Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-02-08
WAsurNGroN CRY. Dee. IA. 1850.

pounding TO me certain questions ana asking an
early answer Your letter was handed to me in
Jackson but my stay there was short, and my en-
gTgements of such character, as to prevent re-
ply before | lcfs for this city. | therefore embrace
this, the earliest moment since my arrival here
tibet can be spared from my official duties to com
ply with your request. The right of the constitu-
ent to demand and the duty of the representative
to give, frankly, and fully, his opinion upon all
questions which he may be called to act in his
representative character, upon all questions
touching the relation which cxis.s between 4hem,
as constituent and representative, | fully admit
Whether your inquiries are connected with any sub
ject which | can by any possibility be called to
act, "A representative in Congress, | shall not
stop to inquire, be cause have no desire to with
hold my answer, either as representative or a ci
tIzen, to these any other questions YOU may
wish to PROFOUND.
Your questions are the following
LIST. Are you in favor of dissolution of the
Union now or hereafter, because of the late SEES
sion of Congress
end. Are you in favor of the establishment of a
Southern Confederacy nOw or hereafter, because
of the legislation of the late session of Congress?
3rd. Are you in favor of the secession of the
State of Mississippi from the Union now, or here
after, because of the legislation of the late session
of Congress :?
4;h. Are YOU in favor of any, and what kind of
resistance, the part of this State, or ALL or any
of the slave States the recent acts of Congress
The first three of these questions not novel.
met them not long since, Substantially, if not lit
orally, i'll correspondence between a distinguish
ed Senator of Louisiana and some of his constitu-
ents. | had supposed that my position on this
question well understood by my constituents,
at least those who had taken the pains to inquire
what it was, and such is my belief now. | have
not either in Congress, or before my constituents,
proposed or advocated, either dissolution of the
Union the accession of my own State, or the for
nation of Southern COnfederacy, and my OPT
Mons have undergone recent change. Why
then should YOU ask for information on these ques-
tions unless your object was to give me an oppor-
tunity of refuting the calumnes of those who
seek to place in false position | have not
deemed it to be my duty to decide for my consti-
tuents what remedy they should adopt for the
evils imposed them by the late act of Congress,
but determined to take counsel from them as to
the remedy to be adopted if they should approve
my course in opposing these measures If were
of the opinion, however, that dissolution of the
Union proper remedy to be adopted,
should Immediately dissolve all connection with the
general government by resgning my seat in the
House of Representatives, and assume the ground
boldly. | do not regard this as the issue now be-
fore the people of Mississippi, but one which has
been raised by designing men, to conceal from the
public gaze their own recreancy and treachery to
the South. My object has been since my first en-
trance upon public life, to guard against all viola
tonS of the Constitution and to preserve in its ORR
ginal purity, that Union which formed by the
Convention of 1887 Union of equality and JUS
tce established by the Constitution-that Consti-
tuition which was designed as shield of protection
to every part of the Confederacy. Ny policy has
been directed to this end and will continue to be,
until all hope of preservation has been lost then
shall believe it to be the duty of the Southern peo-
pie to 90 out of the Union, the only means of
wing and transmitting to posteFity the principles Of
the Constitution You will thus perceive that my
constant effort has been to save and not to destroy
the Union.
You also inquire what my opinions will hereaf-
ter be whether | will be hereafter for the RENE
dies suggested in your first three questions ac
count of the Legislation at the late session of Con
gress: What my opinions and what my position
will be hereafter, cannot now determine. | shall
form my opinions upon the state of facts which may
exist hereafter draw my deductions and take pc
sitions accordingly; and without the supernatural
power of foreseeng the precise state of facts anC
circumstances by which may be surrounded
and the consequences immediate or remote, which
may flow from the late acts of Congress-must de-
cline giving conclusion upon an underlined hypo
thesis Ny opinions when formed will not be with
held from any portion of my constituents who may
desire to know them.
In answer to your fourth and last question,
state that [ am for resistance to the late acts o
Congress, known as the Adjustment or Com
promise l believed that great injustice was done
the Southern States by the passage OF these bills
Territory enough for vast empire, acquired from
Mexico at the close of the late war, the common
property of all the States, acquired by their join
efforts, and bought with their common treasure
has been wreSted from the South, and appropria
Ted to the occupancy and enjoyment of the Nortl
by this 'schcme of adjustment. Its authors cal
it a 'scheme of adjustment' but poSterty will bt
more likely to call it scheme Of plumber. A banC
of organized trespassers, ma jority of whom were
foreigners and native Californians, without the au
thority of law, without precedent in the history
of this government, but in violation of both law anC
precedent were permitted under the fostering car,
of The general government, to seize and approprl
the larger and better portion of all this territory
to the uses and purpooes of the North The Soutf
was excluded from it by provision enacted in par
at least by native Callfornians, upon whom the
rights of citizenship had not been conferred by
foreigners who had not been naturalzed, and who
could not vote anywhere within the United States
Convention was called by military chieftain i
not at the sug seson, at least by the permission
approval of the general government which consum
mated the acts of INJUSTICE upon the rights of the
South a convention of which half the inhabitants
of the territory knew nothing, and in whose pro
ceedings they felt and took interest; conven
tion the irregularities of which, are seldom sur
passed in the history of the world. 1t was ncum
bent the general government the common
guardian and protector of all the States to guart
and protect the interests of the South in this com
mon property In failing to do so, it has failed t.
discharge at least some of the duties for which i