The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-02-13

h.
In ovenlber ls4g 1'4Hs electen ~
your free Suffrage aoyernor a. kIils ss''se
MY term Of Office commenced WIN I I ~
auguration JON the lOtn january, lo2V'-
by the provisions Of tue Ionstitlstlol, =
4 wi expire ON the lOill danuaryy 1yei-
in the middle Of my term q ofles, ana -
the active discharge OIL ITS duties, y am -,
day arrested by the United States alafsnfa
II lof lie Southern District q NAi sslssi7pi, TX
i virtue of process ORIGINATING .out % cii.'I.
ges exhibited against me ~ tne 1lEstrict
4 so,srt of Tie it 1lifed States fof the Eastern
District Of Louisiana Tor an q lieged VIOLA
]. ton of the neutrality law Of 1915 0y peT
gin1ing, setting on loot ana furnishing we
I4lIeans for a military expedition agalllsp the
Island III Cuba.
Under these charges the 1 arsliiii is Of
recfed TO arrest me, and remove my person
to the city Of New Orleans, there 70 Pc
/ tried for these alleged offences:
Unconscious of having, in any respect.
violated the laws of the country; ready at
an times TO meet any charge that might be
5exhil1ited against me, ] have only been allX-
iouss an this extraordinary emergency, to
follow the path Of duty. AS a citizen, %
was plain and clear, must yield to the
! law. however oppressive or unjust in my
lease: bur, as Chief Magistrate Of a soyer-
eTgn State, ] had also In charge her digni-
E1ty, her honor, and her sovereignty. which.
Il could not permit to be violated in my
Iperson Resistance by the organized force
of the State, while the Federal Admins
tration is in the hands of men who appear
to seek some occasion to test the strength
of that Government, would result in violent
| ~ ali
ent critical condition oftle country.
The whole South, patient as she is mn
derencroachnlent, mi ght look wit jealousy
upon the employment ofmilitary force to
remove a Southern Governor from the iu-
risdiction of his State, when it had been
withheld from her citizens seeking 10 re-
claim a fugitive slave in Massachusetts,
O1lsfhe other hand, the arrest and forci-
be removal 5rom the State, Of her Chief
Executive Magistrate for an indefinite pc
Rod of time, would not only be adegrada- |
tionso her sovereignty, but must occasion
incalculable injury aud disaster to the inter-
-ests of the State, by the entire suspension
of the Executive functions Of lier govern
ment. The Constitution has not scontcrn-
plated such an event as the forcible abduc-
ton of her Governor It has not provided I
for the performance of his duties by an
other officer except in the ease of a Uaca1l-
cy. Such vacancy cannot Happen while /
there is a Governor, though he be a pfison-f
er to a foreign power Although he may /
be absent, and incapable of performing his /
duties, he is still Governor, and no other /
person can execute his office.
1t follows, therefore. that in such case,
the State would practically suffer some Of
the evils ofanarchy. The pardoming power
would be lost. Officers could not be com
inissioned or qualified; the Great Seal Of
the State could not be used; vacancies in
ONCE could not be nfrel, f,ait ivss f.v.4. i,,s
tice could not be reclaimed or surrendered;
the public works, the operations of the
Pennentiary, and all repairs OF pubic bIiid- /
ings mist stop for want Of legal reqiFitions
to deffay the expenses thereof The sale
of State lands, and the location of recent
grants must be suspended.
The Convention Of the people, called at f
the last session.of the Legislature, could Il
not assemble for want of wits Of election.
In case OF. the death or resignation of the rs
officers of the State Govern
nent, these important offices, including the
Treasury, woHid be left without the super
orcare of any authorised person. Fl
Ia fine, the whole Government of the State |
would be III confusion and great inconve- {
hence, and perhaps irreparabie injury flow 4
rom such a state Of things. For all these
evissthere IS but one remedy. That rene
" is my resignation. s
/ therefore, feIlow-citizens. now resiyn
lie high trust sconfided to my hands, with
10 feeling. of personal regret, exec pit that i
.onld not serve You better; Will no feeling
# shame, for. / am innocent. of the causes
which have Induced the necessity or this +
tep: On the contrary, although person /
lily I fear no Investigation and shun no E,
erntiny, have spared no efforts consistent
With seif-respect to avert this result. So
oon as learned that attempts would be
made, under an act of Congress of the last II
entnry, to remove me from this State,
offered to the proper authorities of
he United States, any pledge or security to
ppesr IN New Orleans, and meet the char : :
ses against me, 50 soon as my term of of =
ice should expire: and 1 demonstrated a.
5alnst Tie aazlzigzitI thus about to be offer =
g, not to myself, but to the State, in drag 7
ing away from his duties, her Chief MAG = !,
strate. q
NJ position was not accepted, and my =
emonstrance not needed g
1t rs not for nc to complain, you are the =,
gSgrieved party My course in this mat =
e meets the approval of some of the most = =
eltlzens near me, sincerely :
ope as i was dictated alone by my sense y.
I duty to the State, II may meet the np- y y
rotation 81 my feIIo -citizens y
] I'M thus parting from my generous con- u
tltnents, Il would be proper to. give Them y J,
a account OF tny stewardship during the ;,
hort but interesting period that have ac- &
ed as their pubic servant, but the Official :
onpeetion Between us has been SO sr1T,1F1,s.-