The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-11-26
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Gentlemen ef tbs Ssaats and House ell
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convene the Legislature in extraordinary
session. Were disposed 20 shift from my.
self the responsibility Of this act might
point to the firm and patriotic resolutions Of
your honorable bodies, passed at the last
session on the subject Of our Federal rela.
tiohs. as a full Justification of my course ;
but inasmuch as the constitution confdes
this important power solely TO the discretion
OF the Governor, am quite content 20 rest
the propnety of my action upon reasons
and considerations, which shall proceed
briefly to lay before you, and which doubt
not, will be deemed satisfactory both by you,
and by our common constituents, the people.
| shall study to present them with simplici.
ty, candor and truth.
Probably no free representative Govern
ment has ever existed, which has not been
agitated by The contests of rival interests
When these happen to he scattered and diff.
fused throughout "A whole community, the
excitement thereby produced, is healthy and
beneficial but, when these interests are To-
cal and sectional, growing out of diversity
of climate and productions, the contest soon
becomes struggle for supremacy too often
attended with jealousy, bitterness and ha.
tired especially when the rival sections are
distinguished by dissmiar and incongruous
social systems. The contest which has long
been waged by the Northern or non.slave-
holding States, led on by New England
against the Southern or slave.hoding states
has begun to partake of the latter character
1t commenced in conflict of interests, about
manufactures, navigation laws, local appro-
priations, &c, and has ended in war ofex.
termination against the institution Of domes.
tic slavery or rather, against the states in
which the system exists.
The hostility TO slavery has now become
the all.absorbing, all-controlling element of
political action and party movement, both
in Congress and throughout the Northern
States. Political parties, unite, separate,
and are modified with reference to it. Po.
litical platforms are built upon il. 1t is the
main question in the selection of candidates
for all Offices 1t is the active element OF
religious, benevolent charitable, and even
literary associations, and the spice which
seasons private society. The Constitution
of the United States, the rights ofthe States,
the gravest questions of public policy, all are
constructed and determined with reference
to this question of domestic slavery; and the
Congress of the United States whose pow.
ers are limited mainly to the regulation Of
national and external objects, are now found
devoting nearly all their time to subjects Of
domestic nature, over which il was never
intended that they should exercise jursdic.
| tion,
1t might be interesting to trace the prog
ress of the abolition, or anti-slayery excite
nent, from its small beginnings to its pres
ent overshadowing influence, when it act
ually sways the whole machinery of the
Federal Government. But it is sufficient,
in this connection, to state the question as it
was during the last session Of the Legisla-
ture, and to present forcibly the changes
which have since occurred
BY the war with Mexico, we had ac.
quired vast and valuable territory. Its
area is large enongh 10 constitute fifteen
states Of medium size. A portion Of this ter
ritory fronting for more than 1000 miles
upon the Pacific ocean, abounds with good
harbors, which command the rich commerce
of the Indies, Of China and Of the Southern
Archipelago. 1t contains too, within its
bosom, inexhaustible beds of the precious
metals. No country ever discovered, has
suddenly presented 50 many brilliant attrac.
tions for adventurers, and none has risen into
notice with more rapidty. The exclusive
possession and enjoyment Of this vast and
rich territory, soon excited the ayarice and
lust for power Of the North, and for time
all anli-sIavery schemes were merged in the
leading one of excluding the South from this
Joint possession. The whole force of the
contest was turned upon this point. The
North determined to exclude slavery. The
South seemed equally determined not to
submit to such insulting and unjust dscr.m-
ination. The firm and decided position Of
the slavehoIding states, enforced respect,
and for time, seemed to promise security
and protection against the contemplated
outrage In the meantime while the rival
sections maintained this attitude, deep po-
litical intrigue was devised and set on foot,
to effect indirectly the purpose Of excluding
the Southern States from the common terri
tory. The transient and floating population
which had poured into the country, were
instgated and encouraged to usurp the SOW.
ereign domain Of the best and most valuable
portions of that country, cut of the South
ern States from all participation therein. and
to demand from Congress the sanction Of
their illegal proceedings, and admission into
the Union as State. Encouraged by the
| Federal administration, in the way OF whose
political schemes these questions lay as
stumbling blocks, this stupendous plot to
defraud the Southern States by an abuse Of
the power to admit new States, notwith-
standing its monsirous injustice, was begin
ming to develop its progress during your last
session Of the Legislature. So palpable did
its real purpose appear to those who had
closely watched its progress, that both our
Il ~ a l.fI,-