The Madisonian. (Canton, Miss.) 1850-1855, 1850-02-28
For the MadsOntan.

HN8 6
October last, a meeting was held in The
town Of Jackson, forthe purpose Of Ia.
king into consideration the great ques-
ton of Southern interests as involved
in the slavery question, The meeting
was attended by all parties, and extra
ordinary unanimity prevailed. All for.
mer party names, party questions, par
" discussions, divisions aud political
hostility were abandoned and forgotten.
There seemed to be a settled and pat
riotic determination 10 trample under
foot The former chickering's and bitter.
ness Of party strife. to unite like a band
of brothers in defence of the common
liberties. Thesentiments expressed at
the meeting spread over the State, and
were everywhere enthusiastically re.
ceived. All seemed to concur in its re-
commentators in regard to a Southern
Convention. The proudest auticipa-
I%tions wereindulged that when the great
struggle came for southern rights, our
councils would be undiscouraeed by
discord and discussion, aud our ranks
nnthinned by ~recreancy and desertion.
But it seems that those who had indul-
ged these honest hopes, had miscon.
ceIved the subtlety of political intrigue,
and moderated the force Of patty hate.
A few days sipce a meeting was held in
the town Of Jackson, where speeches
were made, sentiments expressed and
resolutions passed calculated to weaken
and depress tho friends of The South,
and encourage and cheer on the cham
pions Of free soil.
And under what circumstances is this
done : In view Of The fact that a pow
erful and reckless majority, actuated by
a baleful combination Of fanaticism and
ayarice. have evinced a settled determi.
nation to abolish slavery, and have al
ready set about the work of chipping,
lettering aud combining the institution,
with o view 10 its total abolition in the
whole United States.
The assemblage above alluded To-,
was called, | believe, a meeting of the
friends Of the Union" and had osten.
sibly, for its sole object, a prevention
Of its dissolution, which they consider
ed imminently menaced by those who
had raised their voices and hands against
the overwhelming forces of abolition
and freesoil. Now there are two things
that it is strange 10 me, are not fully APP
parent to all that are accustomed TO
think, to reason and observe. First,
that the union can never be endangered
except from circumstances of oulra-
geous, aud intolerable oppression,
threatening a total loss of independence
to the portion oppressed; and second,
that the ultimate object and intention Of.
the iree-soil movement is the total abo.
litiou OF African slavery. The people
of this c~onfederacy have decp.seated,
and enthusiastic affection for the nnion
OF the States, and Will endure almost
any extent Of injustice, outrage and
wrong before they will contemplate its
dissolution and in truth, nothing short
of the evident and unmlstakeable loss
of liberty will ever drive them to a sep
a%ralion. Call meetings to prevent dis
union As well call meetings 10 PIE.
vent the dissolution of the planetary
system, or 10 prevent tho separation of.
the constituent parts ofthe atmosphere.
The union can never be dissolved, ex-
cept ndercircumstauces where il fought.
to be. The danger is, that the oppres.
sed portion will always suffer too much,
surrender too much, and abandon too
much OF its rights, before it consents
to seek this painful remedy. Even
while suffering under the most grieyons
tyranny, it would require the united,
and %persevering exertiors of all the en-
llghtened and pathetic, for a long and
weary period, to induce the masses to.
consent to this momentous step. Large
masses move slow, strife and exertion
are painful, and to submit Is easy. To
submit is the FIRST aud controlling dis,
position, and the oppressor has always
on his side, that lethargic eisinclination
10 effort so characteristic of large com
munilies. The question with US Of the
South should not be, is the union in
dangerl but are our rights Of properly
and political independence in danger !?
To consider these let meetings be held,
and let all true patriots resolve to main.
tain them iuviolate, at every hazard
and to the last extremity"
Is any one so dun Of apprehension as
not to perceive that the object Of the
frce.soil agitators is the total abolition
of slavery2 Il any one SO forgetfal Of
the history of the past, or SO blind 10.
tho career Of ambition, avarice, and re.
ilgious zeal, as 10 believe that the apita.
ton Of this question will cease with the.
settlement Of this controversial No
This is but the beginning of the end
10 exclude slavery from the territories
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