The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-24
WM. j. ALsToN, Secretary
THE ADDRESS.

II n ~ RLoS.
The committee 10 phich was referred til
duty of preparing an Address to the peo
pile of the slapeholding STATES upon III
subject Of a Southern Organ, to be cstab
kshed in the City Of Washington, pm
forth the followiag:
FELLow-cITIzENs: A number of Sena
tors and Representatives in Congress from
the Southern States Of the Confederacy deep
ly impressed with sense of the dangers
which beset those States, have considered
carefully our means Of self-defence within
the Union and the Constitution, and hav,
come to the conclusion that it is highly impor
tant to establish in this city paper, which
without reference to political party, shall b.
devoted to the rights and interests Of the
South, so far as they are involved in the ques-
tions growing out of African slavery. To
establish and maintain such paper, your
support is necessary, and accordingly we
address you on the subject.
In the contest now going on, the consti-
tutional equality Of fifteen States is put in
question. Some sixteen hundred millions
worth Of negro property is involved directly,
and indirectly, though not less surely, an in
calculable amount Of property in other forms
But to say this is to state less than half the
doom that hangs over you. Your socia
forms and institutions-which separate the
European and the African races into distinc,
classes, and assign to each different sphere
in society--are threatened with overthrow
Whether the negro is to occupy the same
social rank with the white man, and enjoy
equally the rights, privileges, and immuni-
ties of citizenship short, all the honors
and dignities Of society--is question OF
greater moment than any mere question Of
property can be.
Such is the contest now going on--a con-
test in which public opinion, if not the pre-
vailing, is destined to be most prominent
force and yet, no organ of the united inter
ests of those assailed has as vet been es.
tablished, nor does there exis: any papet
which can be the common medium for al
interchange of opinions amongst the South
ern States. Public opinion, as it has beer
formed and directed by the combined infu
ence Of interest and prejudice, is the forct
which has been most potent against us ii
the war now going on against the institu.
ton of negro slavery; and yet we have ia.
ken no efectual means to make and main
tain that issue. with it upon which our safety
and perhaps our social existence depends
Whoever will look to the history of thi,
question, and to the circumstances un.
der which we are now placed, must Sc,
that our position is one of imminent danger
and one to be defended by all the means
moral and political, of which we can avail
ourselves in the present emergency. The
warfare against African slavery commenced
as is known, with Great Britain, who, afteI
having contributed mainly to its establish
ment in the New World, devoted her mos
earnest efforts, for purposes not yet fully ex'
planned, to its abolition in America. How
wisely this was done, so far as her own col
onies were concerned, time has determined
and all comment upon this subject on ouI
part would be entirely superhuous. II,
however, her purpose was to reach and en-
bsrrsss us on this subject, her efforts have
sst been without success. A common origin,