The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-21
THE SOUTHERN PRESS.


uprxty . 00
Address to the People OF Alabama,
R,,be Southsrn Rights Association Conrem'on1
he'd al Montgomery, February 10, 1881
Fsr,ow- CrrIzEns: Infulfillment of the duty
;mposed upon us by the convention Of delegates
from the Southern Rights Associations in this
State, which assembled in Montgomery on the
10th of February, we proceed to address you
in exposition of the yieA We and aims Of that body
Within the last year, a considerable plumber
of your felow-citizens, principally in the south
ern and eastern sections of the State, have
formed themselves into societies under the gen
eral appellation of Southern Rights Assocln-
tions. These societies are composed Of men
who believe that the tendency Of old party or
CARNATIONS has been to lead their members to
avoid any decisive action on the great slavery
question, and to wink at and acquesce in ag-
gressions on the South rather than endanger
party success by opposition to them, and who
have determined to stand aloof from those par
ties until the wrongs done to the South, while
each of those parties have administered the gov
eminent, shall DO amply redressed, and the rights
of the South fully guaranteed against future ag-
erosion; or in the event of the failure of such
just demands, until new safeguards" have been
provided for the maintenance of our Liberties.
Associations of similar character have been
formed in most, if not in all Of the Southern
States proper. They have sprung into exist
ence under q conviction that radical change
has taken place in the character of the general
government; and that for series of years, in
all matters affecting the institution of African
slavery, its administration has been controlled
by any anti-slavery majority, which has dsre-
garded the Constitution Of the United States
and has ruthlessly trampled upon the rights of
the South
1t was not originally intended to connect these
associations with each other under general sys-
tenn of organization. Their members, however,
have not been blind to the Notifying fact, that
their aims and views have not met with that
sympathy from the leaders and editors of the
old parties, to which they were entitled. The
rights endangered--the wrongs endured, it is
true, are common. But men who have lived
upon, and are enjoying the honors and emou-
ments of party, and keenly sensitive to anything
that will affect its organization, and interfere
with well planned relations with their Northern
allies Hence such men have viewed with
jealousy and alarm the formation of these So
cie!ies and finally, (consenting for the time be-
ing to lay aside long entertained animosities,
with view to indulging them with keener zest
hereaftor) are now vigorously engaged in joint
efforts to create an ainalgamation Of the rank
and file of the old party lines, whose sole aims
are to support Congress in all that has been
done, and to nip in the bud the attempts of
these various societies to unite the South forthe
sake of the South.
This movement, 80 hostile to the true inter-
ests of the people, together with the belief
which it has materially aided to confirm, that
there is no longer hope for the South either in
the justice or magnanimity of the power which
has so long controlled the general government
has induced the several associations in the State
to meet in convention, and to form more
general and complete system of organization,
which shall be the nucleus, around which may
rally every man, who, believing that our rights
have been wartonly outraged, is determined, not
only to acquiesce in the wrong, but to resist its
preparation, and to throw new safeguards
around our liberties In support of these posi-
tons We make this appeal to the great body OF
the people of the State.
At the time the Constitution of the United
States was formed, African slavery was a re-
cognized institution in all of the original thir
teen States; though even there it was evident
that it would soon die out in the more Northern
States. 1t proved prominent subject Of con
sideration in the convention which passed that
instrument, and was finally adjusted so as to
be made a material element in the system of rep
resentation and taxation, which was adopted
and to be protected as property by the provision
for the delivery of fugitive slaves The Consti-
tuition thus recognized African slavery in both
its political and property aspects. Though some
few petitions against the institution were pre-
scented during General Washngton's admins
tration, no general avowal of disposition to
disturb the rights of the South in this particular
was made until 1914. In December of thai
al r. Al IT, l.
States assembled in Hartford, Connecticut Al
elaborate report, unanimously adopted by tha
body, recommended an amendment of the Con
sttution, so as to deprive the South of the repre-
sentation afforded by its slave population, ant
also an amendment requiring vote of two
thirds Of each branch of Congress to admit
new State. These suggestions were adopted by
the legislatures of Massachusetts, Connecticut
and Rhode Island, and were laid before Con-
gress, at its next session, by Timothy Pickering,
Of Massachusetts. Tbe report also recommend
ed to the New England States "to persevere in
their efforts to obtain such amendments until the
same shall be effected"
This fact is brought to your notice to show
that the germ of that hostility to our institu-
tons, which has so long impeded the govern
ment, and which has been so effectualy mani
tested in its legislation, is to be found in the
ton. Its inception arose out Of the purchase of
Louisiana-which opening the great vally of the
Mississippi to the enterprisng emgrant, was
likely TO result in the formation of new slave
holding States, and the consequent loss of
power on the part of New England.
A few years after the adjournment of that
convention, Missouri applied for admission into
the Union. The anti-savery men of the North
united to oppose her admission, on account of
the recognition Of African slavery. contained in
the constitution of that State. fierce contest
Mt once sprang up on this issue The South sus-
tanned Missouri in the exercise of her constitu-
tional right---the North insisted upon the nrbi-
trary exercise of her power. When the storm
was at its height, Mr.. Clays influence produced
a settlement, by which Missouri was allowed to
come into the Union with her constitutional
privilege, but as n remuneration for this con-
cession upon the part Of the North, it was or
dained TINT hereafter the STAKEHOLDER should be
excluded from all the louisiana territory lying
north Of $500, while the whole should b,
loft craa N tho citizans of the North Neorl,