The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-07


men of the South, and, therefore, none of these
dangers are to be apprehended. We should not
''lay this fiattering JUNCTION to souls" These
are times OF excitement, and men remarkable for
wisdom, honesty, and discretion, are rarely, if
ever, conspicuous in promoting schemes of agta-
ton Such at such times and in such schemes,
usually give place 10 the restless politician and for
toard demagogue who generally manage TO render
themselves prominent and popular, and OF course
successful; and confess that even the possibility
that majority OF wild, visionary, reckless men
might get into the convention, would cause 10
trembe at the idea Of placing the rights and inter
ess Of the South, and the safety of this Union upon
| the result of its deliberations.
But II we admit that no designs against the Union
| are intended and none TO be feared-that the
whole object OF the convention is to show that we
are united and earnest, what, ask again, can the
Convention say do to create strengthen this
impression which has not been said and done in
! more authoritative and dgnfed form by State Le-
gislatores and State conventions? What, on the
other hand, is to be the consequence if the Nash
vile convention shall meet and fail 10 agree upon
our rights and anticipated wrongs-upon measures
and remedies II is very certain that delegates
from vast extent Of country, representing every
eye to eye on all these points? Will politicians of
| opposing parties certainly coaesce upon topic
which has been most unfortunately and unnatu-
rally made to play part in party politics for more
| than twenty years past? Will delegates from
| some Of our river States, who unanimously de-
clare for the Union to the last extremity harmonize
with delegates from States alleged to be indif-
| fercnt to the Union? Will all apprehend the same
degree, extent, and of danger, as well as
unite upon the same preventives? II a small body
! of southern congressman, assembled under the
pressure OF great excitement and sense of imme-
date danger, could not agree upon the terms Of
address to the people of the South, to be so
! certain Of unanimity in body so numerous and
embracing 50 wide range and contrariety of opin-
ion as will this proposed convention Bot ii it fails
10 agree, SO far from fortfying, will il not have
direct tendency to pedke, the position of the South?
| cannot comprehend why this very possible con-
tingency has been overlooked by the projectors of
| the southern convention.
! regret that it should have been deemed cxpe-
dent at this time by southern members OF Con-
gress to countenancs the getting up this Southern
contention before any overt act OF aggression
southern rights and institutions has been commit
| ted.
More than fifty years ago abolition petitions were
| presented to and debated in Congress; and thirty
| years ago we witnessed agitation brought about
by this very identical Wiilot pr0UisO question in a
more offensive shape which convulscd this govern
ment to its centre The opinion that Congress pos
sesses the constitutional right to abolish slavery in
the District of Columbia, and of in the forts
dock yards and arsenals of the United States has
been publicly declared by eminent statesmen, some
of whom have since had conferred upon the highest
honors in the gift of this nation; that can
nothing new that has occurred in the aspect of this
agitatng question which should call forth at this
time such extraordinary and revolutionary
| sures
| From the time this slave question first made its
| appearance in the North, when it was a .. little
| cloud like mans hand" until the present time
when it has become black cloud Of thick darkness
| impending over this Union, and casting deep
gloom over the prospects Of the future it has been
one continual conflict Of words between the Adolf
tionsts and agitators of the North, and the politi
| clans of the South. Time has brought forth no
| neutrality-suspicious. has brought no knowledge
The northern politician gaining confidence in this
wordy conflict assumes more threatening tone;
and the southern politician to keep pace, must
| become more violent in his manner of resistance,
and threaten still louder until, in this of words
says the army did in Flanders. And still believe
| that this glorious Union will firmly and safely
| weather this Storm
Unjust acknowledged that do not comprehend W hat
is intended to be implied by "an organized resist
ance promptly developed" &c. If nothing more is
meant than another wordy broadside to be fired
from the batteries of the Southern convention 'to
| provide effectual guards against like dangers in
future, think it is entirely useless and will prove
| abortve. Are not told that the determination
| is openly avowed by northern members of Con-
gress, TO allow no more slaueholding States admis
| sion into the Union; and when sufficient number
| OF non slavehodng States are admitted to give the
requisite majority, the effort will be made to amend
the Constitution, and abolish slavery in the States
where it exists2 lfsuch be their determine
ton, what absurdty it is to talk about 'sprovidnc
efiectua guards (by Southern convention) against
like dangers in the future for the purpose Of pre-
serving the Constitution. If the guards and com
promises, provided in the Constitution by the Fa-
| theirs Of the Confederation and secured under the
| solemnity OF an oath TO support that instrument,
will not shield II against the destructive inroads
these northern Vandals, what hope have we that
any thing which this convention of the southern
States could propose, would save that same nstru-
ment from the ruthless hands of brute force, pre-
determined to violate it against right and justteS
Equally incomprehensible to me is the declaration
that "we are satisfied that effectual enduring
check upon this aggressive and injurious tenden-
cy in the action OF the Federal Government can
or will be applied by any Of the Departments which
administer Its powers. We advance this propo-
sitfon without reference to the disposition Of those
who now or hereafter may administer the Gov
eminent, but resulting from the inherent chaTac-
ter Of our political system-whch must in all its
departments eventually bend to the influence of
the dominant section" If il be really true, as
here broadly declared, that there is in our ''polit
cal system" an inherent vice which must ''even-
tualy bend II 10 the influence of the dominant sec
tion," which would inevitably operate TO its own
destruction, cannot the wisdom or the consist
cncy Of making an effort through a southern con-
vention or otherwise 10 a form Of government
which contains within itself the seeds of its own
destruction.
Presidential canvass, the friends Of our present ma
tional Executive recommended his election not
more on the ground Of his high personal qualiica-
tons than his identity in views and interests with
the section OF his birth and residence. IL con-
tended, and as think justly, that, bound 10 the
South by the strong ties Of interest and affection
he could not, with the constitutional stay in his
hand, permit rights to be trampled upon by a
ruthless majority. ] see no reason TO change that
opinion, and, so far the advocacy of an ultra
constitutional remedy might be construed into the
retraction of that opinion, certainly cannot con-
sent TO II. On the contrary, ] entertain all conf
dence that General Taylor will oppose, with native
energy and resolution, every cncroachment upon
the sacred bulwarks of tho Constitution and IL IL
be urged that the Executive veto IL enduring
check" 20, reply, is act Of failure 10 enact
by Congress, and so more particularly must be the
resolutions cnactments Of a mere cvanescent
body, like the proposed southern convention. No
thing human is enduring !" but, under the smiles
OF Divine Providence, may not hope for com
parave stability in the provisions Of that compen-
dunn Of human wisdom-tbc Constitution of the
United StatesS
You direct my attention, gentlemen, TO certain
resolutions by the Legislature Of this State II by
these resolutions il was intended to endorse this
southern convention scheme, and that the execu-
tive should take part in securing representation,
II i unfortunate that the Legislature entirely
omitted to empower me TO this end, or TO prescribe
any thing in reference TO the selection Of dclegates
In the absence Of all legal constitutional pro-
vision ON this subject, cannot, consistently with
my views, take upon myself the high responsible