The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-28

tees which only carry out tie Constitution AZ 1t
! is.-rather than have perm anent dissolution of
the Union To what DO thew all amount |!
Why, they simply ordain that the Northern
people shall let MS alone, Gas the Constitution
designed,) with respect to our property and IN
stitutions. They take nothing from the North
They give us power t. assai or Cypress
them They simply secure us against their ag-
gres ion and injustice, perpetrated in spite Of
their solemn compact with US. And will they
rather than fulfil their compact and restore the
Constitution aud the Union to their original in
tegriy force on a permanent dissolution of the
Union The Northern people understand the
value Of the Union to them far better than we
do its evils to us. They know that it has
reversed the order Of nature, and made the re-
gion of fertility comparatively poor; and the
region of cold and rock and sands, blossom like
the rose, and resoundS with the busy hum of en-
terprse and activity. Let the Southern States
separate from the Northern States but for two
seasons. and the practical effect be seen on the
North and the Southland il their union
with us is not restored on the terms we require,
it will not be from their fierce persistence
They can be great fanatics and tyrants, Gas all
men are apt to be when acting in irresponsible
masses) but close up the main avenues OF their
prosperity. opened by Southern intercourse,-
let them see and feel that they are dependent
on us, (and not We on them, as they now affect
arogantly to supposeD and they will take that
position which their interests require.
But suppose snci expectations shall prove to
be delusiye, and the North prefers permanent
dissoluti on of the Union-rather than restore it
to its original condition as laid down by the
Constitution,--wl not this conclusively prove
that we never could live with them on terms OF
equality and Justice; and that the only condition
bv which they will continue their connection
with ms is, that they shall be our masters Z
Well, then, let the Union be perm nently dis
solved We know our resources and our
strength One of the very first effects Of the
separation will be, that we will appropriate all
our Territories. They now boast, that we shall
not occupy foot of them with our slaves. We
will reverse this matter, and they shall be the
excluded New Mexico and Utah, contiguous
to us, will easily be ours and how long will
California keep out of the Southern Confede-
racy? Can she, contiguous to us, but isolated
from the Northern States, BY thousands of miles,
and Intervening States, continue her union with
them! Her commercial interests will be diff
ferent from theirs Like tho agricultural States
of the South, she will want free-trlde they
want monopoIies by which they might virtually
colonze her. She will need a communication
across the continent toconnect her with the At
lantic her neighbors of the South own the high
way She will want peace on her extensive bor-
ders a Union with the Southern States alone can
secure it, She will soon need slaves to work her
mines,- them more than any people in the
world the South alone can supply her with
them She has only the alternative, to become
all independent nation, or to be a portion of the
Southern Confederacy. Her weakness, her in
terest, and perhaps, her sympathies, do not leave
her choice doubtful. Instead Of being unjustly
and ignominiously robbed of our Territories,
we will thus grasp and keep the whole OF them.
Nor would this be all. Mexico would be on
our whole southern border; and as portions OF
it shall become fit to be added to our Union, it
would extend, extend without limit, as wide, if
we desire it, as imperial r, me herself Nor, it
true to ourselves, need our destiny as n people
be less enduring or less glorious. We have
peaceful elements of power more potent to sus
tain our independence, and perpetuate our ex
istence, than the short sword of Rome. A slave
holding people like ourselves, she lived as Re-
public five hundred years; but she lived only to
conquer and to scourge the nations OF the world.
We desire to bless them and with a civilization
far higher and productions far more conducive
to the welfare Of man, seeking peace and JUS
tice in all our intercourse we can win the highest
position amongst the nations of the earth, and
survive the strongest Of them. Ii, with such
mighty resources, and so glorious destiny be-
fore them, the people of the Southern States
allow themselves to be "cabined, cribbed, con-
fined" by the Northern States, and sink down
into their abject colonies, they will deserve, as
they will receive, the fate of Hayti. Not fitted
for liberty, they will be deemed not fitted for
existence; and history will record in their fall
the most stupendous stance Of imbecity, folly
and fb,v yorI1
Time, and my state of health, admonish me
that / must close. But let me, my friends, be-
fore close, press upon you the last considera-
ton have to urge. Ask yOurselves-ask your
neighbors---let the question 90 round 10 your
assemblages--what have we to gain by delay!
The experience Of the last ten years must an
swer. Nothing in the way of redress nothing
but accumulated dangers and insults! If all
the measures before Congress were entirely sat
isfactory to the South, instead of adding to our
wrongs, as they do, they cannot give you peace
The insurrectionary agitations in Congress, viii
only be transferred at future Congresses, to
other points of attack on the institution Of
slavery. Why then should we delay redressing
ourselves! Why should we submit to the de-
grading and insulting exclusion from California?
Shall we ever have mightier wrong to redress
Ia richer prize to fight for--or hotter brand
u
beat back the General Government, or submit to
emancipation.
When contest is inevitable, there can be no
policy in postponing it, unless by postponement
you will be better prepared to meet it. But
here, by postponement you are daily growing
weaker, and your opponents stronger. BY act
ing now, all the territories, including California,
may be ours,---a few years later, and they are
lost forever. By seeding now from the Union,
the frontier States of Virginia, Maryland and
Kentucky, when forced to take their position
with Northern or Southern contcderacy, will
join the South A few years later and they may
be Northern in their sympathies and interests
If you secede now, consolidation must try its
vaunted strength, whilst yet we are strong, and
able to vanquish it,--and to vanquish it without
a blow. Even now, to withdraw from your as
sociates in the Union, is denounced as treason
Twenty years hence, you may not dare to talk
of resistance; and if you resist successfully
blood alone can cleanse your polluted liberties