The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1850-11-08

kotte, anu instead OF one bneT6 VIII Dc Ltc0 Tree
States. See Report, page 449.
, These extracts might be multiplied indehn-
itely. Enough, however, is given to show
that the division of California by the line of SO
deg. 80 min. as proposed by the Nashville
Convention, would have resulted in the admis-
sion of tiCo free States instead of one, Of four
free-States Senators instead of tloo.
Under such circumstances and with such
facts staring us in the face, we cannot as patri-
OTIS and Southern men, consent to favor dis
solution of the Union, because California has
been admitted with her present. organization;
with a curtaiment of her present limits. We
utterly deny that the last Legislature had any
right to commit the peoples of Georgia to any
such alternative. They usurped power and
sovereignty which belonged of right only to
the people. We further .solemnly protest a.
gainst Convention, called for insufficient rea.
sons, and clothed as this will be, with all the
attributes of sovereignty, and empowered to
act in the last resort, upon the grave issue OF
Union or Disunion.
The dangers that would attend dissolution
of the Union; we regard as palpable and immi-
nent In our opinion it would be followed by
the most disastrous consequences.
lit will gain for the South no additional
guarantees for her cherished institution. 1t
will not check the spirit of fanatcism at the
North; nor secure the extension of slavery into
California
2-It will result in acivil, perhaps servile war
which would absorb all our resources, force US
into system of direct taxation, and render
property less secure than at present, both in
Georgia and in the border States.
Sit would compel the shareholders in the
( border States TO push their negroes into the
| Southern markets; and thus force the PLAN
| tiers of Georgia and adjoining States to pay
Virginia, Kentucky and Maryland for manumts
! ting their slaves.
! At would force the more southern States,
ultimately to Secede again from the new Con-
federaey, or to fall back upon separate State or
ganizations, and thus give to the South a set
of petty States, without either power or res
spectability.
| 5-Undef such circumstances, the people of
| the South would have neither men nor money
with which to carry slavery into California.
They would not even be able to retain it at
home, much less force it across the shores of
the Pacific.
6--All these causes operating conformity;
would limit the area of slavery to few Of the
South h-Atlantic and Gulf States-where the
lands would soon become exhausted-where
slave labor would cease to remunerate--where
the slaves themselves would be worthless, and
the institution become a tax upon the people.
THE final result of the whole matter would
be, that the owners would be compelled to a.
boliSh slaueryin self defence-because the pro-
perty itself will become valueless, and they
would have no means left to support it.
Here, then, are some Of the curses Of diss64
luton; and in our candid opinion, if the Union
is severed, it win not require quarter of
| century, tocousummate his magnificent scheme
of mischief and. ruin.
As patriots, as Southern men, we can give
no countenance to any scheme which would
be followed by such probable results. We
cannot consent thus to lower the Proud en-
sign of the Union. As citizens; having be-
coming veneration for the Father Of his coun-
try-his memory and his dying sentiments
we can take neither part nor lot ia any move
ment which would blot out single star or
erase single stripe from the glorious banner
of the Union as it is. Under that banner we
will rally, and like the men of ZIG. pledge tour
lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor'' to
defend it. We will never give up the Union
for existing grievances; nor until The people Of
the North prove themselves lost to all honor
and patriotism, by attempting some positive
htOidtlOH Vi tlh1 VI Oui klEtlS
guaranteed therein.
Entertaining such sentiments as are herein
expressed, Ws, the people of Bibb county, now
assembled, do adopt the following
Union and Southern Rights Platform.
l. That while we do not approve entirely
of all the Peace measures which have recently
passed Congress, and while we sanction the
votes Of our Senators and Representatives in
opposing the admission of California; still we
see, in the action of Congress, nothing which
can be regarded as a violation of the Constitu-
tion-nothing which will require a resort to
extreme measures, or I'M which the South can-
not honorabiY acquiesce.
q That We profess to be as true friends Of
Southern rights, and as ready to defend them,
as any men living, when there is just and
sufficient cause for extreme measures; yet, be-
lieying that Disunion at present, will not only
fail to strengthen our rights in the territories,
but force upon US the alternative of dbolishing
sldrery at home, we are not prepared to rush
madly into position which can only result in
disaster and dishonor.
g. That should Congress at any time ex-
hibit its purpose to war upon our property, or
withhold our urjustconstitutional rights, we stand
ready to vindicate those rights, in the Union
as long as possible. and out Of the Union when
we are left no other alternative. We repel
the idea that we are submissionists, or that we
have any sympathies with the enemies of South
ern Rights.
A. Believing, as we do, that either secession
or any other extreme measure, al present, can
only result in mischief to the South, and to the
cause Of Republican institutions, we will sup.
port no candidate for seat in said Conven-
ton, who does not, publicly and unequiyocally,
pledge himself to oppose any and every meas
ure which may lead, either directly or Indirect
/ ly, to ii dissolution of the Union; and we re-
! quest the friends of the Union, in other conn-
ties, to exact the same pledge from every can
didate before yielding him their support.
5. That we depreeate, as unpatFiotic and
dishonorable, the practice pursued by certain
disunion orators ard presses, of denouncing
I Northern men and foreigners residing at the
South, as being unsound on the subject our
local Institutions, and as being capable ofjoin-
{ ing in a servile revolt We believe such char
ges, unsupported as they are by the slightest
proofs, to be the strongest evidence that the
men who make them are destitute Of moral and
political honesty, and ought 10 be watched
with especial care.
| 6. That the people of Bbbcounty will for
get all past party distinctions and differences;
and in imitation of their fathers of The Revolu-
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