The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-02

and free from the control Of any other State.
seeking u dispute it on the ground Of it, sup
posed interference with her interests. We, in
Georgia, would have realized the truth Of this
proposition, II any other State had attempted to
interfere between Us. in the cession made by
Georgia to the United States Of the territory
which nov constitutes the States Of Alabama
and Mississippi II has, moreover, appeared to
me strange that those who claim this right OF
interference by other States, in the adjustment
between Texas and the United States, do not
perceive how directly such claim conflicts with
their own denial OF like right of interference
in the case of State Withdrawing from the
Union, for causes which she may determine TO
be just.
A. | considered that this adjustment was Gu :
inenty conducive TO the interests OF the slave
holding States. Texas is a sparsely populated
State, OF great territorial extent, containing with
in her limits large bodies of rich lands yet un
cultivated. New States, in which slavery shall
be allowed, may, by the resolution Of annexa-
ton, be carved out of that portion of her terri,
tory lying south of thirty-six degrees thirty
minutes north latitude, and admitted into the
Union. 1t is important TO US that these States
should be created as soon as practicable. Two,
four, or six senators, added to those now repre-
senting slaveholding States, would essentially
change our condition in that body and this can
only be accomplished by the speedy settlement
of Texas. That has hitherto advanced slowly,
owing to the great amount of her public debt
Men Of property have been unwilling TO remove
to a State where the alternative would be pre-
sented to them, of reputation OF the public
debt or heavy taxation to discharge 1t. The
adjustment removes this obstruction, by enabling
Texas to discharge her debts, and its effects are
already visible in the increased emigration to
that State The admission into the Union Of
these new States, whose institutions and inter
ests would be identified with our own, seemed
to me to be consideration of paramount i'm
portance to the South--incaculabl more i'm
portant than that of withdrawing from the ju-
risdiction Of Texas, and subjecting to the legis-
lation of Congress. slip of land lying east and
west between ihs Rio Grande, and the meridian
Of one hundred and three degrees west from
Greenwich, and north and south. between thirty
two degrees and thirty six degrees, thirty min
utes, north latitude. For these and other rea-
sons. voted for the adjustment with Texas
In common with my colleagues, opposed the
bill to abolish the slave trade in the District of
Columbia, after an Intellectual attempt had been
made to substitute pecuniary penalty for the
emancipation of the slave, and with them ] vo ed
for the fugitive slave bill.
These are the several measures constituting
what is Familiarity known as the compromise.
My votes on each of them, and the reasons
given for those votes, on the records of the
Senate, have been published to the country,
and are trust, expressed with sufficient clear
ness to exclude any "seripus doubts" as to my
opinions concerning any of them
Thus far, then, have hope, shown that the
accusations Of the Richmond convention. wteth-
er direct or indirect, ire equally groundless On
my return to the State found an unusuaI dc.
gree of excitement prevailing. The governor,
acting upon his constructor Of the legislative
mandate, had called a convention There were
three different opinions on this subject. There
were tn sc who thought and commended that the
convention ought to meet and instantly adjourn,
in order to mark, in manner not to be mis-
taken. their disapprobltion of the act Of calling
it. Others, indignant at the wrongs which they
imputed to the compromise, and at the repeated
aggressions of which they complained, advo-
Gated the adoption of strong measures of resist.
ance. There was third class, who opposed
themselves to all violence, but who. neverthe-
less, thought that Georgia had cause of COM
plaint-that the assembling of the convention
would afford fit ccasion for a calm, deliberate
consideration Of those causes--and who advo-
Gated frank, manly remonstrance to our sister
States.
For myself. thought that the call of the
convention by the constituted authorities of the
State, ought to be treated with respect, and that
we had causes of complaint, which ought to be
considered by that body, but / did not think
that these should lead to disunon On the
contrary, in all my public addresses and private
conversations, well before as after the meeting
of the convention, | repeated the opinion which
had expressed in the Senate, and uniformly re-
PEELED the iiea that dsunion was the proper
remedy for our grievances. think no one will
deny this, or will venture to say that my
opinions were expressed in terms which would
admit Of any, the slightest doubt.
TO BE CONCLUDED TO- MORROW.