The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-27
For AZ SouiAsra rysss.
BrAuyn.r pAs,sH, La. 9Th July, 1850.

Sm The speech delivered by you in the Senate
Of the United States, May 22d 1850, is just now
before us, and as you appear wholly ignorant, or
misinformed, perhaps, Of the sentiments Of the
people Of this portions Of the State, we propose
noticing some Of the position assumed in your
speech; assuring you, however, that we do so
with feelings of the utmost respect.
! You set out with the assumption that the South
has been, from the beginning, and always con-
tinued, willing and DESTROYS to adopt the principle
Of non-intertsremce on the part Of the Federal Go
vernment on the subject of slavery in the terrific
ries. This is true; but we are now told by you
that by interference we have lost all foothold'
in California Can the "foothold'' we have lost
be regained Or more properly, does the Com
promise bill which you now advocate, ian advo-
cacy, by the way, for which we were little pre-
pared, after Witnessing the noble and patriotic
stand taken by you on the report Of the measures
y.the committee,) does this bill, we ask, operate
to restore our rights in that region, or nuify the
interference which has been had If the Com
promise bill, (more properly terms Of equalization
Of the South,) cannot restore to our rights in
California, where, then, the proprety of ADVOCATE
ing it upon any such ground (non -interference) I
Our rights, of which we have been deprived by
interference, are gone, you tell us, and gone for
ever, without interference to restore them to us.
We do not discover in what this bill, so warmly
advocated by you, and we cannot help thinking,
so unfortunately, operates to restore our rights
How it destroys them is much palmer, and, there
fore, observable to our inferior mental percep-
ton. Yes, we can well understand how it operates
effectually to destroy them; for the interference,
so far as we are now informed, has been only
Erecutpe interference and of course of no validity
or binding force without the sanction Of Congress.
This bill affords that sanction, and, if it unfortu-
nately becomes a law, then, indeed, shall we have
"lost all foothold there" Tin California; For
the opponents Of the bill to contend for non-inter-
ference seems reasonable enough, but for its
advocates to do SO is strange indeed The people
of the South are contending for non-nterference
Let us alone to enter, along with the people of
the North, into the territories which are our
joint property, doctrine which the signers Of
this communication are prepared, when the time
arrives, to defend at any and every extremity.
You inquire: g. what reason have we to believe
that we shall gain any thing in the South by re-
jecting this compromised" "a penny saved is a
penny gained, is as true in politics as in financial
economy; and if we gain nothing we shall lose
nothing-we shall not lose our selfrespect, nor
the respect of good men; and we shall furnish
practical demonstration of the successful opera
ton Unconstitutional government, and its efficiency
to protect the rights of minorities; or if this fail
us, then the capacity of the people to adopt such
form Of government may be most conducive to
their happiness, and to alter the same whenever
circumstances may require it. More than this,
we shall not lose that position of equality we now
occupy; the loss Of which would be degrading to
us as individuals and as nation; and should not
induce Legislative sanction of Executive inierter
ence, which depriyes us of call foothold " in Cali
fornia-a territory cannot consider Of greater
value than all the rest Of the recent acquisitions
from Mexico put together-your opinion to the
contrary notwithstanding.
You appear perfectly conscious that much is
ire vocably lost to the South by this bill if adopt
ed, but would have suffer that loss, in conse-
quence Of our weakness! What constitutes that
weakness' but the divisions among Southern
representatives upon the subject. 1t is not nu-
merica, nor the result of position, either political
or geographical. few of you from the Southern
States forming decided minority Of their deega-
tons in Congress, stand up for this measure, so
obnoxious it is, and thus keep alive the divi-
sions unhappily existing. How much more pa
triotic is the of Judge Sharkey, as reported
to US by telegruph.s Let his example be the OBJ
ject of your emulation; and you may then return
to your State with the need of " well done good
and faithful servant 1t is hoped, however, that
now the South has spoken through the medium of
its convention, that you will not find it a difficult
task to conform to her views, for the sake OF the
union of the South; measure of infinitely greater
importance at this juncture than the division of
any party The loss, in addition, of enough of
Texas to form two large States is, also, to be af
fected by this bill, which is itself sufficient to
weigh down any advantage we may possibly gain
by it.
You seem to argue as if the tenth section was
all of the BILL and advocate its passage upon the
merits Of that section only. Can it be possible
that the press of business upon your hands is so
great as to prevent your acquiring any knowledge
of the other provisions of the bill Have you
heard nothing Of the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Texas
of the interference and inpudent assumption of
party of adventures in California, congregated
from all corners Of the earth, to exclude the peo-
pie Of the South from their own---to GUST them
from their possessionsi Has it blinded your
eyes to the fact, that the Northern States stands
ready, yea pledged to apply the Wilmot Proviso
to these territories at the first session of the next
Congress; while Mr.. Webster stands with the bill
in hand, granting quarter sections to actual set
tiers, the design Of which is, and the effect will
be, to fill up the country with Irish and German
emigrants, anti-Southern in feelings and senti-
ments; thus to make sure the exclusion of the
South from the territories' Can it be that you are
worried by the business Of legislation as to be
brought to this doorous condition. If so, come
home we entreat you, come home, for the sake of
your own reputation, and the feelings Of at least
this portion of the State-of all her American born
citizens Of Anglo-Saxon origin-come home, and