Arkansas democratic banner., 1851-05-27
D D DgeSS.
From tks Delegates of tbs SoatAera Rights Asss editions of Sosth C0rol:na, assem6ied m CAarics, ton, to hs Southern Rights Associations ef ta, other S1ltthens States.

Ofhfr cJlHhs-fh GehNSs
 Having met to take counsel togcther, aad having
 agreed upon that course which we think it right
 and necessary to pursue, wish to lay before you the considerations Ay which we have beea goyeEn-
 ed with that tTaakneSs wkfch our respect for You
 and our desire 10 merit your good opinion, quire.
 We regard the position of the Southern States in this ConfedeIacy as degraded and ruinous. The
 manifest tendency of those systematic aggresSieRs
 which they have suffered for many years past, to
 subvert the institution of slavery. If those acts of hostile domination, which have been rendered more insulting by moekery of language, under the term of a Compromise. were final in their nature,
 and were not 10 be followed by any further aggTes-
 sionS we should still regard them as ogirages, to
 which soyeFelgn States possessing the spiyit ought never to submit. But those measures only form part of a system, gradually commenced. steadily
 carried forward, gathering Strengh ffCm develop- rnent, and proceeding with fatal momentum to its end. That end IS tAe abolition oi negro slavery
 in the Sou;hern States snd the lowering Of che free white population of the South to the same level with that agrarian rahble, which, already strong
 and dangerous, seems destined, before very long, to be the controlling power in the Northern States. We see no remedy, apd therefore no safety for the South in the present Union. But we know
 that m this we differ from very many citizens of
 the other Southern States, spirited and intelligent, having the same interests, and suffering under the
 same wrongs with ourselves, and who cherish the hope tfaf me TlgHtS or Lhc 5outR nay pt
 vndieafed and secured without dIssolvlng the (,onfederaey. Tn this difference, 1t does not be
 come us to assume dictate, and we hope to stand l free from that charge. Up to this time, the cti-
 zens of South Carolina, aware that the peculiar
 ity of political position, arising from past events, l rendered certain reserve on theif par prudent and proper have studonsly avoided everything
 which might look like assuming the lead in the de.
 fence of Southern Rights They desired 10 act, because they believed that safety and honor Te- quired action but they hoped that they might find leaders in other States, whom they might fol low in defence of the common cause. When the l ancient Common wealth of Virginia, the proper l leader of the South declared her determination to resist al all hazards and 10 the last extremity hos ! tile measures then threatened South Carolina,
 with all alacrity, stood ready 10 support Virginia | in carrying our her resolution. When Georgia,
 whose former resistance to Federal usarpation,
 under her heroic Statesman, Troup gave promise Of unhinching .finnness in any contest in which she might engage-proclahned her determination to make a stand for the rights of the South, South Carolina Fejoieed at the prospect of rayiHg under ! the banner of Georgia And when her young and gallant sister, Mississippi, proposed the wise measure of Southern Convention, for the purpose of endeavoring to unite the Southern States in maintaining their constitutional rights, and at the same time preserving, if possible, the existing 1 Union, South Carolina heartily entered into this measure and she has carried out the reeonmen- dation of the Convention so assembled al the n- stance of Mississippi, by providing for the election of Delegates to Southern Congsess, 10 whose meeting she stit looks with anxious interest, 1 In all these proceedings, we think that the citi- ! gems of South Carolina have evlneed all proper anxiety to avoid the appearance of arrogance or dictation to act in concert with the citz<s of the other Southern States, and to do nothing separately or precipitately. And now, strongly as we have expressed our belief that lhere is no hope for the South in the existing Union, we are prepared to ! sr,v al fair and in fO an | tual plan which may be proposed by any sister l State of the South, for obtaining redress for the past and security for the future. without dasso- l Iutlon of the existing Union, if there be poSs- bility of such consummstion
 1 But we find ourselves forced to consider the ul- teroI question, what we are to do, If WE find that
 there IS no reasonbie hope of the cooperation Of any other Southern States in any efectual plan of relief, and the alternative presented to uS, Of submitting, acting by ourselves. And, Teluc- tant as are to separate ourselves from CT Eatu- i ral friends and allies, we have made up our nnds We cannot submit. We know that South Caro-
 lima entered this Confederacy us sovereign and independent State, and that having been wfonged, she has the perfect nght to withdraw from Ill., Her sons must exercise the nght and meet the con- sequences If no other State will joan us m reliev- ing ourselves from the wrongs already inflicted, we see ho hope m waiting for new outrages to arouse q higher spirit of resistance. The new outrages, are we'll convinced, ,vwilt come In due time but we feel assurance that the spElt ot the vas sal will rise ln proportion to the indi-nes heaped upon his head. On the contrary we see that the South lIas already borne what 1t would not for a moment have submitted to ten years ago, and what the North would not then have ventured to perpstTate. We are not willing to try the expe- nment how long 1t will be before our spirlt IS com pltely broken, by gradually and continually yield ing to slow and gradual but aneeasng encIoach- mentS. And II the exercise Of tAe nght ot seces sion is to be followed by the attempt the part of the Government of tAis contedeTacy to subiu l gate South CaroiInia, II IS better that we should meet that attempt while we still have sotGe slsut and some power of resistance lsft II He afe 10 submit to the condition of conquered people, We think t less dlshonoTae4e act to do so until we have first been conquered. Andh anything eonld add to the necessity which we believe exists for withdrawal from the existing Union, If would oc the denial of the ughi Of secession. For the de nial of that right indicates of itself extreme dan ger. The right of secession has heretofore, and ln better days, been regarded as uaquestionabie by 1 all Southern politicians; with the exception of an considerable number of eoBSOtidatlonigis. And if ever that right can be denied without aTousing the whole South to sustain Il, the South wIh be ripe for the most miserable fate which has ever be fallen any people. IL will then, as a permanent sectional minority have no defence against he iy- ranny of q Government combining all the yIe4s of the eouuptesi democracy and the most oppressive 1 foreign despotislD.
 We know the consequences which ssll follow failure n our eiiort to maintain ouG liberty. We see clearly that triumphant exeftion of the pow CT of the Federal Government, In subI1gatag { State, will vastly increase that poweT and greatly accelerate the change, already far adyanced ol our Fedefairye system into consolidated central des- potedn We see, ajso, that South Carolina wii not suffer the consequences of this change alone bal thatth rest of the ScutberU States must sHier ID an eqaal degree. They wili have sategprsd against the Central Government, strengthened by crushing opposition, and rendered, hy tstaIGphant force, V hat our Northern ensaiise have long been endeavonng 10 make il by fraudulegt usurpaiion-- ibe SupTeme Government of consolidated naiioa. The sovereignty of one Southern State cannot 9e destroyed without the tosS Of their sovereignty by all the others. We are aware 0f the responsibility Of doing an act which may hasten these eoasegeh-