The southern press., 1850-11-05
Judge sharksy,s speech.

Delipered at the Union Meeting, held IN Vicks-
burg, on Tuesday, evening, Sth October
Among the most fatal symptoms of degenera-
cy, and the failure of our institutions, are the
recent numerous and shameless instances of po-
litical apostacy. The reign of Charles the
Second the most dsgraceful period Of English
history, was distinguished by similar phenome-
non. But read of nothing in that era to sur
pass the facility, the frequency, and the Aagrancy
with which political somersets are made in our
day, and the hardihood with which they are not
merely palliated or excused, but defended and
eulogized by the performers.
When the late session Of Congress ended,
when the argument had been made, when the
votes had been taken, and the mighty contrast
was exhibited between the position Of men when
it met, and when it adjourned, we were curious
to see what attempts would be made to explain
the change Of front to the people. We had
heard a good deal from the members themselves,
we wanted to hear from the men out of Con
gress who had taken prominent and decided
grounds. We were curious to see who among
them would undertake to reverse their positions,
and how they would account for it.
Atlength we have heardfrom Judge SHARKEY.
He was the first to propose the call--and was
President--of the Mississippi Convention Of
both parties, held more than year ago, and which
took the lead in announcing the approaching
dangers of the South, and in calling on all her
States to take counsel together to resist the
threatened wrong. That call was responded to
by almost all of them, by their Legislatures, and
by the Nashville Convention. si9
80 When the sons of the South met together in
that body in June last, Judge SHARKEY also was
among them. And he was made their presiding
officer as he had been of the Mississippi Conven.
ton. When the Nashville Convention met in
June last, the report of the Senate committee Of
thirteen had been made, and the plan of the pro.
posed Compromise was known all over the
country. The Convention passed twenty-eighi
resolutions unanimously. M a. vi
Judge SHARKEY, in his recent speech at Vicks
burg, prefers to cite as the basis Of his argument
the position assumed by the Convention OF Mis-
sissippi which, he says, occupied all the grounds
taken by her people. He says; ,g..i II .ssi
! They are explicitly stated in the third resolu
ton which is in these words -" That Congress
/ has no power TO- pass any law abolishing slavery
slave trade between the several States, or to pro
hibit the introduction Of slavery into the terrific
ries of the United States and the passage BY
Congress Of any such law, would not only be 9
dangerous violation of the Constitution, but would
afford evidence Of fixed and deliberate design or
the part Of that body, to interfere with the insi
tuition Of slavery in the States. The evasion o.
the right to recapture fugitive slaves in any city
of the States Of the Union, may also be consld
cred as proper subject of complaint against the
Northern States, although not embraced in the
resoluton. In the preamble to the resolutions |
is said, /" we take our stand on the plain primer
piles of the Constitution, and intend to maintain it
or sink in the effort" Then you did not intenc
to go beyond the Constitution, and here is you
standard OF right. Here are the points on which
YOU apprehsnded your rights would be invaded
and at these points you declared you would no
/ submit to attack but you have not gone beyont
| them. You have not enumerated any other cause
that would induce yOn to resist the action OF Con
gress. Not only did you not extend your de
nands beyond these questions, but knowledg'
i of the proceedings of the convention enables mi
to say that you have virtually refused to 60 furthe
refused to say that you would regard the actor
I of Congress on mere question of expediency
confessedly within its power, as ground Of re
ii "
abroad that the people Of California would prepare
a constitution, and apply for admission into thu
Union as State, and this question received tht
consideration Of the convention. The committee
which had been appointed to draft resolutions
prepared one against the admission Or California
declaring that It would be violation Of the Con.
| stitution. II met with strong and decided oppo.
stion in the committee, and spirited protest was
prepared and signed by several Of its members
The resolution, however, was reported TO the con
yenton as well as the protest, and an animated dis
I usson ensued. As soon as it was understood
hat the committee had this subject under consid
ration, several members conversed with me on
/ he subject then declared that whilst might
md would be opposed to the admission Of Cali
81 s"rnia, could not support resolution which de-
~ kared it would be violation of the Constitution
IS did not believe it would be SO. The opposi,
ion to it was SO great that the resolution was
withdrawn, and there ended the question. Then
must infer that this was refusal to take stand
gainst the admission Of California on constitu,
onal grounds. 1t was not regarded as viola
on of the Constitution, and to have made it q
i ubiect Of resistance would have been departure
l rom our position, as we had taken "our stand
n the plain principles of the Constitution. This
,oud have been to bring up cause of complaint
ut Of the pale of the Constitution.
Here then, fellow-citizens, is the extent of your
| smands. Have your fears and apprehensions
l zen realized Has Congress by a Northern ma.
rity inflicted on you any of the evils you feared
I'd declared you would not submit to J Has il
1 the violation of any constitutional right placed
ou in an attitude which demands resistance ac-
riding to your own position? Look at your de-
/ ands-at the ground you have claimed to occu-
/ y of right, and then look at what you have got.
l b enumerate the several measures Of Congress on
Iese subjects, let us reverse the order and begin
i til the fugitive slave bill. The act on that sub
i ft was drawn up by Southern man, and no
can be much more stringent than it is. We
u lst suppose il was drawn up to suit the South
Al h view, and it leaves, as far can perceive, no
st ground of complaint In this respect, we
hst suppose the Sout is ssatis6ed-that It's demand
been admitted. In the next place, has Con-
SIS prohibited slavery in the Territories be-
,ging to the United States' Has the Wilmot
pviso been attached to any Territorial govern
hti Two Territorial governments have been
Ianized for Utah and New Mexico, and sla-
y is not prohibited in either. No prohibitory
use of any kind is engrafted on them on the
itrary, they have been organized with an ex-
ss provision that they may hereafter come
pthe Union, when prepared to do so, either