The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-03

Delivered al Hberaies Hall, April 2, 1881, al
meeting Of the Southern Rights association
Fellow CITIZENS: am indebted, presume,
to the fact, that am but lately from the seat OF
government, for the invitation have received 70
address you this night and for the warm receP-
ton with which you have greeted me- lou
know nv opinions, frankly expressed. on 'he
past state of our affairs But you wish TO know
whether see any thing in their present co'ii''
ton, which has changed or modified these oP'i'-
ions. II
Gentlemen, can teach you nothing, ana
nraspma von desire to hear nothing OF those
wrongs. which have aroused within you inc de-
| Termination to redress yourselves. oouth Oaro-
Ina, in her legislature long slnce' declared '''a''
with respect to them, the argument was eA'
hausted She will no more reason WIN her
sister States concerning them ana We th'hk'
need no more reason concerning theni nmohgs'
ourselves. Our understandings are suillcient'y
informed All we want IS the wli'' III ,te iace
of acknowledged WRONGS TO right ourselves. II
Is On this point, and this only, the mod&of re-
dress that propose in very simple way, to
suhm;t to YOU a few brief considerations
Your last legislature lookedto two expedents
for redress-secession from the Union in CO.
operation with other Southern States and Sc
cession by South Carolina alone. With the
exception of less than a half dozen members, all
the members of the legislature were dlsunlon-
lists. Those who we're in favor OF dlsunion, IN
concert with other Southern States limited their
policy to the call of Southern congress
Those who, despairing of the cooperation OF
any other State, were in favor OF secession by
South Carolina alone. supported the call OF
State convention. The latter prevailed by a
lar % majority in the senate, and their bill was
sent dawn TO the house calling State conven-
ton. It there failed for want of few votes
necessary to give the two-thirds minority, re-
aured by the constitution to call convention
On the other hand, the Southern congress bill
failed also in the house, where it originated. As
all aimed at the same end, it was soon agreed
to pass both measures. All desired Southern
congress for redress, if it could be obtained.
Time would in very few months settle it's prac-
ticabity whilst the call ola State convention
would put it in the power OF South Carolina, in
case her invitation for Southern congress
should be declined by the other Southern States,
to go out Of the Union alone. A bill embody-
ing these measures passed both branches OF the
legislature by an overwhelming majority-far
more than the o-thirds required by the con-
stitution to summon the people in convention.
NV friends, time, RESTLESS time--the great
dscloser of our destinies--the iron instrument
of Providence in working his decrees--has set
tied at least one branch of this policy South
ern co operation is at an end. The governor Of
your State, in obedience to your command, has
sent to every Southern State your invitation to
meet you at Montgomery, in Alabama, to confer
on the wrongs we have endured, and the dan
gers which environ the South All are silent,
save one ; but that one has spoken for all. Vir-
gnia, who first counseled us by one legislature,
to resist the Wilmot Proviso or any kindred
measure, at all hazards and to the last extremity
Virginia, who, at succeeding legislature, re-
peated this counsel, and drew after her the
whole South in support-now, when the wrongs
and outrages anticipated have been actually per-
petrated, and the South, with her institution Of
slavery, is excluded from every foot Of our ter
ritories acquired from Mexico--Virgiaia sue
cumbs. Nay, more-she not only submits, but
brings herself forward to obtain the submission
of others. South Carolina, ready to follow her
first roble lead, adopted her brave resolves word
for word There they stand on the records OF
| the State No sophistry can expunge them.
| Dishonor, even, cannot obliterlte them. They
live nd must live forever, bright memorial OF
our Consistency and irnness in the vindication
of our rights, or foul stain on our yet unbem
ished fame, and contemplate buresque on the
sovereignty of the States Virginia now leads
the way to submission. Excepting South Caro-
lima. Mississippi alone seems capable of main
tanning the first high counsels Of Virginia Her
people certainly appear to be actuated by a deep
sense of TIE wrongs of the South, and n reso-
lutte will TO redress them. But Mississ ippi is
practically land bound State. She has no sea-
| port suitable for transatlantic commerce. The
depth of water on her bar does not exceed six
| feet For this reason il for no other, she can
not secede from the Union without her coter
mnous States If she secedes without Louis-
ana or Alabama, receiving all her supplies Of
foreign commerce through them, she would still
be in the Union, so far the taxes levied on her
foreign commerce by the general government
are concerned
The citizens consuming the goods imported
| from foreign nations, would pay, in their con-
sumption, the taxes levied on them in the ports
of other States. Mississippi would thus be not
practically ndependent-noti independent in that
greatest function of all government, the greatest
test of liberty with our Anglo Saxon race--the
imposition of taxes. She will, therefore, not go
cut of the Union with US Cooperation with
her in measure of secession is out of the ques-
ton, and probably it is better for us that she
should not 90 out Of the Union along with us
In the Union she will have a certain influence
il, would not possess. Our final object is be-
yond single State secession; and We will want
States in, as well as out Of, the Union to bring
on that object to its accomplishment. With the
failure of Mississippi to give us her co-opera-
ton, ends all Southern cooperation: no South
ern Congress will meet. Our sister Southern
States decline our solicitation to meet us in
counsel They tell us plainly, in declining our
invitation, I'VE will not, or cannot, aid you take
care of your own destiny" Surely, if we now
move on alone to redress our common wrongs,
no charge of preciptancy, or of ambitious len
dership, can, with any show of justice, be made
against u.s. We have done all which delicate
regard TO their position has required us to do.
We have implored them to cooperate with us.
They will do neither after pledging themselves
to do both. Nov, then, that we take our fate
into our own hands, are we not entitled to their
sympathy-their hearty good wishes for our
success For my part, if they will give us these,
it is all would desire in the present state of
things in the South A Southern Congress now
would be our ruin. With Virginia, Maryland
| .