The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-26
MIR. Cheves and tho Nashville Convention

AS the speech of Mr.. LANGDoN CHEvEs is
regarded as the great manifesto of the Nashville
Convention, iron that account deserves a con-
sderation to which It's intrinsic merits certainly
do not entitle it. We propose 10 review very
briefly some of its positions in order to apprize
our readers of the special grounds of injury and
outrage on which the Secesslonsts RELY for the
justification Of their contemplated treason.
The first ground taken by Mr.. CHEyEs is.
that, admitting California TO be i State. and
that according TO the forms of the Constitution
her admission into the Union is valid. her in i.
srOuucuUH uHuvr me circumstances with the
exclusion of slavery, is the most prominent of
the recent wrongs that the South has suffer
ed" Mr.. CHEvEs does not dispute that
she was introduced consistently with The
forms Of the Constitution but alleges that
the highest violation Of that instrument is
10 employ It's forms 10 violate It's spirit.
The true question. therefore, he saws. is
this-was California fairly admitted into the
Union To show the 1mfdirness of this
movement, he revives the exploded calumny
against Mr.. king, and alleges that mo one
doubts that his business was to advance the
great work Of bringing this Territory into the
Union as non-slavehoding State" This
is not only calumny, but it is a calumny so
conclusively silenced we are surprised that
any man OF reputation should undertake 10 re-
new it. The Aboltionists assailed President
TAYLOR on the ground that he had sent out
Mr.. KIsG, ga Pennsylvania Georgian. fanati-
cally pro-slavery in his opinions and conduct"
for the formation of such constitution as
would suit the purposes ofthe slavehodnr Oil
garchy." There was just as much truth in the
one charge as the other Mr. KrNG did not
interfere with the formation Of the constitution
Of California, and had as little 10 do with the
exclusion Of slavery from 1t as Mr.. CHEvEs
himself.
The second great "atrocity" on the Consti-
tuition and rights Of the States is, according
70 Mr.. CHEvEs, the "excision Of the territory
Of the State Of Texas" This, in his judg
ment, is "worse than the affair Of California. -
The admission Of California was the most pro-
minent Of the recent wrongs Of the South but
the excelsior Of Texas is still worse" In
another quarter the ultras and aboliiionisis rep
resent this excisicn as the surrender Of count
less square miles Of free soil to slavery Mr.
CHEvEs regards it as a fearful outrage upon
the shareholders When we SEQ the disaffected
assigning such Inconsistent reasons for condemn
ing the boundary bill, we are sure that both
cannot be right, and are led 10 the inevitable
conclusion that the measure ought TO be salts
factory TO all prudent and patriotic citizens.
Sure are we that il Texas is content, she being
the real party in interest, the wrongs" OF
Texas in the premises will make very insig-
nifcant figure in history.
The third aggression on which Mr. CHEvEs
speculates is the abolition Of the slave trade in
the District Of Columbia Now the people Of
the District are very well content with this
measure. They had no disposition 10 continue
TO furnish mart for this traffic. They had a
rightto desire its prohibition, and are quite well
pleased that Congress has come 20 their relief
in the premises. Why South Carolina should
take umbrage at it, and reckon it one Of her
wrongs, they cannot well understand.
The next cause Of complaint stated by Mr..
CHgyEs is. that the "balance Of Government
s destroyed forever" This is one Of the
new fangled ideas of the Disunionists that
we see nothing Of in the Constitution, and
heard nothing Of while the balance was
the other way, and all the affairs of the
Government were IN the hands Of the South
ern States. There was nothing said Of this
imaginary balance" Of Government in the
days when the policy Of the Administration was
dictated by VrRIGINI, aud her statesmen But