Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-03-22
Southern Rights.

1t has been decided for the present, that the
South is to fight the battle of its rights in the
Union That is to say, it has been SO decided by
all the States, except South Carolina. 1t is well
known to our readers, that this decision is con-
trarv to our Judgment of what is right and pru-
dent. But so far as Georgia is concerned, the
case is for the present, decided And its now un-
derstood that we are to forgive all the past and
having put another chip on our shoulders, just let
the North knock that off, if it dares. We bow to
the necessity, but not to the wisdom of the deci-
sion, and we wait with commendable patience for
such time as the North will find it convenient
and prudent to knock off the aforesaid chip. Just
now, the attitude of South Carolina induces the
North to think the operation not quite prudent.
If South Carolina like Georgia, had entered into
general amnesty for the past, pacifcated for the
sake of the "glorious Union and put chip on
her shoulder too, why the North would not take
long to determine what to do. She would have
whisked it off in trice, and snapped her fingers
in the entire Southern face, with 'pish'' at her
valiant paper resolutions Bnt the courage of
South Carolina is lion in the path of evil doers.
They dread the experiment of driving one outra-
ged and daring State to the WALL when they know
that the simple proceeding of her stepping out of
the Union and setting up business on her own So
vereign hook, will open Pandoras box of evils,
which they will not know how to cope with. Forif
=,
and growing population and wealth, under the
operation of an unrestricted Free Trade, would
prove horribly contagious to contiguous States, la
| boring under an average import duty of 80 per
cent. 1t would play the wild with Uncle Sans
system of revenue and protection, and would in
duce system of border smuggling that would be
awful to the Custom House, and put Northern
protected articles into paroxysm. On the other
hand if they were to use coercion, they know that
-
and union of consent would fall to pieces in the
effort at making it union of force In this di-
lemma are the high handed powers at Washing
! ton and the better opinion among them ls that
if the stiffnecked and stiff-willed little Palmetto
State chooses to go out, she must be allowed to 90,
with hearty maledictions her obstinacy for gi-
wing the plundererS much trouble, and most
fervent prayer to Heaven that she may get tired
of being out of the family and speedily petition
for re admission. In the meantime the slavery
agitation is kept down to see what she will do, and
is exceedingly difficult, for the reason, for
the Protectionsts to get through some pretty
schemes of plunder pushed upon Congress by
hordes of paid emissares from the Spinning and
Iron Districts of the North. If one gallant and
hearted State accomplish this much in the
face of unscrupulous power, and in the midst of
general submission on the part of her fellow -suf-
ferers what terms so high that the united South
might not have commanded in the late ''peace"
settlement? We submit this question to some of
the Southern submission members of Congress.
| But while South Carolina is trying one
remedy, we of Georgia have elected another.
We are to fight our battles in the Union. Well,
how is this to be done? Shall we follow the old
plan of merger in the political parties having their
strength and governing power at the North
Shall we 90 into National Convention and pledge
ourselves to vote for Presidential candidate who
is either mum about our rights, or gives Delphic
guarantees that mean one thing before and another
after the election? We fancy that past experience
on this head, ought to satisfy the South. Under
these National organizations we have been reduced
to our present strait Under them we have been
the victims of Tariffs, of unequal taxes and par
! tial distribution of Government favors; have
lost our territorial rights, and endured the brand
! of reprobatlon on our property. And under 1t,
too, (the prolific source of all Southern wrongs J
our own Representatives have been yearly bought
up by Federal Establishments to betray US. That
system has failed
That system then is condemned by its bitter
fruits. Suppose we try another. Let US form a
Southern party (dont be alarmed, our submission
friends, for this is a remedy in the Union and or
ganize it, purposey, to make fight with the North
ern party in the maintenance of our equal rights
in the Government. Let us eschew all National
Conventions up Southern candidate for the
Presidency; unite on him. and send him, If need
be to the House of Representatives. where the
States each having one vote, Georgia will be as
powerful as the great Abolition States of New
York and Ohio, and where we will be in the best
condition to struggle for the control of the Execu-
tive branch of the Government. Now there is
nothing unconstitutional or un uionish in this. Ii
is mode of fighting the battle of the South in the
Union. 1t is the only mode thatpromises success
Any other is certain defeat. 1t has an equal
chance to succeed but if it falls the South can
exercise the power of deciding between the oppo
sing candidates. and choose the least Objectionable
of the two Columbus, Geo.. } Times.