The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-11-23
The Mississippi LegisIature--Gov' Quit
MANS Recommendation of DisuniOn'

the Legislature OF Mississippi convened, In extra
session, on the 18th inst
The Governors Message opens with a sort of po- |
tical dsqusition-says that no free representative
government has ever existed, which has not been |
agitated by the contests of rival interests; that
"when these interests are local and sectional, |
growing out of diversity of climate and produc-
tions the contest soon becomes a struggle for SUI
premacy, TOO often attended with jealousy, bitter
ness and hatred, especially when the rival sections
are distinguished by dissimilar and incongruous So
cial systems'' The Governor says that hostility to |
slavery has now become the all-absorblng, aHcon'
trolling element of political action and party move
ment, both in Congress and throughout the North
en States of the Union; that the rights OF the
States the gravest questions OF public policy all
are construed and determined with reference to |
this Question of domestic slavery. The Governor
finds it interesting 10 trace the progress of the
abolition or anti-savery excitem5n from its small
beginnings to its present overshadowing influence,
when il actually sways the whole machinery of
the Federal Government" says that, by the war
with Mexico, we had acquired a vastand valuable
territory, with an area sufficient for fifteen States
of medium size. The North says he, We're deter
mined TO exclude slavery from this territory; while
the South were equally determined that it should
not be excluded. While the rival sections main.
ticuary,) deep political intrigue was devised and
set on foot, he says, to effect indirectly the purpose
of excluding the Southern States from the common
territory:
1.-THE transient and floating population which had poured
into the country, Insgated and encouraged usu
that country, cut off the Southern States from ali parcpa
lion therein, and 10 demand from Congress the sanction OF
State
He regards the admission of California with her
Constitution excluding slavery Gas the Wilmot
Proviso in another form p says that The position
| taken by the Mississippi Legislature, at its last
regular session, that the South is entitled to
Just participation in the use and enjoyment of the
Territory conquered from Mexico, and that it could
not, without dshonor, submit to be excluded from
it that this also the position of the Nashville
Convention which assembled in June last and that
the line of SO 30, in the partition of the newly
acquired territory, agreed to only for the sake
Of peace and union" This was the position of the
South but unfortunately" says the Governor,
" for the peace of the country, defections from
ranks occurred the attitude of the South ceased to
| command respect and the obnoxious measures,
which had been debated by Congress for nine
months, became laws" BY this means, he says,
4" the slave holding States have been absolutely
excluded from the use and enjoyment of every acre
of the vast public domain acquired from Mexico"
| After remarkng, at some length, and very elo-
luently, upon the disastrous effects of this upon
| the Southern States, he asks " Who cannot see
in this violent hasty and unprecedented act of ush-
ering State into the Union the purpose of unset
Ting the equilibrium between the save-holding
and non. slave-holdi States? ?"
The following extracts show clearly the Gov
| ernor's views and his course of reasoning:
ina Of hiatt he
OF California, the assumption Of sovereign power the
he exclusion Of slavery therein II valid derive their validity
solely from the action Of C9nErsss In fact, they the acts
states or 10 prohibit slavery either IN the Territories or TIE
State the acts unconstitutional and void, and uch
hond forever be resisted by the aggFeyed States
" In my opinion it won d be weak, tmid, and dis.
az S PgS 9 h to snq ts our Ps- the 9%r
10 encourage the hope that there will be any respite rom
marked or more open y asserted The NOrh
has trium9hed in every claim she has asserted "
Such then, Is the triumphant attitude of ami
&Yery i nov Gonos ine en,e government NO question
hbts ITSELF controls all other subjects Every great interest
WPet 70 be the V fae Of The nsttaO on Of domes
&c slavery under such government? this great interest, with
which the civiiz on and rein men Of man earth
qety the protection and even the existence of graa and
delicate interest to political power having its origin in, and
drawiRg rs vgO. from The very element O. hostility to this
@9 p sqR? so6 h ssd Gn 0 Of
ehy lingering dstempeTed aud pecar91s existence, it
s5nt Gqns tut furnishes, be wTesed from
control OF power which hostile IT, and which its
destruction It must Ike every other great interest be paod
and justice Mississippi dares the question: and look il in
face Her resolutions have long since been proclaimed 10
the world, that she would not submit. She will sub.
| init"
As to the remedy for these ills he says:
TO devise and carry into eject the best means of redress
for the and obtain the future
recommend that Legal convention of the people of State
should be called with full and AXE con-
SeatOn Federal relations the aggessOns which have
been committed upon the rights oil the Southern States the
dangers which threaten domestic Institutions, all kin
red SUBJECTS and jointly with other States separately to
ad0D such asnes hest with the dignity
and sufey Of the state and etsCuay the evils
the sovereignty of The State, would Of possess penay
pOwer uncontrolled by instructions restrictions which
the Legislature might interpOse''
Gov. Quiman then clearly, distinctly and bold
y declares himself in favor of DIsUNIoN. Thus:
g" claim exemption from error but sincerity of pur
pose the expression OF the solemn conviction of my mind
that for the which have been hastily glanced this
message the union OF these States has been grossly per-
Vertsd from original purposes render its further con
tin incompatible with the honor, he prosperity and the
safety of the siavehodng States unless some correction OF
past aggressons and additional and more eiiecua
guarantees 0r our future projection be obtained from
| associates in the COnsederacy"
In the sentence which Immediately follows, he
says: 81 haze little hope left that these guarantees
rH be yieLded'
Thus, then, without disguise or equivocation,
| does Gov. Quitman present to the Mississippi lie.
gslature the issue Of DIsUNIoN. The country will
| be interested, or anu ed, to see how his recon-
mendations will be received.
/