The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-20

questions, the position OF the South upon the
congressional record, Is better this d ", than
ever before.
Georgia, then, will abide by the recent action
of Congress, herein before referred to, in hope
full reliance that the people of the non-slavehoId
ing States will yield acquiescence in, and faithful
adherence to, that entire action To this course
she is impelled by an earnest desire to pcrpetuate
! the American Union, and to restore that peace
an harmony, upon which its value to herself, to
her confedemtcs, and to mankind, essentially de-
Ponds
| Here, if a sense Of duty permtte |, we would
gladly pause; but the signs of the ii yes invite
to more extended review Of our Federal rrln-
, tons, and to Il more distinct avowal of the posi-
tion We occupy. The country requires repoSr.
Vain, utterly vain, are all conces 'ions that fail
to terminate this sectional controversy. Through
our representatives in the II lis Of Congress, We
have long combatted the aggressive spirit of re-
representatives. of the non-sI vehodng States.
But the source of this turbd stream lie beyond
they are to be- found in the midst Of their several
constituencies. We deem this an appropriate
occasion for the sovereign people Of Georgia, to
commune with the sovereign people Of those
States. We would address to them the Ian
guage of calm and frank remonstrance, rather
than of defiance or menace We would recall
them to the faithful discharge Of their duty, as
contederates, by appeal to their reason and
moral sense.
We would premise few suggestions to the
opponents of slavery, which time does not per-
ot us to elaborate. Slavery was introduced
into this country by the enterprise Of Old En-
| gland and New England. 1t was maintained in
the latter during the days Of her greatest purity,
when the spirit of an austere and uncompromis-
! ing religious faith not only regulated social in
! t 'rcourse but controlled the operations of gov
urnment. 1t was discontinued only when expe
! rience hid proven its want Of adaptation to the
soil and climate. 1t has been retained at the
South by reason of the fitness Of our soil and
climate to it, employment. Under its auSpicc :
the Negro has been secured, beyond contingent
cy, in the enjoyment Of MYSTICAL comforts I'M
known to his transatlantic ancestors, and Gle
waited in the scale Of beings, Let any man
who questions the truth of this assertion, 90 to
Liberia and compare the Negro trained under
the influences Of slavery with the Negro Of the
same generation reared in his native barbarism
The Southern slave, uninhuenccd by the prompt
} ingS of miscellaneous Intermediates, is Sincerrl.
attac ed to his owner, and happy in the con
dition assigned him by an all wise Providence
Familiarity with the practical Operations OF
the institution would satisfy any ingenious
mind that these things are 50.
But apart from this abstract view, the South
is entitled to absolute security und quiet on
this subject.
The Constitut on of tn" United States ia, in
,, its terms, bond of political union between Sc
, parate sovercign and involves high moral OBJ
, legation. The latter is indeed the seal and sane
y ton Of the former. The Southern States, upon
. entering into this compact brought with them
as part Of their social system, us the subStra-
tum of their indus rial pursuits, the institution
= Of slavery, and the Northern States, by the com
II pact recognized its existence, and guar ,ntced
III its secure enjoyment. Beyond the oblig tior
y thus created The people of those States have NJ
u more concern with it, than have the subjects Of
II the British crown The trainers of the Const
tuition declared in mne, the purposes to be ac
II coupshed by it in the following terms 1--WE
J. the p ople of the United Stat 9, in order to
form more perfect union, t,bSh Justice, en-
> sure domestic tranqn1ty provide for the com
mon defence. promote the general wclf,rc, and
l. secure the blessings Of liberty to ourselves ant
e our postcrity, do ordain and establish this Con
/ s,ituton for the United Stntes of Amrrca"-
The people of each State becoming party tt
y that instrument, are entitled to all the benefits
e thereln distinctly enumerated, and are under thu
most solemn obligations to abst rin from al
:e practices inconsistent with their endowment b
in the other parties SIT is nominated in tn
Of bond THAT the people of State shall dis
III turb the dam sac tr nquiluy' of any other
to Georgia lays open the volume of her history
ii and proudly challenges her confederates to til,
K abduction of single incident voatve of th
l. oblig ,tion. She does more. In all kindness
z compatible with the assertion Of right, she char
gcs upon the non-sllvcholling States infdplit,
e to this stpn ton in the compact. She iusta,
e crs the existence within their borders Of organ
1t lied societies avowcdy devoted to the annihla
il ton Of an institution in wrought with the fran
y work Of her social system, and in no wav mod
in flying or affecting their own societies employ
l. lng missionaries and substituting the press t
" propagate their destructive doctrines, and ever
i TO excite, within her own limits, Il spirit Of dis
IT affection among her citizens and Of insuborln,
If ton aHIong her slavcs-socetes which hav,
t. boldly entered the political arena, SEIZED upon
n the balance of power, and obtrnded their fl att
cSm into the halls Of the Federal lersln
l. ture.-Thcrc measures Of hostility are nccss
. anly proposed and discussed, to the interruption
Y OF the Legitimate business Of legislation; drnun
Citations day by day uttered against slavery and
SlavchOlders-a yainSt conttdcrItes and their in
situations. in this state of things. the remedy
to be applied by these States is apparent. Ii
was forrshadoWed in the able and patriotic mes
sage proceeding from the Executive to the lr-
gi>l'tre department Of the State Of New York
in the year 1886. 1t is by the active mtrrposi
'''' vi N'''' i'''N AG OI'HloIl, 'i'N u L'l'lI
be insufficient, then by legislative enactment
II the onward movcu en-, Of this insane crusade
is ever to be stayed, il is time that measures Of
Resistance be put t" progress THREE
Desiring to be distinctly understood, in order
that incAIcu.1Lle evils may be arrested by a time
" return to the curly policy Of the country, we
rest not this Renaissance upon grneralites.-
: The practical results aimed ut bV these agtatOrs
are: First, abolition Of 81 very in the District of
: Columbia. Maryland never would have ccded
Il part OF territory, nor transferred jurisdiction
/ over portion of her citizens had she suppos ID
their social system would be revolutoniscd
against their will, and State policy established
in the heart Of her territory, materially variant
from, and hostile to her own. Such an act
therefore cannot be consummated, without bad
faith to her, and to Virginia. whose territory is
coterninous, in the d termined resistance Of
which they entitled to the co operation Of
their Southern confederates: .Ssco7diy, that
kindred measure, sometimes threatened of abol-