The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-11
mr.. souie's speech,
Delivered at Opslousas, on the 9Th Sept, 1856
[As PUBLISHED BY HIMSELF

anxiety 10 near, Iiiat you may i""'J JNNSS
them, the opinions of one whose course, in the
councils of the natior, has been animadverted
upon, in certain portions of the State, by de-
signing political opponents and by reckless par
ty defamers, as being not only dangerous, but
actually hostile to your peace, to your dignity
and TO your interests.
Those opinions, 1t can no more be my desire
than il is IN my power to conceal from you
They belong to the history Of the country;
thew were formed upon deep and solemn delib-
GRAFTON; they had and still retain the sanction OF
nv best judgment, and are spread out, accessi-
BILE TO all, upon the leaves of that truthful and
impressive journal, where for grave and weighty
reasons, no doubt, the opinions and acts OF your
public men are faithfully registered and pre-
served Most readily therefore shall l make
them the theme of my discourse to you, and
Plead in their vindication the cause TO which
they owe their origin, and indeed all their i'm
portance.
II is a cause in which we have all an equal
stake, Wings as well as Dem 'crats "a cause
involving in its issues not only our rank and
condition in the great confederacy which holds
L Q American States together, but the very ex-
istence of that confederacy ITSELF and, to some
extent, the destinies of whole world.
Such cause we should approach in proper
spirit. shall address myself to it, with mind
unbiased, either by party feelings or by consid-
erations Of private concernment. Let me nope
that shall find in this audience neither impatient
nor prejudiced hearers but that, on the contrary,
shall be listened to with considerate and unin-
terrupted attention.
When | was honored with the seat which |
now hold in the Senate of the United States,
we we're just emerging from the war which
Mexco's folly and stubbornness had brought
upon us, and most needlessly prolonged.
By the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, an al
most boundless empire of territory, with vast
border of ocean, had been added to our already
gigantic possessions. We were about to dis
pose of the conquest we had achieved. and to
distribute and regulate the increase of political
influence. and power which every section OF
country was to derive from it. We, of the
South, had been participants in the struggle
through which it had been accomplished, to the
fullest extent of our resources and abilities
We had contributed by far the largest proper
ton of the forces engaged in the war two-thirds
of the supplies which had maintained them,
and in the touching and sadly eloquent Ian
guage Of most eminent writer and statesman
Eour.ftlhs of the grapes!" We, Of course, pre-
sumed that we would also be perm tied to par.
ticipate in the fruits of victory. But the North,
who, before they were secured, had denounced
our ACQUISITIONS as a nefarious and monstrous
spoliation and plumber, now claimed them all
to herself, and insisted that the South should
not have q foothold on that soil which she had
90 8 trenuousy and so efficiently contributed to
wrest from the enemy, and which was still
moist with the blood of her braves and viii
tened with the bones of her dead.
Mr.. Folks administration was drawing to a
close. Already had the two great national par
ties pre-essayed their Richmonds in the field
The Presidential canvass was soon to begin,
and the contest opened upon what principles
should prevail in the organization of the terri
tories acquired from Mexico Were they to be
dedicated exclusively TO ffeeaoil, or was the
South to be allowed any share In theml Such
was the question mooted from one end of the
country TO the other, and in no part of II with
fercer and a more indouita spirit than in
Louisiana, where each party claimed for the
candidate Of its choice the security whi h his
election was to give the South, that her rights
would be protected, and her interests safe-
guarded. War to the knife was, during the
whole contest, denounced against all sorts of
Prorisos, against all attempts at excluding US
from the ys.rtiiiou about to be effected. What
did we mean then! What were we after Did
we, 10 imitation of those gallant Bostonians of
IT'S, intend 10 fight for some empty phrase, for
skss than a preamble! ~ Was il 10 save our
sight from few innOcuous words in a law Of
Congress, that we vented so much wrath and
trumped up such menacing resolutions! No
srs, no sirs il was for something more grave,
more substantial, more momentous, that we en-
gagged in the struggle ;-we engaged in ii to
vindicate our rights as sovereign communities,
and TO assert our rank, rs equals in the great
confcderacy of which we were members. Such
was the object, the boon for which, at one time,
we all joined in a loud and undivided protesta-
ton against the usurpations with which the
North was threatening the South. '
We had ceased to WELD In Congress. that in
huence which, in days gone by, had enabled us
TO protect ourselves against unequal and oppres-
sive legislation. Out Of the thirty States Of
which the Union consisted, but fourteen could
be claimed n being in the interest Of the South.
We had hardly power enough 10 check the in.
cessant invasion which the Northern majority
was committing upon our rights snd franchises
through insulting agitation and unsparing abuse,
and we were fast becoming feeble and impo-
tent minority; and, while the hostility at the
North was increasing with our growing weak
ness, we bad in prospect an immense territory
thrown open 10 the grasp Of freesoilism, out Of
which il might crave new soyereignties 10 over.
power US, II we should, at any future time, ever
Il
attempt tO resist its encroachments, and 10 put
a step 10 lie usurpations. Such was our condi.
ton in 1913.
But, we then stood up ike men, and like men,
burst assert our rights and claim our due.-And,
mark how the administration that controlled the
government was emboldened and nerved by the
stand we took and the front we opposed TO the
insulting preiensions Of the North. The Mexi-
can commissioners who were empowered TO treat
with the United States for peace, had been in.
structed by their government 10 require that
aTbe United States should bind themselves not
TO permit slavery TO be established in the terri.
tories ceded by the treaty." and our minister
(Mr. Tist) was solicited, entreated. 10 admit the
restriction among the other clauses OF the treaty
Here Is what Mr. Trist says Gin his correspond.
cree with the government at Washington Of his
conference with Mexican commissioners In rela-
ton 10 this subject) Our conversation was
perfectly frank and no less friendly and the
more effective upon their minds, inasmuch rs }
was enabled 10 say with perfect sincerity, that
although their i'm "a aions resDerfin0 the nrar