The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1850-05-11
Me-. FAYETTEVILLE, n c. NAY H. 1880

denies to Congress the power 30 legis'ate
on the subject Of slavery in the District Of
Columbia. ''or to prohibit the slaxe trsde
between the several States. or 10 prohibit
the introduction Of slavery in the 'ferrito-
ries Of the United States This i the
very gist Of the dispute and yet it IS pass.
ed over ~ Of no Importance. This is the
controverted question Of right asserted on
one side and denied on the other. out Of
which all the danger to the Union has
arisen. On this ground the convention is
charged with having "besged the. question
OF aggression by the non n-slaseholding
States.' wish the South to mark your
language, for this is the immediate cause
Of the quarrel. We conscientiously be-
lieved, and still believe, the North claim
ed too much that Congress has no power
over the subject of slavery in the Terrific
ries, the common property Of all the
States. We believe that the exercise Of
such power would endanger the Union ;
and to prevent this catastrophe we met.
1t we have begged the question Of aggres-
SION, we shalt continue in that category.
We were sincere in our expressions of at
tachment to the Union. Ibelieve the
whole South is attached to it. and that no
secret designs are entertained against it in
that quarter. You, aud others like you.
do most to unsettle the foundations Of the
government, by claiming for ii power which
it does not possess, by trying to build up
a consolidated fabric on the ruins of State
sovereignty and Of the Constitution. And
if, unfortunately, the future historian shall
be compelled to deplore the ruin of the
and your class Of politicians will stand
conspicuous in the foreground on the can
vass which shall represent the great drama.
But your greatest alarm for the safety
Of the Union has arisen from portion
of the address prepared under the direc-
ton Of the convention. That is regarded
by you asa full development Of The ob-
ject-a Southern Confederacy. The Ian
beyond popular convention OF the Southern
States, with the view and the hope Of ar
resting the course Of aggression, and if
not practicable, then to Concentrate the
South in will, understanding and action.
the convention Of Mississippi suggests, as
the possible alternate resort, the call by the
legislatures Of the assailed States OF still
more solemn conventions, such as should be
regularly elected by the people Of these
States, to deliberate, speak, and act with
all the sovereign power OF the people.
Should, in the result, such conventions be
called and meet, they may lead to a like
regularly constituted convention Of all the
States. to provide. in the last resort, for
their separate welfare, by the formation Of
a compact and a union that will afford
protection to their liberties and their
rights" This you call the project of a
Southern Confederacy confesse.l-opcnly,
and apparently without cOmpunction avow-
ed, and coolly recommended to the con-
sideration of the Southern States.' This
is an unfair construction. The secondary
is made the primary proposition. The ac-
cident is made the substance--the alterna-
tive the primary object. The contingency
on which asouthern Confederacy was a|iud-
cd to has been entirely overlooked-kept
out Of view. 1t was spoken of in the
address only as last resort in the event
Of failure in - the hope Of arresting the
course Of aggression.'' - The address did
not authorise you to say that Southern
Confederacy was the object it avows at
tachment to the Union as did every ex.
preston Of the convention, and as do the
whole people of Mississippi. No men live
who more desire the perpetuity OF the I'm
ion than do the signers of that address,
if they can have it unimpaired. But they
believed with the entire South that the
North had been pressing. and would again
endcavor to press, the exercise OF power
not delegated to Congress by the Constitu
ton; and they believed, moreover: that the
South would not submit. Their FIRST hope
was to avert the evil by timely deciara-
ton OF their rights, but if that should fail.
it was natural 10 look to consequences.
and to provide for them. The convention
lnP fk,n
fluence of excited feeling" They met as
men who had reflected we'll; who knew
and felt the solemnity Of the occasion. In
surveying the whole ground. it was bu!
natural-it was prudent-that they should
look to the possibility Of a failure in their
fondest hope. And it was only on tina,
a single thought was turned to Southern
compact as means Of security. not "'
choice. repeat that we desire no South
ern Confederacy--we desire the PerPe'uity
of our present Union but it can only be
preserved by keeping every department OF
the government within it's constitutional