The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-06-25
MIR. DAVIS SPEECH.

We take the following eloquent and true ex-
tracts from the speech of Senator jefferson
Davis on the occasion of presenting to the
Senate the action of Mississippi on the slave
ry question:
"Mr, President, these injuries, positive
and negative-these offences against their
pride and sensibility-these intrusons upon
their domestic relations-these inffingments
upon their State rights, increasing from year
to year in efensiveness, and the strength by
which they are sustained--have excited the
feeling manifested in the State OF Mississip.
pi. But, sir, we have been asked, and ask
ed, too, in the Senate, il this Nashville Con-
vention does not meet for purposes of disu-
Mon, why does it meet at all Mr. Presi-
dent, have we reached that point in the his
tory of our Government when aggression is
sanctioned by numbers, and redressaan on
ly be obtained by force ?-when citizens
cannot peaceably assemble in convention
with other hopes and other prospects than
disunion? Sir, this Nashville Convention
was founded in the confidence which the
people of Mississippi, so far as they recon-
mended it, had in the patriotism, the good
morals, and good sense of the North. 1t
was found in the expectation that the
masses of the South could speak to the
masses of the North, and gain their attention
for useful purposes. 1t was founded in the
hope that fraternity was not yet dead, and
regard for the constitution not yet wholly
oblterated among the people, however far
politicians may have gone astray. Those
who believe that this faith was unjust and
| this hope was vain, may well ask us, if not
assembled there for purposes of disunion,
why do we assemble When those who
believe this confidence i'll the patriotism ard
fraternity of our co-States of the Union to
be uHfounded, ask such question, no an
swer can be given which to them would be
satisfactory"
| After recapitulating the California question,
and showing the wrongs done to the South, Mr..
Davis concludes in this manner Let every
Mississippian read it:
"The people of Mississippi exercise their
right peaceably to assemble-a right which
Great Britain denied to our forefathers, and
which denial, more than any other one
cause, led to the war of the Revolution,
which gave independence to these United
States. They peaceably assembled. They
considered their grievances. They have
invited others, like circpmstanced, to meet
them in consultation upon the subject oi
providing appropriate remedies. They have
not sought by force of arms, nor by force oi
numbers, to violate the constitution, or in
fringe the rights of others. Far from it.
They have sought by public opinion, and by
frank expression of their convictions and
determinations, to operate upon what they
still hope exists--the spirit of patriotism and
fraternity-which in times gone by, anima
ted and governed theif fathers, when, united
by one constitution, and marching to a glori
Gus destiny under one banner, they founded
the Republic. This is the length ant
breadth and depth of all the proceedings o
the people of Mississippi. Under such cir
cunstances, therefore, they may well scorr
the denunciations OF those. who impugr
their motives. They may well rely 70
ttheir Justification against charges of disloy
atty to the Union, on the proofs they hav,
heretofore given, and those they are ready
hereafter to give, whenever their country
: may need them, Of their devoted attachmen
to the glory and interests, and their faithful
adherence to the constitution of the Unite'
: Estates. Well may they rely securely upol
the purity OF their motives, the justice c
! ttheir demands. and the final judgment q
t mankind, for sefutation Of the charges c
J Ithose who have attempted to defame then
lit is true that the hope and confidence i