10-