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


49,. .o9 secoverv Of fugitive slaves, Congress
80, 4, ~, little 10 %euiorce them. The bill
--o,3;,y CIR tae co-operauOn Of tho few off,
- M he UaIted States Government In a
STATE Il practically quite insufficient TO ac-
com,isb tts aim. What can they do IN such
/. Sal. a Pennsylvania, 10 rec0yei fugitive
Jsve.t Vet n Congress does all that Il can do
NV lesiSaiion. 10 enforce the constitution, u
o1lv does its duty 10 the South. There can be
M concession or favor 10 the south, IN giving
her ony what she has q night 10 have under
Inc colstitution-unless, indeed, the consutu-
ton fot her has no existence. The bull then,
Is in the first place, quite inadequate 10 restore
10 rs mr fugitive slaves, and in the second
place. yves the south nothing but what she IS
entitled TO. II this was ALL there would be
nothing in the bill for which we should con-
cede any thing to the north. But 1t is not all.
Under the preiext of bestowing on us a benefit,
il perpeirates a usurpatiOn on Che reserved
rights of the States. 1t provides that a slave
may arraign his master, by the authority oil
laws made by Congress, before the courts OF
the States and of the United States to try
his ri3ht to his freedom. If Congress can
lepislate at all between the master and
slave in a State, where can IFS power be
stayedl It can abolish slavery IN the
States. Thus a power is assumed in the bill,
which virtually extends the Jurisdiction of
Congress over slavery in the States. And this
is a benefit to the South Unde. a guise of a
benefit. the bill is useleS-and worse than
useless in its IsurpationS. Such are the va
rious measures which constitute this com
promise.
We do not believe that many of those in the
South, who at an early day, expressed a will
l~inqness to support it, had well considered its
import, or ever contemplated supporting it
without material amendments. We fully APP
p~reciate and honor the motives Of those who
would restore tranquility TO the country, nor
shall we impugn in any form those who have
assisted to frame or who have yielded a sup
port to the measures. Why the non-slave
holding Statesdo not support these measures,
we are unable to understand, unless it be, that
a naughty fanaticism, inflated with success,
diSdains accomplishing its objects by indirec-
ton. Ifthese measures, however, were really
a compromise in which the South had equal
gains with the North, it would be of doubtful
expediency for the South to propose il. Three
times in Congress, during this controversy, the
South has proposed the Missouri compromise,
which has been rejected three times by the
North. Twice she has proposed a compromise,
by which she consented to leave it to the
courts of the United States to determine her
rights. Instead Of requiring sterhly their re-
: cognition by Congress, fifteen sovereign States
have consented to be carried into the courts
of the country, and there to submit their SOW
ereign rights in a territory belonging to them,
to their final arbitrament. Their humiliation
did not win the respect or confidence OF the
North and the proposition was twice rejected,
The South, in our opinion, might. except one
other compromise, not because it is coexten-
sive with our rights but because. it has been
twice sanctioned by those who have gone be-
fore us. If the North offers the Missouri COM
promise, to extend to the Pacific Ocean, the
South cannot reject it, provided that a dis.
tinct recognition Of our right to en-.
ter the territory south Of SO Q 80, north lati.
tude is expressed in the compromise. We
should take this line as a partition line be.
!, tween the two sections of the Union; and be.
t side this, nothing but what the Constitution
bestows. Although the Northern States would
acquire by this compromise, tffree-fourths Of
our vacant territory, they will have renounced
t the insufferable pretension of restricting and
preventing the extension of the South, whilst
: they should extend Indefinitely.
Having thus, fellow citizens, laid before you
4 a statement of your condition-your rights
y oHu 'hO iOhiCug NhiOAj uiiuol plCoOut CllCuil-
n stances, you should accept, we leave you for q
brief space of time. It's proper to state t.
t you, that while we are unanimous in approving
the reseehtions accompanying this address, thu
Delegates to this Convention are not entirely
, unanimous in approving all the argument
contained in il, particularly such as relate t.
the compromise bill pending in the United
States Senate, though none are in favor of tina
n bill, unless it be amended in conformity witt
$ our resolutions, or in such name as shall sub
2 stantially secure to the South the right asserted
in them. Until Congress a%djourns, we canno
d know what it will do, or fail to do. We mus
d therefore, meet again after its adjournment, I
IS consider the final condition in which it vii
g leave you. We recommend to you, and ea
y hort you to send Delegates from every count
d and district in the Southern States, to meet u
$ when we again assemble. 1t is no ordinar
h occasion which mas assembled us togethe
The Constitution, and the Union it created, S
y long dear to your hearts, are to be preserved
L and your liberties and your institutions mair
n tanned.