The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-10-24
From de Splri. q ls6srsprl,.

From me Spirit or Jefferson,
TIE MEETING ON FRIDAY -Agreeably TO the
call which we Published in our last paper, signed
by over one hundred OF our citizens, TO take into
consideration the late action of Congress upon
slavery, and other kindred subjects. A very
large and highly respectable assembly convened
at the Courthouse, on Friday last, when upon
motion, Alex. r. Boteler was called 10 preside,
and Jno. Thos. Gibson appointed Secretary. It
is well known that the great object of this meet
ing was to hear from our senators and represent
tativc. After The organization Of the meeting
the Hon. Jas. III. Mason first took the stand, and
we here may be permitted to say how much we
regret that to us has been denied the ability TO
express in eloquent language our high apprccia-
ton of the great eilortof our distinguished sena
tor. Much MS We admired him heretotore--he
doubly enGeared himself to us---that day--for
his noble yindication of Southern rights--for his
noble adherence to the honor and Instructions of
his State--and his uuanswerable expose of the
enonnities of the so-caled compromise. The
wrong inflicted upon the South BY the admis-
sion OF California into the Union, under con-
stitution formed by small number Of transient
Adventures, amounting to an Intervention by
Congress against the South, giving life and va
ldty TO prohibition of slavery, otherwise null
and void. The ability with which this wrong
was exposed, satisfied us that the same thing
had been done as though Congress had inter
posed the proyiso themsclves-and every man
within the sound of his voice, while discussing
the act of Congress abolishing the slave trade in
the District of Columbia, must have been CON
WINGED that it was but the first step TO the abo-
ltion of slavery in the District, and the slave
trade between the States, and constituted an
other act of invidious and unconstitutional dis
elimination against our property and institutions
How clearly to us did he demonstrate the de-
liberate determination Of the free States to per-
severe in their hostility to lights and interests
and subject US to degrading inferiority, and we
cannot believe there was man present, who left
the Courthouse unconvinced that tame submis-
sion to present wrongs will never secure us
against future and more destructive aggressioas
We do not pretend, for we cannot give all the
arguments, points, or language OF our distin-
guished seuator--the speech WAS heard by many
of the best men of the county, they will remem-
Der II, for it was argument solid as the work OF
masonry, it was reason which will convince the
Judgment The recent acts Of Congress upon
slavery he prored-and no man can deny it-are
substantially such as the people of Virginia in
solemn counci-their legisla'iv i've body-have
most solemnly and repeatedly declared they
would resist at "every hazard" Virginia sent
her instructions to her Senators, and her Sena-
tors, to their honor be it said, noby battled for
her repeated resolves They had no other chart
to 90 by. The Legislature of the State alone
had the right to command her senators-their
bounden duty was to obey. Who denies this
Only he who thinks re has more sense than all
therworld "and the rest of mankind" What did
Virginia resolve March 9Th, l847, She
9. Resoired, unanimously That all territory
which may be acquired by the arms Of the Uni
ted States, or yielded by treaty with any foreign
power, belongs 10 The several States Of this Union,
as their joint and common properly IN ohich each
and all hare equal rights, and that the enactment
by the Federal Government, Of any law which
should directly, by ats Effects prevent the citi
zens of any State from emigrating with their
property, of whatever description, into such ter
ritory, would make discrimination unwarranted
by. and in riolation Of the Constitution, and the
rights ofthe States from which such citizens emf
grated, and in dcrogaton of that perfect equality
that belongs to the several States as members
of this Union, and ,oould tend directly 10 subrer
the Union Itself.
In January Goth, 1849, She
g. ResoLred, That we regard the passage of a
law by the Congress of the United States, abol-
ishino slavery or the Stare trade in the District Of
Columbia, as direct attack upon the institu-
tions of the Southern States, to be resisted at
every hazard.
In February l2th 1850, She
Resolved, That in the event Of the passage Of
the Wimot Proviso, or of any law abolishing
slavery in the District of Columbia, or in any
manner interfering acih The rights of shareholders
therein, or aboshing slavery in, or the slave
trade between the States, Virginia will be pre-
pared to unite with her sister slaveholding States,
in convention or otherwise, in the adoption Of
any measures that may be necessary to provide
for their mutual defence or to secure their conf
mon safety.
On the same day and year she declared:
!. Be ii therefore resolved by the General As
senbly of Virginia, That upon the questions
thus perseveringly and recklessly forced upon
the country, Virginia has taken her position, and
that position ,ciA be maintained. Her loyalty to
the Union is no matter of empty profession--it
is stamped upon every page of her history: No
State has done as much to form the Union !:
none is prepared to do more to perpetuate it in
the spirit in which alone it can be preserved
But loyal as she is, and always has been, it were
a fatal error to suppose that Virginia cW ercr
consent thai that Union 10 Which she has looked
as a source If happiness and honor, shall be con-
rerted into an instrument Of degradation and OPP
preston"
Faithfully and to the letter, has her senators
obeyed her voice-and if Virginia would prove
to the other States, that it were "a fatal error
to suppose that she will ever consent that the
Union to which she has looked as source of
happiness and honor shall be converted into an
instrument of degradation and oppression"-it
is her bounden duty to return to the Senate Of
the United States that son who has faithfully
re-echocd her instructions. To this day the
resolve of Virginia that if the slave trade in the
District Of Columbia should be abolished she
would resist, stands unrcpealed upon her statute
book. YET the act has been done by the Congress
of the United States in the very face of her re-
solve, and as it would seem for the purpose Of
testing her honesty, and it was well said by
Sol Mason, that it was for her to say what
course she would pursue, he was but her agent,
ready to obey her voice-whatever course she
pursued, he would go with her-to her he owed
allegiance, and her law should be his guide. At
the conclusion of the honorable senator's speech,
which was listened to with the most profound