The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-22

Do you believe that, In the recent acts OF Con
gress for the settlement Of the territorial and
slavery questions, the South has been wronged
and the Constitution violated ~ ... A
Are you in favor, in convention, Of censuring
the Legislature and Governor of Georgia for
their action on this question? VII ,r,d- j.. :. +.
0#ar A. III. McLAWS, -... ~..af
. '.. 90 JOSEPH f. BURCH, e ".aa,4
s" .." ALEXANDER DEAS, and others
..., ......-., AUGUSTA, LIST Nov, 1850.
GEsTLEMEN--Haying been nominated by the
Southern Rights convention of Richmond eoun-
ty, as candidates to represent said county in the
State Convention, to be held in Milledgeville, on
the 10th of December next, We fully recognize
your right, to enquire into our opinions, upon
the great questions which agitate the public
mind; and proceed cheerfully, to reply to your
questions, in the order in which they are pro-
pounded. & nar .ar ..- ...... n.-. . ,...4
lst. Never have we for a moment, at any pc
Rod of our lives, doubted the right of sover-
eign State of this Union to resume the powers
delegated by it to the Federal Government, and
to secede from the Union whenever, in its judg-
ment, its happiness, safety, or honor should de-
mand it. Such has ever been the doctrine of
the advocates of the true rights of the States.
We deem it only necessary to express this opin-
ion, without troubling you with our reasons
for it. ''"'F "'
Cd. Should we be honored by our fellow citi.
zens of Richmond county, with seats in the
Convention, We would aadyocate the adoption
of platform for the maintenance and security
of the rights of Georgia, with the pledge of the
State that it would secede from the Union
upon its essential violation by Federal legisla-
ton. ..t..t,
Sd. A repeal of the Fugitive slave law would
constitute one act of further encroachment
which, in our opinion, would justify secession.
A repeal of that law would show such an utter
disregard Of our constitutional rights, as not
only to leave us no hope of justice in the future,
but no prospect of association with the non
saveholding States, but at the expense Of our
sacred rights, our safety, and our honor. We
would place in the same category of encroach-
ments the abolition Of slavery in the District of
Columbia, the forts, arsenals, &C., over which
the Government exercises jurisdiction-the abo-
lition of the slave trade between the States
the exclusion of slavery from the territories, by
the passage of the Wilmot Proviso-and we
need scarcely add, the abolition Of slavery in the
States. .@.,
4th AS part of the mode and measure of
redress" we would advocate the imposition of
tax, discriminating between articles of North
ern and Southern manufacture"
9th. We do believe, that in the admission Of
California rs a State, into the Union, the South
has been wronged, and the Constitution violated.
We deem it only necessary to atate our opinions.
While we should have opposed the bill, Gf we
had had a vote upon it) to cede a part of Texas
to New Mexico, still we are disposed not to dis
card any Southern man, for voting for it, as, in
the last resort, the question ia to he left to the
decision of Texas herself-while the bill estab-
fishing Territorial governments for Utah and
New Mexico, leave the question of their admis-
sion, with slavery, or without it, to the people
there, when they establish State constitutions,
still, slavery is practically excluded from them
by the unanimous declaration of the Northern
members, that its exclusion by the Wimot
Proviso, was rendered unnecessary, by the ex-
istence of Mexican anti-slavery laws The dis
tinct proposition to open the Territories, to the
people of the South, with their property of every
kind was rejected by Northern votes. The
people of the South, will be debarred from
moving to the Territories by the threatened and
expensive law suits, as effectually as they would
have been by the Wimot Proviso. ,..,t!.g @'
9Th. Never should our votes be given in con-
vention, to censure the Legislature and govern
ment of Georgia, for their action on this ques-
ton. We believe they both did their duty; but
even if they erred, we would not bring them
down to the feet of Northern fanaticism ard OPP
preston, by vote of censure. They aoere seek
ing to protect or rights against unjust assaults
and encroachments; andwe would shield and pro-
tect them under theeircumstances Of their action.
A declaration by the convention, that the South
has not been wronged in the (miscalled settle
ment of the slavery question by Congress, and
a vote ofcensure ofthe legislature and Governor,
would degrade the State of Georgia, and sully
her hitherto untarnished honor, In the eyes of
the civilized world, ... $40. .tr.,.r
We are, very respectfully, your obedient
servants, GEO. w. LAMAR,
JNO. C. SNEAD,
JAMES M. SMYTIIE.
Messrs. A. II. McLaws, Jos. f. Burch, A. Deas,
and others. ..H
LAWRENcEvILLE, Nov 9Th, 1850.
SOUTHERN RIGHTS MEETING.-Previous no.
tice being given, a respectable number of the
friends of the Southern Rights assembled in the
Courthouse. u. ga -aa-. & s
On motion, Col NJ L. Hutchins was called to
the chair, and Josiah B. Patterson requested to-
act as secretary of the meeting. After few
brief and pertinent remarks in exposition Of the
wrongs perpetrated upon the rights and interests
of the South, the chair proceeded to state the
objects of the meeting, viz to select suitable
candidates to represent the Southern Rights
party in the Convention soon to assemble in
Milledgeville. .Ni ..s ~.
On motion of C. H. Smith, ESQ.,, a committee
of FIVE were appointed by the chair to draft re-
solutions expressive of the views and feelings of
this meeting. s.Ett
The Chair appointed c. H. Smith, esq, New
ton Stiles Iiddell E. Stanley K r. Terrell