The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-09-24
EXTRACTS OF MR.. RHETTS SPEECH

|
S people ben the things in mind, when they
, ook uponthe recent outrage upon the South
, by the admission Of California, aud they will
see in a davnihg Of its magnitude the set
lied desinals of the Northern States, and
The steady manner in which they pursue
Them.
"But | hasten, fellow>citzens to the las;
test of liberty ina country where the institu.
non of slaveW prevaiIs--the protection aud
security the government affords Is the
government 0, the United Stntes a source
OF confidence aid security in the muinten.
lance of this institution; or is it on the con.
trary, cause OF anxiety and fear For a
people to fear their government is proof OF
political slavery II is Inconceivahe, that n
free people, free to make, and free to change
their governments, should have any other
feeling towards II tNan affection and conf.
dence If they rule themselves, they must
fear themselves, to fear their government.
lOnIy those who are ruled, need fear their
rulers, And yet | appeal to every one of
You his night, have You no fears of the rov.
Iernment OF the United States in its present
and future bearings on the institution of
slavery! Look abroad throughout the world.
and from what government and what people
do you apprehend intervention which must
endanger this institution, looking tous over.
throw. Gou must answer-Lhe govern
ment of the United States, and tie people
u the Northern States. Instead OF contrib.
utng to your peace and security they are
the grand agitators--the only agitaiors, who
restlessIy and pertlnaciously assai the in.
stitution OF slavery, and do all they can do
and dare do, to weaken aud abolish it in the
South. Are you free, and do you rule your
selves by the government of the United
States, in securing to yourself protection and
peace, with respect to the institution o9
slavery. Was it ever intended by your fas
thers? Is it your will that slavery should
be as it has been for years past, the one
great subject OF agitation in Congress? Do
you pass those resolutions which are annual
" on one preteXt or another, sent t., you from
the Northern States in which you are de-
nounced OH account of this institution, aud
your right to hold your slaves is questioned
or denied Is IT Of your choice, that you
stand in a position, where you cannot even
defend yourself, without instigating servie
instructions? Havs you set up that most
odious of all tyrannies in your midst, which
enters into the domestic circle, and soWs sus.
pcon and discomfort amongst those who
dwell under the same roof Have you
wrested from yourselves, contrary to the ex-
press mandates Of the constitution, the re-
capture Of your fugitive slaves in the free
| States! Has it been by your assent that,
| by threats emancipation in our Territories,
and a refusal to pass proper territorial laws.
| you have been excluded from our Terrific
res, and the settled purpose has been an
nounced that by one expedient or another,
you shall not occupy or possess one foot of
that magnificent domain, you have lately
won from Mexico? Is it your voice which
declares that slavery shall be abolished in
the District of Columbia, and that 10 more
slave States shall be added TO the Union,
whilst free States shall be multiplied indef.
niteiy! In all these unconstitutional pre-
tensions and aggressions, you do not rule
| yourselves. You are ruled by the North,
in defiance of your will and the constitution,
through the Government of the United
| States; and with the Government OF the
United States to enforce these uncon-dtu-
tlonal preten>ions and aggressions. You
canrot and do not protect yourselves; nor
eau you keep off, in Congress or ont OF Con-
gress. the dangerous agitation Of the subject
Of slavery. | pat the question to you are
You free people, under the practical oper-
alton Of such a Government, in the protec-
tion and security it affords to your domestic
institutions!
"lf such then be the true character Of the
Government of the United States with re-
spect to the institution Of slavery, aud the
taxes II imposes and expeRds, the question
occurs What sort Of Government does it
practically establish over the South Is it
that free Government and that Union the
Constitution was designed to establish ?
These are all we require. For them we
are prepared TO live aud to die. In main
tanning them would fulfill the faith to which
our fathers pledged u.s. as would my bap-
tsrna vows. But the Constitution has
been put aside, and the Union perverted
from the purposes for which it was created,
and in their siead pragmaticaI. agaricious,
and ianatleal despotism has been erected
over the South To endure it permanently,
is to give up all pretensions to liberty aud
equality in the confederacy and to sink down
to the position of degraded and ruined colo
MES. Is there any reasonable hope that the
Government may be reformed, and brought
back to the limited free Government Of our
constitution p
A wag in one of our Southern Legisla-
lures percelvihg mnsquito aight on a