The southern press., 1851-08-08


Africa to spread civilization. The anomaly VISA
too great to receive sxasndsd notice.
Another protest in Congress WAS for internal
improvements, by making appropriations special
Iv for the Northern iutsrost-another proof Of
asanse of returning Justice" A base fraud was
attempted to be palmed upon the South by say
ing shall not the Western rivers be also i'm
proved" He replied let the rivers make their
own improvements, by their tonnage duties.
By this means the rivers would be improved
where they wanted it, and where they were most
used, and All improper expense upon useless
rivers would be prevented. The system would
be even handed and fair. II would be we'll ii he
could say the arsenals and navy yards were
placed only where they were OF service. Other
bills of character to give sectional and local
interest to various parts Of the North We're In
troduced Bills in relation to the iron and coal
OF Pennsylvania, &c., &c.,--all OF which showed
the intention Of the North to increase its wealth
and influence, even ut the expense aod injury to
the South; whether consistency were compro-
missed or not.
The present time was ono in which Misss-
sipp would have to declare what position she
would occupy. She had, on a previous OCCASION
declared for her equality in the Union--she had
declared that Congress had no right to interfere
with slavery either in the territories or in States
that it had no right to interfere with any do
mestic institution whatever Did she now sup
port the same principle! Did her citizens still
declare for maintenance Of those rights with
which they were born, and which they had re-
solved they would maintain to the last /? When
she asserted she would have equality in the
Union, what did she mean! Was it not because
the Wilmot Proviso WAS proposed? And had
they changed their opinions because the Wilmot
Proviso was altered and adopted under dis
guised form? They were deprived of their ter
ritory, and it was dedicated to free-soil. New
Mexico was alleged to be free-soiI; Dir. Clay
asserted that the Mexican law excluded slavery,
and when Congress was asked to remove the
obstacle, it reused to do so, and so the South
was to be excluded from her rights by foreign
law. 1t was said they had right to take their
negroes to New Mexico; admitted, but by what
right could they hold them when they got there !;
the laws offered no support, and no other means
except force could be applied, to maintain their
rights; every one knew to what extent force
could be made applicable to perambuatory pro-
perty, and how weak and futile it was. When
Congress was asked to give protection to ala
very in New Mexico, the answer was "if right
could be possessed to protect slavery, by the
same law power would exist to take away oil
abolish slavery" This was the veriest sophistry
the meanest twaddle What was government
for but to protect life and property? Taxes we're
levied to support the strong arm of the govern
ment in giving protection to the interests of a
co immunity. Legislators and senators were
elected to serve and protect the privileges and
property of their constituents but not to abolish
their privileges or sacrifice their interests. The
navy protected commerce on foreign seas in
fact, the primary object of government was pro-
lection. Why, therefore, could not the authority
of government be extended to the territory Of
New Mexico, and give to the South justice by
protecting the institution of slavery. Such a
measure would be perfectly constitutional, but
il would give no precedent for the destruction Of
any established rnIe and yet they were told
that if a slave went beyond the precincts of a
slave-holding State, and his owner demanded
protection, he admitted the right of interfer-
ence by the government to deprive him of his
property.
Government was an evil, but it was neces-
sary evil it existed to protect the weak against
the strong, and to administer justice and equity
to all; but he had yet to learn that the same
power that gave it the right to protect also gave
it the right to destroy or take away.
In vain did the South try to get their territory
below 36 deg. 80 min; yet Southern men be-
came the apoogsts of Northern aggression, and
he was there to ask: Did they approve or dis
approve of the action of the general government? !?
Could they approve OF an action that injured
them? Could they say an action that deprived
them Of their privileges was just! They were
told that the measures of Congress were neither
intended to destroy nor injure slavery, and yet
every one must see the dangerous and pre-
carious position in which they were placed
The legislative enactments were passed in an
indirect form, but they were not the less in
furious to the South. Finally, the reasoning of
the compromsers was TO the effect that North
ern Legislature should be submitted to, for fear
that greater evils should be inflicted Every
man of honorable feeling must despise such
reasoning, for if the South had just claims, and
equitable demands, from what source should the
fear arise!
Mississippi disapproved of the first set of ag-
gressive measures. Two years ago they were
unted-frmly united-against oppression to
Southern rights-all were working with union
of feeling for common cause.-the Wings and
Democrats joined to express their convictions
on that great question, paramount to all other,
the domestic institution Of slavery; and if the
position taken were abandoned il they ac-
quiesced in the compromise, they would now
acknowledge preced mt by which future inter-
ference would be mnde. Mississippi had de-
clared that it measures were passed, of a
similar character to those of the compromise,
she would assemble her State convention to de,
termine upon her future course, and yet, from
some cause or other, it was now made ques-
ton OF whether State convention should be
called or not.
When he found the federal government
about to strip them of their righis-that it
was determined to have California brought into
the Union, and that the Southern claims were
to be trampled on and regarded az dead letter
that slavery was to be doomed as far as it
was possible, and that the power of extension
was to be cut off from it for ever-it was then
he became one of those who concluded it was
their duty to forward letter to their constitu-
ents through the governor of the State asking
for the opinion of Mississippi upon the ques-
ton He received instructions from the legisla.
tnre to oppose the measures introduced TO
Congress, by all honorable means. He did so
the bills were not passed but the originals we're
changed into another form. Himself and others
who felt their allegiance to their State and to