The southern press., 1850-10-05
From the IfayneriHe Chronicle.
Letters to the Hayneville Meeting.
CAHABA, Sept. 9. IS5l

CAHABA, Sept Z, 1850.
GENTLEMEN am in receipt of your polite note
of the 29th uIt., inviting me to attend Mass
meeting Of the friends of SO. 80, TO be held at
Hayneve on Saturday next. | exceedingly re-
gret that II will not be in my power to attend; but
| deem 1t scarcely necessary TO assure you, that
you have my warmest approval and most ardent
sympathies.
| The period has arrived in our country s history
when the labors OF the mere politician can be of
| but rtle service, no matter how pure his motives
| The crisis demands that the masses should speak
and that too IN such manner as to be fully and
distinctly understood Neither rash or timid
or tmd councils will now serve the purpose
| Prudence, wisdom, and firmness can alone carry
us safely through the ordeal through which we are
called to pass have strong and abiding faith in
the patriotism, prudence and courage of our coun-
trymen; and to them, in their primary assemblies
am therefore perfectly willing to submit the
great issues, aud be guided by their Judgment
The Union which we have been taught TO love
with more than Eastern idolatry, has been in effect
destroyed by sectional fanatcism; and if the
last sembances of 1t were swept away tomorrow
the future impartial historian would be forced to
say that the fault had not been ours. The Union
which our fathers gave us,-a Union of equality
of rights and burthens ard which is defined by
the Constitution, is still dear TO us in it's pure
and better days. But the Union which has been
made for us, and which is to degrade us from our
position OF equality, and flch from us, by the
strong arm of legislation and executive power,
our dearest rights, is plainly marked despot-
ism, as is that of any of the most absolute gov
ernments in Europe,
can conceive OF nothing more startling than
the doctrines of the Presidents message on the
Texas boundary question. The Executive as
sumes powers for that branch of the Government
certainly never dreamed of by the trainers of our
Constitution and if his threat Of thus settling by
his own mere ipse dirit the boundaries of a SOW
ereign State, and then maintain that settlement by
the strong arm of federal power, should be put
into practical effect, hope there is not man in
the South but that would feel called upon to afford
resistance in every form in which resistance could
be offered
But the other mode which is brought forward
for the settlement of the Texas question, confess
is not less distastefu to me than the plan OF the
Executive. The idea of subdvdng the treasury
Of the United States, to brbc sovereign State in
order to make free territory, and to enrich the
spectators IN her deprecated bonds, is to my
mind the most shameless and revolving spectacle
to be found upon the records OF our history But
what greatly adds to its enormity is, that we of
the South, at whom this deadly blow is aimed
must pay the largest proportion of the ten mil
lions of dollars required to make onethird Of
Texas free territory.
The proposed robbery of the South by excluding
her from all participation in California, is wrong
without parallel in history, and the excuse at
tempted to be set up for doing thls " adds insult
to injury" To tell us that a few adventures,
drawn together from all quarters of The globe, have
a right to assemble on the soil purchased by our
blood and treasure, and solemn!y abrogate our
rights, is a shameless mockery.
! confess that have but slender patience with
those who gravely urge to submit to these
wrongs. | will not say that do bt their patri-
otism, but could not trust to their Judgment.
do hope, gentlemen, that your meeting may
be the fountain of great good. Unanimity and
energetic action is what we want; and hope this
you will recommend. For myself can say, 18th
my notions of allegiance, whatever Alabama, in
shall most cheerfuy do though it may bring me
IN conflict with the federal authority.
/ am, gentlemen, most respectfully, your obe-
dieut servant,
II CAMPBELL