The Madisonian. (Canton, Miss.) 1850-1855, 1850-12-12

submit the question TO the people, in a law,
for the assembling Of a Convention Of the
State, to consider OF and decide on our
present condition and future prospects, and
the measures which should be adopted
To prepare for the defence Of the State,
armed if need be. To propose a Conven-
lion of the slaveholding States, 10 be COM
posed of formally elected delegates, which
should unite all those States who were
willing to assert their equality, and right
to equal protection in, and equal enjoyment
Of the common property. The States thus
united should, in my opinion, demand Of
the other States, such guarantees as would
secure to them the safety the benefits, the
tranquility which the Union was designed
TO confer. If granted, the minority could
live in equality under the temple of our
federal compact; if refused, it would be
conclusive evidence of the design of the
majority, to crush all paper barriers be-
meath the heel of power; the gulf Of deg
radiation would yawn before US. The e.
quality TO which we were born being de-
MED, and the aIternativeof slavish submits
sion or manly resistance being presented
to US, l shall be in favor of the latter
Then, if full provision has been made, in
the preparation Of arms, Of munitions Of
war, Of manufacturing establishments, and
all the varieties Of agriculture TO which our
climate and soil are adapted, the slavehold-
ing States; or even the planting States,
may apply the last remedy,-lhe final al
tentative Of separation, without bloodshed
or severe shock 10 commercial interests
Painful under any circumstances it must
be to those, who have through life cherished
the hope of perpetuity to our Union, to
see it destroyed ; but faithful history will
record our many sacrifices TO preserve it,
and the responsibility of its destruction
must attach to those who, by assailment
Of the constitution, which they had The
power TO violate and not the will TO observe,
have stihed in the Union the breath Of its
existence. A most unfair attempt has been
made to put in the foreground the ques-
ton Of Union or Disunion, by those who
were violating or surtendering our consti.
tutional rights. To yield TO aggression is
to produce certainly in the future, that con-
dition from which dissolution must, and ci-
vii war probably will spring unless it be
assumed, that the Southern minority will
hereafter consent to occupy such position,
towards The Northern majority, as the col
onies Of North America, on the Alb OF Ju-
w, 1875, determined not TO hold towards
the Kingdom OF Great Britain. The des~
~truction of that equilibrium, which would
have prevented The overthrow of the con-
s~titution BY the construction of an interest
ed majority, may be charged to the gener
Gus concessions Of the South in cedlng the
North West territory, in permitting the
Missouri Compromise, and by other less
noted acts which accumulated power in the
North, by transfer in the South. Conces-
sion and sacrifice have not secured to US
the good feeling of the North submission
to wrong will not more probably command
their respect. To preserve the Union, the
principles, the spirit Of the constitution
must be preserved. | do moi think the
North has given US reason 10 expect this
service from thai quarter; how shall the
South effect it2 This, to my mind, is the
question to which we should direct our in
vestigauon.
Whatever can effect that end will give
perpetuily to the Union if it can be
reached, then the government changes il
character there might remain an Unior
but not the Union.
For myself, l have no hesitation to in
form you, that | prefer to go out Of the Tn
ion, with the constitution, rather than a
/. bandon the constitution, to remain in al
Union.
believe, Gentlemen, I have answered
: your inquiry, as far as it was possible 70
} me to do so, without further information
I than your letter affords and have the pleas
\ ure TO subscribe myself very respectfully
r your fellow-citizens, &c,
. JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Messrs. B. D. Majors, Charles B. Ame'
C. f. Hemmingway, w. d. Lyle, G. R
Crusoe, Geo.H Foote, w. Brooke, ia;
e E. Sharkey, A. NJ. West.
e Now, therefore, let no one herealte
f charge Col. Davis with being a d~isunion
list or secesslonist-the above letter speak
Tor itself. ONE OF THE 3l9.