The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-31

b19~oAHs SANUA1f 81, 1851.
rsalsy II ~ oeusA-
~ 9pm1A ~ No. lost her equality Of rover
VIII ~ 1ls1eA h hsth bsanchss Of tA> Federal
1sGl11a1lp dspartnssA This event bas seen
serssd ~ s'eaalissd BY much greater d.
waetrent = hr~tiiity u her rIshss asd inufita-
49,. tAaa svsr hslsv exissed- And this boz
0y + iasrsssaaG and tho inequality \ inessas-
~ A - sams tims. tho policy Of ths Gov+
sssnsse has sadsfeons pertsntous change
- ttdesatlve character "a almost oblltsrated
A. - very dine greatly expanded tsrrisosy,
- multiplied dlversisy Of interest," and opinions,
inquire moro exact Observance Of constitu-
tieasl limitation. ard sven more liberal tolsra-
lisn u Tie di6essat interests and views Of its
Hsmbsss, Is becomes moro bigoted, more des-
polk, ssd more consolidated In exercising the
powsr 81 The rslina section. Its expenditure
iaessaass nsss sspidiy than territory, population
Of property. and appropriations are running
ost over an iIlImissbIs Geld Of power ard of
rscjests.
The poiitical subordinstion Of the South, ac-
esnplisassd a. Il has been BY her spoliation.
lsaves her but two alternatives redress OF sub
niaaiou.
We havs uniformly aasented, and still believe
that redress Il within her power. She needs
but to will it. But in order 10 secure II, she
would have to present TO the North, in manner
that could not be mistaken, the alternative Of
seoeasion or jusiice. II that were done, we
have no doubt the North would prefer the Union
to usurpation. This issns was the real one
made By tho Southern legislatures Of ls4S and
Is49. The position then assumed by them.
meant that Or meant nothing. For If they only
meant to express the opinion that the South
was entitled to share Of the new territory.
their resolutious were perfectly superAuous, for
every body knew that was their opinion before,
II they merely intended to say that they would
not be deprived Of their territorial rights by
particular formula--the Wilrnot Proviso-then
also, were tkeir resolutions unnecessary. For
the North never was particular about the mode
Of getting all the teritory--so they got it,
With such an Interpretation, the resolutions Of
the South we're worse than useless--they were
ridiculous And 70 were The debates of Con-
gress. In that aspect the latter we're more Luz
dicrous than the debates Of two hostile tribes of
Arabs in the desert of Zahara, as described by
Capt. RILEY. lie tells US that when they meet,
they commence conflict of vociferation, which
is kept up as long as the lungs Of the respective
forces endure, and when 1t il found which can
keep up the clamor the loudest and longest, that
10 considered the victor, and the other retires
from the territory and submits. But the Arabs
quarrel about something slaves or spoiIs
or land. We qnarrsled only about the mode in
which the thing should be done. You shall not
take the territory by the Wiimot Preyiso--for
that we will resist at all hazards and to the last
extremity. But If you take it by Mexican pro-
viso, or by California proviso, or by Texas
proviso, then VIC aoquiesce and rejoice-a con-
clusion about as respectable as to insist that
thimble rigger, if he riH cheat US, shall put
the ball under different thimble than the one
he at first intended.
No, the Southern State resolutions pledged
the word and honor of the South TO the preser.
walton of her share of the territory, absolutely.
That pledge, it is now obvious, will not be re-
deemed. And the consequence is even more dis
astrous than the oes Of territory. 1t is loss
of moral power, and of character. 1t is result
which destroys the validity Of all future declara-
tons, and particularly of the new ones, so
promptly and nippantly made, to maintain even
the nominal stipulatioRs Of the late compromise,
in favor of the South We know that several
pleas in abatement have been made. 1t is said
the resolu ions Of lS49 and 1850, were without
authority--that in Georgin there was party
competition for Buncombe, which led the Leg
islature to exccss---and that similar cause OPP
Grated elsewhere If these pleas are good, they
are too good. All such declarations, may in fu-
ture, be impcached on the snme ground, partic-
nlarly the late declarations that are adverse to
the former 1.-THE resolutions of l849 and 1850,
are not to stand, why should those Of 1850 and
1851? Ifa Legislature, which is one body Of
Me peoples agents, and the guardians Of State
fights may be reviewed and disavowed, why
may not Convention, which is another' A
to be sure, ia a more extraordinary
and authoritative body than Legislature, but
is equally subject to party, and one Convention
may be nuIlified by its successor-and 30 we
may conclude, in order to ex.ricate ourselves
from the imputaton Of deserving cur pledges,
that pledges, however made, are always to be
deemed and taken as affected with the faint of
party, particularly when both parties unite in
making them, and are to be deemed good, only
until the time for fulfilling them arrives, until
It is the interest of one party to repudiate them
A few more such exhibitions and expositions of
State faith, State dignity, and State consistency
in the dealings of States with the Federal Gov
ernment, and State credit will be bankrupt, and
State rights CIPHER.
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