The Arkansas banner., 1850-07-02
ADDRESS

: reiationaviIh the Genera Government and ths Boa- slaveholding States of the uRoa, the subject Of the institaton of Slavery. We deem t proper Co lay before you as briefly the subject will permit, the results of cur deliberations and coaneiIs,
 in order that your condition may be understood, and the conclusions at which we have arrived be jusy spprecatsd4 |. is necessary briefly to refer 10 U few past transactions.
 1t Is now six.esa years since the institution of Slavery In the Sanlh began 10 be egtated ia Goa gress aud assailed by oar sister States. Up that tIme the people of the Northern States b have respected the rights reserved to he Southern States by the Consultation, and to have acted under the conviction, that the subject of slavery being beyond the RIsat0n of Congress, all agitation with respect to Il on the part ot CoHgress, equally forbidden by the Constitution Bat al this tinle portion oi the people of the North began to assa in Congress. the iustltutiou of slavery; and to AceompsT their object of dragging tinto the vortex of congressional
 agitation they caimed tic right of petiteaing Con- l rress upsn ait subjects whatsoever. As petition was only the fist step in legsiaion 1t was clear that a righ, to petition legislative body. must be linn
 tied by it's powers of legislation. No one can have a right 10 ask of another to do that which he has l no moral or legal right tS do. Nor Can any tribu- ! nal have the power 10 receive and consider auy
 matter beyond it's jurisdiction. The ciaisa there fore to present petitions 10 Congress the subject i of slavery, was considered by the Southern Repre- sentatves generally au attempt indirectly, iO suue jurisdiction the subject itself n all parts ! sf the Union. I he object, without disgGise Was 1 the overthrow of slaveay in the States but saants framed the petitions presented chiefly agans
 slavery iu the District of Columbia and 'Ferri- tories, and against what they call the internal Slave trade--Iut is, he transmission of slaves from Southern State to another. Conscious of the fatal
 tendency of the agiiattoa Of Slavery in Congress, to destroy the peace and stability of tit@ union. effort made, supported by large portion oi the Northern Respre preseniatves, which provided, that afa l..
 neither considered printed referred This rule was assaed by the people of Inc Northern States. as violating that clause tn the Constitution which prohibited oagress from passing laws to prevent the people from peaeeab'v assembling and petition ioning for a redress of grievances. In December, lsI4, this rate fell before ths almost unanimous voice Of the North: and thus thr rnlimited power of ncng aud considering the subec, of slavery in Cougfess, was asserted. In the meantime, the course of the Northern people showed clearly, that the agitation of slavery in Congress was only cue oi the means they relied to overthrow the insti- tuiion throughout the Uuiou. Newspapers were set up amongst them, and lecturers hired to 20 abroad Co excite them against slavery in the ], Southern States. Organizations formed to carry of slaves from tine South and to protect them by violence from recapiure. Although ,hs Coasti- tuion req aires that fugitive slaves, like iagiives from justice, should be rendered by tie States 10 which they may have hrd the legislatures of almost every Northern State, faithess to this treaty stpa
 lation between the States passed laws designed and calculated entirely to defeat this provision of the Constitution, without which ts UaioH would have
 never existed, aud by these laws virtually null fled the act of l79l, passed by Congress to sid it's en foreemenL Not content with the agitation of sIa- very in political circles the Northean peo2 2le forced
 il also into the religious assoc atons extending the Union, and produced separation of the Meth odisi and Baptist churches The result of si these various methods Of assailiug slavery in the Sourh
 ern States, was, that it became the grand topic of interest and discussion in Congress aud out of Con
 cress, and of the most important elements of politics in the Union. Thus an institution, be- longing 10 the Southern States exclusively, was wrcsted from their exclusive control and instead Of that protection which Is the great object Of all gov
 eruIents, and which the Constitution of the Unitcd States guarantees 10 all the States and their in- silutions, the Northern States and Congress under their control, combined together. to assa and de 1 slroy slavery in the South. The S9utheru States did nothing to viudcate their rights and this course of tiag4. The Mexican War broke out; and instead of that patriotic c0-operaiIOn of all sections sf the Union, which would have taken place in the heter days of the Repubiic to bring it to just and honorable conclusion in the very first erpropria- ton bill 10 carry il on. the North eudsS 9ered 10 ! IErust the subject of slavery
 Throu shout the they kept up the agitation; thus clearly manfestng their deterBnalion that the General Government in noHs of it's operations, in terns or external, shall be exempted from the intro ] duCtOn ot tnts dangerous suHtttt Nc war ftoseu | with hoaor. and immense territory was added to ] the United States. Their previous threats were realized: and the non sliyehodibg States immedia- tr.y claimed right to exclude the people Of the SOuthern States from ali the territory acquired aud to appropriate 1t Co themselves. It ;his prsieasiOa arose from mere lust Of power. it would be ha I'd to bear the superiority aud mastery Il implies IL would degrade the Southern States from being The equals of The Northern States, 10 a position of co- Ionial in(eriority. But when your exclusion IS Dot 1 from a mere lust of power, but is oniy further step in the progress of things aiming at the aboli
 tion of slavery a the States, by the extension and multip,icatinn of no -siagehoiding States ia the UHion. the preteusion is seeH 10 be as alarming it js insulting. The Southern States, in their egIs- latut-s, set forth with great unanimity the rgbls ! in our territories belonging 70 them ia conmon with tbs Northern States and declared their deter imitation to maintain them and hadng in the Nor. thern States disposition to sbdte their demands, ! the Convention in which we are assembled, has ! been brought together to take counsel to the course the Southern States should pursue, for ths maintenance of their rights, liberty aud honor.
 [ Such IS a briet but Inpsnect statement ol past i tfansactons and they force upon the question, m whatcondlion do they place the Southern StatesS And first what IS their eohdIioB in Cobgressl The ! tlae was when your Representatives n CongIess. were neither cffsred, nor would they endure, re- i prosch In yoar behalf. Bat for maay years past, i they have heard you m Congress habilusy Iesied | by the most eppsobious e.uhets in regard 10 the institution of slavery. fl ,hs't spirits yet uh- broken they must be chiilzd by sense of hamiiiA- ton at the nsuts they daily receive yoaf repre- sentatiV-s. foa are ans'gned as criminals, S.a- very IS dragged into every debate, and Congress has become iIllie else than grand Instfument in the hands el aboioaisis tO degrade aR, run the Soaih
 Instead of peace and pio'scioa, aggression and iB- suli or the South characterize is proceedings and councils. And what IS your eoudi toa with respect ! 10 yosr sister Statesl Where is that respect and comfy, which (due from all nallnns ,o~al9 caca othefJ is especially due from States bound to- ! gether m eoniej~Tacy, anl which once dis played n all theft intercourse iRs,ead oi respect and sympathy y--denanciation and hostility, on re- count Of yoar iasttalna of slavery. have Tor years past characterized the commugealioRs addressed to you by the Northern States, And xhai is yosT con dilion in the unioal Tine non-slayeholiing States stand combined. not only 10 ~rest fre,n you your common property. but 10 place aP6n yaaF ont ihe brand oi iuleTlotity. You not to extend, ac- count of your institutions, but they To increase