The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1850-05-08


Boa hey believed wiih DE enlirs South
shsl he NoElh had been pressing. and
wesId again endeassf % press. The eKsr-
else Of power not delegated 10 Congress
By she eosliiuiion; and they believed,
moreover. that the Sos<h would not SUBJ
mil. The fni hope Vas 10 aver The evil
BY q timely declaration OF their rights;
bus II that should fail. il was natural 10
look 10 consequences. and 10 provide for
ihem. The Convention did not. ~ you
say, aci under The influence OF excited
feeling" They met a. men who had
reflected will; who knew and felt the so
lemnily OF the occasion. I'm Surveying me
whole ground. il was BAT naiursl-it WAS
prudeni--ihai they should look 90 the
possibility Of failure in their fondesl
hope. Audit was only on that contingency
ihsis single thought Was turned 10 South
ern compact as a means Of security. not
OF choiee. | repeat that We desire No
Southern conlederay-we desire The per-
peluiIy OF our present Union. but il can
only be preserved by keeping every de.
panmeni OF the Government within its
constitutional limits. And your assertion
is without proof.
l quote further from yonr examina-
iion." You say: .Il 10 no longer mat
Ter Of inference. There exists disaffec-
lion 10 the Union. more deeply seated
Than we had supposed-engendsring de-
signs against il which the mass and body
OF the people OF ihe South are as little
aware OF as we were three days ago; the
first termination OF which is this project
of Nashville Convention. am greatly
mistaken if The " body Of The people OF The
South" are no, fully aware Of all the . dis
affection 10 the Union" which exists here.
and fully aware. Too, Of the causes OF that
iisafleeiion. You have impaired no in.
formation TO them on that subject. The
6rsl "germinaiion" Of disaffsciion grew
oul OF an attack upon their rights. II is
singular that you do no, undertake 10 ac-
count for this disai1eclion. and TO show
us whether il is well or i'll founded. Per-
haps il may be jusli6able. II is said that
motive is The impulse TO human action,
and oppression is the handspring Of rcvo-
luiions. When men desire a change Of
Government, an enlarged liberty is the
great object; and changes are never desir-
ed when The form Of Government is the
best that can be established. As ours is
of that description, we can have no motive
70 change il; the attempt to- abuse il is
what we complain Of. II we are disaf.
fected towards the Union, (which | deny. J
perhaps there may be cause foril. which.
il removed. would restore harmony. You
have seen that there was a deep seat
ed discomfort on the subject Of slavery.
and. as friends to your country, il was
your duty 10 allay the excitement. IL pos.
sible. You but provoke the quarrel by
taunting the South with infdeliiy 10 the
Government. II you wish to preserve the
Union from danger. Tell your Northern
friends 10 press us no fnrihsr-to forbear.
That is the safe course. even ifIhe power
be doubtful. They claim to exert it,
we deny their right. II they ACT, they
may violate the constitution; but if they
are passive they cannot. BY that means
peace will be restored. A free Govern
ment musl command the voluntary hon.
age OF the people: and whatever lends TO
weaken their attachment endangers its ex-
isience.
In the further progress Of your exami-
nation, you array The proceedings Of the
South Carolina and Virginia Legislatures.
The figure before your vision as most APP
palling proofs Of disloyaliy 10 The Union.
These are but further development. Of the
plan, the first organizations" Of which
appeared in Mississippi. see nothing
alarming in them beyond firm delermi
nation TO maintain their rights; and il there
be secret intention beyond that, leave
you and the movers TO settle il.
In your alarms for the safety of the
Union, it is matter Of wonder that you hat
mol discovered unfriendly indications from
other quarters. You have even heart
petitions for the dissolution Of The Uniol
presented TO Congress from the North
You have Witnessed an open, palpable in
fraction Of the constitution by Pennsyl
vania and other States. by the passage o
laws annulling that provision in The con
stitulion which secures 10 the owner Ill.
right 10 recapture his fugitive slave. Yo,
have heard il proclaimed in the Senate BY
a Senator from the North. who was sworr
10 supper, the constitution, that certain
clause Of that instrument which protect.
US was immoral, and therefore not bindisg
You have heard The terrors Of dissolu
ton Of The Union described by the picture
Of a vast gulf between the North and The
South. " filed and heaped high with The
slaughtered bodies of our countrymen:'
yet this revolving sight would be endured
I-lhe reality witnessed--by member o
The. lower house. rather than he would
yield his opinions and his object on the
subject Of slavery. You have heard yon,
own especial favoriles declare that disolu.
| finn tuucf enpo rafbor ,L., al. yYyr