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


North shall act in the spirit of good faith and
justice corresponding to the momentuous ques-
tons involved, by redressing our grievances, a
great result will have been accomplished, peace
and fratcrnal kindness restored, and guarantee
afforded of the perpetuity ofthqtGnion.
If the North shall refuse ~ accede TO our
just demands, then will come up for decision
the question, whether we shall submit to griey-
GUS wrongs, and take the position of iDferiorlty
assigned To us in the Union, or look to our
selves for the protection of cur rights and our
institutions out of it. The evidence of hostil-
ity on their part will be complete--the cup of
submission on ours will be full. Non-action,
beyond that point, will be unconditional sub
mission. If we would remain free people,
we must then resort to such remedies, as under
existing circumstances, should then promise to
be most etiectual.
The Federal Union is formed of equal, nd-
pendent sovereignties. The Constitution is the
bond of union. When that is violated, the
Union is broken. II is the right of the States to
Judge, in the last resort, Of niractions Of the
Constitution. The Union must rest on the con-
sent OF the parties to the compact. AS each
State acce1ed TO the Constitution, and became
member of the Union Voluntarily, each one may,
in the exercise Of its high, sovereign right with
draw from the Union, without any violation of
obligation to those.whch remain; and if Justice
and good faith shall govern their intercourse
there can be no occasion for hostile collision
This is the doctrine Of the fathers of the Con
stituton. Mr.. Madison says: 1T appears to be
plain principle, that when resort can be had to
no tribunal superior to the authority Of the par
ties, the parties themselves must be the rightfu
judges in the last resort, whether the bargain
has been preserved or violated"
H.. la. n Al.
of compact among parties having no common
Judge, each party has an equal right to judge
for itself as well of infractions, as the mode
and measure of redress" Several of the States
at the time of the adoption of the Constitution
also expressly claimed the right to resume the
power granted under the Constitution Hence
it follows that tbs right to secede belongs to
every member of the Union, and that it is
right that is never given up. But the expedi-
ency of tine exercise of this right is quite diff
ferent question. We are by no means prepared
to recommend to the people of Mississippi at |
this time, to take this step in advance of her
sister States, even should our complaints 90 I'M
heeded but as measure of precautiOn, it will
become the duty of the convention to act with
reference to the consequences of refusal, on
the part of the Government of the United States,
to redress these grievances, and to afford guar
antees for our future protection and safety, and
to that end to provide for the appointment of
delegates, whose duty it shall be- in case of
such refusal, to meet the delegates of the other !
Southern States in convention, and jointly to
consider of the grievances and the mode and
measure of redress. The plan of action thus
to be devised by their united wisdom, to be laid
before the people of the States therein repre-
scented for their final adoption or rejection.
III that unnvopfinp with al fho Eobto ,.,L;. II
may be thrown upon this subject by the events
Of the past, well as those which may have
TRANSFERRED in the interval shall then come to the
solemn conclusion that the safety of the South,
the political liberty of the Southern States, the
existence of their institutions and the honor of
their people, can only be preserved by seces |
sion from the Union, and the formation of a
Southern Confederacy, and should recommend |
that course, we know no power but that of the |
people in these States, who would have a RIGHT |
to question the justice or proprety of adopting
the recommendation. In such case, this course
would be dictated by the truest wisdom, and by
the most exalted patriotism. The interests and
policy OF the States composing such confed
eracy, would be identical. Their ability to sus |
tain their position and maintain their rights, can
not be doubted, With annual products of the
value of one hundred and fifty millions of dol |
iai o anu VIII HcdIll u Vi lighting men.
the South has the capacity to maintain ma
tional independence against all external pres
sure Such people, with all the elements of
power cannot be expected to surrender their
rights,
We have no desire for severa ce of this |
Union. Long may it survive, if il can be brought
back to its pristine purity, to dispense equal jus
ticc, and insure domestic tranquility, to a free
united and happy people. We care ready to sur
render much to preserve it. But we could not
get rid of slavery, if we would. We have not
the means Of sending them away, if we were
willing to pant with them without compensation
And let it be borne in mind, that if payment
to us Of anything like the value of our slaves be
made the condition of their removal it is simply
impracticable. AS it is evident upon the least
reflection, that the appropriation of suf Gent
amount of capital to this object and its cons
quent abstraction from the commerce of the
world, would derange every branch of bust
ness agricultural, commercial and manufactured
throughout chrlstendom. There can be no
equality of the races. They cannot live amongst
us except rs our slaves, or rs our masters
The whole history of the past proves this One
or the other must have the ascendancy. We
must either maintain our superiority, or surren-
der the land of our fathers Between these two
alternatives no one would hesitate. The past
success of the Abolitionists only makes them
more keen for future victories. If they are not
stayed, post after post will be carried, until they
are ready to make the final attack upon the in.
sttution in the States. Northern fanaticism
treads no step backwards A few more onward
steps will brush the scales from all eyes, We
trust il may not then be too late.
Fellow-citizens we have thus endeavored to
place facts plainly before you When your
minds become convinced of these truths, there
will no longer be dissensions among ourselves
If the people of the whole South once become
united, the crisis will be passed Divide, and
conquer, has been the policy of our opponents
If to this policy you oppose united front of
frmness and of patriotism, the country may yet
be safe. In our opinion it will. Bat if in this
couifct the Constitution shall perish, We may
appeal 10 the civilized world to bear witness to |
the truth, that it fell not by the hands of the
South but that true to its instincts Of freedom,
the South gave up the Union only when it no
longer secured to us the blessings of n rational
liberty.