The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-05
THE ADDRE SS

The committee to uhich uas referred thu
duty CT preparing an address to the peo-
pile Of the slareholding States upon thu
subject Of a Southern Organ, TO be estab-
Kshed in the City Of Washington, pu'
. forth The tololriag:
FELLow-CITIZENs: A number Of Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress from
the Southern States of the Confederacy deep
ly impressed with sense of the dangers
which beset those States, have considered
carefully our means of self-defence within
the Union and the Constitution, and have
come to the conclusion that it is highly mpor-
tant to establish in this city paper, which,
without reference to political party, shall be
devoted to the rights and interests OF the
South, so far as they are involved in the ques-
tons growing out of African slavery. 10
establish and maintain such a paper, your
support is necessary, and accordingly we
address you on the subject.
In the contest now going on, the consti-
tutional equality of fifteen States is put in
question. Some sixteen hundred millions
worth of negro property is involved directly,
and indirectly, though not less surely, an IN
calculable amount OF property in other forms.
But to say this is to state less than half the
doom that hangs over you. Your social
forms and insttutions-which separate the
European and the African races into distinct
classes, and assign to each a different sphere
in society-are threatened with overthrow
Whether the negro isto occupy the same
social rank with the white man, and enjoy
equally the rights, privileges, and immuni-
ties Of citizenship--in short, all the honors
and dignities of society-is a question Of
greater moment than any mere question OF
property can be.
Such is the contest now going on--a con-
test i'll which public opinion, if not the pre-
vailng, is destined to be most prominent
force and yet, no organ of the united inter
ests of those assailed has as yet been es-
tablished, nor does there exis: any paper
which can be the common medium for an
interchange of opinions amongst the South
ern States. Public opinion, as it has been
formed and directed by the combined infu-
ence Of interest and prejudice, is the force
which has been most potent against US in
the war now going on against the institu-
ton Of negro slavery; and yet we have ia
ken no eilectual means to make and main
tain that issue with it upon which our safety
and perhaps our social existence depends.
Whoever viii look to. the history of this
question, and to the circumstances I'M
der which we are now placed, must see
that our position is one of imminent danger,
aud one to be defended by all the means,
moral and political, of which we can avail
ourselves in the present emergency. The
warfare against African slavery commenced,
as is known, with Great Britain, who, after
having contributed mainly to its establish
ment in the New World, devoted her most
earnest Efforts, for purposes not yet fully ex-
planned, to its abolition in America. How
wisely this was done, so far as her own coll
onies were concerned, time has determined;
and all comment upon this subject on our
part would be entirely superfluous If,
however, her purpose was to reach and EN-,
barrass US on this subject, her efforts have
not been without success, A common origin
a common language, have made the English