The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-21
The Arrest of Governor Onitu,,

tion, as has been reported
hft -----------------
The Arrest of Governor Quitman.
we extract from several leading paper in the
Southwest notices of the proceedings against
This veteran statesman and soldier.
The M'ssissippian indignantly denounces it
as an outrage against the people Of the State,
and the entire South
we give It's editorial accompanying the pub
lication Of the Governors resignation:
RESIGNATION or GOVERNOR QuIrMas We lay
before oar readers to day, the letter Of resignation
OF John A. Quitman, addressed to the people of
Mississippi. Such event we announce with
feeling of profound regret, only equalled by our
indignation at the cause Which has brought it
about and forced its necessity upon the governor.
Let every Alissssppian ,hough,fnlly peruse this
paper, and ponder well and seriously upon its
contents. Like all else which has come ffom the
same source, It will be found to be clear and con-
else IN style, direct in statement, forciblo in rea-
soning, and marked by the simple but lofty dig
NIFTY, the high and unshrnkng earnestness Of pur-
pose, and the bold but truthful candor which so
eminentiy characterize the writer, and which for
many long years has made his name I" ctarum ct
renerabile," within the borders of his adopted
State.
! Consistently with the honor OF the State and the
| P""iC eoou, GoEtTHor (Aultman could not nave
acted otherwise. One of two alternatives were
forced upon him. A hostile collision of the State
ana the federal government, perhaps a civil war,
and all the consequences following in It's train, or
the degradation of sovereign State in the person
| OF Its chief magistrate, arrested in the discharge
OF ms high functions. dragged before distant tri-
bunal, involving a total prostrslou OF the State
government at it's very source and fountain. The
day and the hour have not yet come when the last
OF these issues may be made, the latter alternative
could not be embraced by one who loves his
State honor as his own; and Nas has been forced
10 resign and gracefully, at the feet Of those who
so generously bestowed it, has he laid down his
high commission and given them his reasons for
his conduct, In a few words of thrilling imports
thanks for the past, and kindly warnings for the
future. True It is that sense Of personal injury
may have cast shade over his remarks, but the
old hero 10 made of stuff too stern to dwell long
upon passing shadow, and the individual is lost
IN his strong and burning sense of the bootless
insult and injury which have been inflicted upon
the State OF Mississippi. In this view OF the mat
ter, then, we will longer dwell upon this remark
able occurrence.
true bill of indictment was found by grand
| jury In New Orleans, against Governor Qutman
as participant in the Cuba expedition. This
occurred early in June, 1850. Nothing was done
until late in that year. General @. WAS then called
on by the United States attorney, and informed if
he would pledge his word to go to New Orleans
IL would be satisfactory :-otherwise, pretty dis
unct threat that ne would be forced to go. The
governor requested 6 short delay of the proceed-
| lR5s--ihat his term would expire in few months
and ne would then cheerfully submt;--the charge
at most was small one, and on conpiction even
there followed but "a slight fine and II slighter i'm
prsonmen'. His remonstrances were unheeded
| anu his request not SO much considered by the
federal officials at Washington, or their smaller
echoes at New Orleans. During the session of
the legislature, of which be was a part convened
to take counsel upon the perilous attitude of the
| slavery question, upon the demand Of Free soil
administration, (backed, since it is said, by the
terror of threatened impeachment against the
United States judge, should he decline to act) his
/ arrest and removal were required. The Judge ga W
proper then not to act or else at so solemn peri
cd our whole State government would have stood
dissolved and ds5anded upon the simple feat of a
federal functionery The arrest has now come,
the removalfollows, and the governor of Missis-
sippi is in the hands of the United States Court
OF another State.
| In one point of view this event can but excite
starting reflections in the mind of every true
! friend OF Estate Rights" The earliest and most
pointed fear of our fathers as TO the Federal gov
ernmenl, was It's tendency 10 consolidation and to
swallow up the sovereignty Of the States 1t is
marked upon every page of the debates preceding
It's formation, was echoed in still stronger tones
from every convention of the States, awakening
tor the last tine to all its primal splendor the inn
mortal eloquence of Henry, and calling for all the
finished craftsmanship of Madison to quiet the
alarms reused by his far reaching prophecies
Yet scarce half century has elapsed, ard what
90 we see ! The governor of sovereign State,
upon the er parie finding Of grand Jury, arrested
IN It's very capital, deprived of Office and removed
TO distant point, TO be tried by federal Judge
before jury summoned and selected by feder-
al msrshal Carry 1t out practically and where
will 1t end State governor may at any moment
bV he had g..
Florida, from Maine TO New Mexico. A reckless
administration, backed by plant district attor-
ney, may obtain true bill against any man upon
the shadow of proof-may in a twinkng thus
depose governor obnoxious to them, or who
! stands full IN their onward march to a consoda-
ton OF all power in their own hands. This is the
first precedent in our hstory-,ciHn be the last
Let those answer who have studied well the ten
dency of all power. Let the South think well
upon 1t. Their existence is bound up in State
Rights but committed to the tender merces of
consolidated power, and those rights will depart
forever, as scroll when it is rolled together nd
surely more fearful stride towards CONSOLE
dated despo,ism could not well be furnished, that
when W. behold in this federation of sover-
eIgntes, State governor, like the humble Sa-
trapG OF the Roman empire, dragged from his po-
siuon, without proof, upon mere charge Of
crime, and arragned to answer the central and i'm
perla power at Washington
again. Our Indignation is not lessened when
we regard the motives which Originated this as
assault upon Mississippi and her governor. 1t
was the abolition element controlling the cabinet
at Washington, Commenced by the influence of
the Butcher" Ewing, the INSULT TO the State
and the officer is happily consummated by Mil
lard Fillmore, now and from his entrance into
public life, an Abotonst doubly dyed. guided
by the counsel of Thomas Corwn who so hu-
namely prayed that Mississippi's sons might find
thelr graves upon the soil of Mexico. They and
Their free-soi confreres cast no friendly gaze up
on Mississippi. Here war held the central meet
ing, IN May, lS49. Here sat the famous October
convention. Here originated the Nashville as
sembloge, and here was first sounded the alarm to
the South Mssissippi was in the vanguard of
Southern rights, and hence the blow was strick-
en-. The combined corruption Of both the old po-
tcal parties was engaged in trading through the
miserable swndle called compromise, and
from Mississippi came the first note of resistance
thence the calumnes, hence the assaults upon
her character and her positIon--lence are her
traitors fostered, and her patriotic denounced
and hence this last GROWING outrage, so puposeiy
delayed to fall upon her at the very moment
when she was in counsel over her wrongs and in
iuries.