The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-26
THE ADDRESS

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The committee to ,chich soas referred the
duty of preparing an address to the peo-
ole of the slareholding States upon the
subject of a Southern Organ, to be estab-
Hsied in the City Of Washington, put
forth the following:
FELLow- c1TIzENs: A number of Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress from
the Southern States of the Confederacy deep
" impressed with sense of the dangers
which beset those States, have considered
carefully our means of self-defence within
the Union and the Constitution, and have
come to the conclusion that it is highly impor-
tant to establish in this city a paper, which,
without reference to political party, shall be
devoted to the rights and interests OF the
South, so far as they are involved in the ques-
tons growing out Of African slavery. 10
establish and maintain such paper, your
support is necessary, and accordingly we
address you on the subject.
In the contest now going on, the constl-
tutonal equality of fifteen States is put in
question. Some sixteen hundred millions
worth of negro property is involved directly,
and indirectly, though not less surely, amin
calculable amount of property IN other forms.
But to say this is to state less than half the
doom that hangs over you. Your social
forms and institutions-which separate the
European and the African races into distinct
classes, and assign to each a different sphere
in society-are threatened with overthrow
Whether the negro is to occupy the same
social rank with the white man, aid enjoy
equally the rights, privileges, and immuni
ties Of citizenship--in short, all the honor
and dignties Of society-is question o
greater moment than any mere question o
property can be.
Such is the contest now going on-a con,
test in which public opinion, if not the pre-.
vailing, is destined to be a most prominen
force and yet, no organ of the united inter
ests of those assailed has as yet been es
tablished, nor does there exist any pape
which can be the common medium for al
interchange of opinions amongst the South
ern States. Public opinion, as it has beer
formed and directed by the combined lniu
ence Of interest and prejudice, is the forct
which has been most potent against US II
the war now going on against the nstltu
iiVh vi -hoSio siaNei1 anu yct We ho'e y"
ken no effectual means to make and main
tain that issue with it upon which our safety
and perhaps our social existence depends
Whoever viii look to the history Of this
question, and to the circumstances un-
der which we are now placed, must see
that our position is one Of imminent danger
and one to be, defended by all the means
moral and political, of which we can avail
ourselves in the present emergency. TIL,
warfare against African slavery commenced
as is known, with Great Britain, who, aite
having contributed mainly to its establish
ment in the New World, devoted her mos
earnest Efforts, for purposes not yet fully ex
planned, to its abolition in America. do,
wisely this was done, so far as her own col
onies were concerned, time has determined
and all comment upon this subject on gu
part would be entirely superbuous. u
n however, Der purpose was to reach and EN-
barrass Us on this subject, her efforts bay
not been without success. A common orlgi
a common language, have made the EnglIs
literature ours to great extent, and tn