The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-09-03
Georgia-The Macon Meeting.

ence to the Congressional proceedings.
GeorSin-The Macon Meeting.
correspondent of the Charleston Mercury,
who was present at the Macon meeting, after
noticing i'll glowing terms of commentator the
disunion speeches of Messrs. RHETT, YANcEY,
COCHRAN and CoLQUITT, says:
"Mr. Styles was next introduced to the meeting,
and, after depicting wrongs in an easy and
fluent style some time, startled the audience by
saying he could not altogether go with the scnti-
ments Of Mr. Rhett-sentiments that he uttered that
morning to the meeting. At sjuncture, for it was
an exciting one, young man rose to his feet in the
crowd that were seated on the side benches, and
loudly cried Disunion. A gentleman from Chatham,
a veteran in the cause of liberty, Immediately
caught the words The crowds rose to their feet,
and the waving of hats and handk erchic and cries
of Disunion, thought, would never cease. After
the pause, Mr. Styles, like true man. who loves his
country first, then said, (and it won him golden APP.
plause,) IF that is your sentiment, am a south
erner-I am your countryman-and your cause is
mine-l am with you'll am with Georgia He
received now deafcning applause, and apparently
about TO retire, when voices called out go
ego on; when he satisfactorily explained his express
sions TO the crowd"
The truth of this statement is corroborated
by the Journal and Messenger, paper pub
lished at Macon, which says:
"Not few of those who came "a delegates were
open and undisguiscd in their condemnation of the
disunion sentiments avowed by the speakers A vast
majority Of the meeting, however, seemed TO adopt
the doctrines advanced in their totality. One of
the speakers dared to allude, in terms of venera-
ton, to the stars and stripes, but his voice was
hushed by the cry Of diuulion he qualed before
the multitude, and partially pledged himself to go
with them"
Mr.. RHETT, II appears, proclaimed himself
in favor of temporary secession"
Mr.. YANcEY was holder. OF him, the jour
nal and Messenger says:
''In the ayowal of his disunon sentiments, Mr..
Yancey was more candid and manly than Mr..
Rhctt. He did not stop at any half way house. but
marched boldly forward to the end Of his journey
He faced the music like man, and openly pro-
claimed that there was no remedy in the Constitu-
ton for existing eyilsthat there was actually no
Union now in existence, and that the South ought
and must, set up for themselves"
The same paper remarks:
"Of the numerous other speeches made in the
convention at the evening meetings, it is unne-
cossary for us here to speak. Some of them were
violent in the extreme, while all of Them with per.
haps single exception, were openly for disunion."
The Journal AID Messenger has no apprehen-
sion as to the result, in Georgia, Of this disu-
Mon movement. 1t says:
Upon the whole, we do not regret that the meet
ing was held The pnucity Of numbers which il
showed revealed the important fact that the people
Of Georgia do not sympathizc with the sentiment
Of disunion. In the next place, the speeches dcly-
cred here opened the eyes Of many to the real pur.
poses Of the leaders Of the present movement Hth-
crO they bad not believed that dsunion was the OBJ
Icct Now, the fact can no longer be concealed
Men know whittier this movement is leading and
where it will land them. If they embrace it, they
will 90 90 with their cyes open. The test will soon
be made, and we have no approximations for the re.
suit, even in Georgia. The friends Of Union and
Of moderation cannot fail to triumph, and that most
signally.
I'VE cannot conclude those remarks without
throwing out few words by way Of caution TO the
North. u il true that the people Of Georgia have
twice refused to respond 10 the calls Of certain lead
ere. II IL true that they declined 10 sanction the
Nashville convention, by refusing to go to tho polls
II IL true that they have refused 20 convene in
any considerable numbers to ratify the proceed.
ings Of that body. II must not be inferred from
this however that they not true to their inter.
ests and the Constitution, or that they arc not ready
70 peril life and fortune for their honor or their
rights.
III the people Of the North would perpetuate the
Union and lie blessings, they have now the oppor.
tunity to do 20. Let them abandon the proviso;
their present systcm Of oncroachmcnt and in.
tcrmeddling with slavery in the District and tho
States; repeal their laws in regard to fugitive
slaves; in a word, let them fall back upon the Con.
stitution and lie compromises and guarantee, and
all will be well.
'If they refuse to do justice 10 the Soulful they
persist in a system of wrong, they alone will DE re-
sponsiblc for the consequences with Mr. Bcrrien,
the people Of Georgia will cay, however ardent
md unfaiiring Their dorofion 10 the Union their
determination is equally iumopabls 10 maintain an
equal position in it,"
The Columbus Enquirer, after stating that
this mighty mass meeting, that was TO be,
proved little less than a stupendous failure"
proceeds to remark.
at may not be amiss TO moralizo a little on the
causes which contributed to the thnness Of the
gathering II pGs TO have been a great maze meet.
ing; II had been trumpoted forth in great sntici-
pated triumph by every press favorable to it's OBJ
jects; all Georgia and the rest Of the new concde.
racy TO have been therc Where were the
masses, and what kept them from the meeting2
The leaders there, but where were the people,
Why did they not attend, and hear the reasons that
should impe them to separation from our sister
States Al, there's the rub The people Of cor
gia intelligent, think and read for themselves;
know their rights, and when TO resist the wrongs
they suffer, as well ns their would.bc guardians.