Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-04-26

or convince the complalnantS that their conclusions
are in error. If both these methods fail to give
satisfaction, then it becomes the honorable duty OF
the parties to discharge the aggravated party from
the bond, and if they fail refused, it then be-
comes the imperative duty to protect life, liberty
and property, by Withdrawing peacably if they
can, forclby if they must. This is, in great and
momentous question like the present, which now
agltates the American States, having no common
arbiter but themselves, ''al questions which can
not be made judicial questions, if not settled by
compromise must go unsettled, as the acts o
Congress and the Executive of the United States
are of no more binding force on the States, than
the acts of the Legislature and the Governor are
on the Union in this respect they are equal''-
On such questions the confederate government
have no powers beyond the agency for the parties
in peace, and can only act in strict compliance
with the expressly delegated powers, or such pow
ers as may from time to time be delegated by the
contracting parties. If those are not the correct
principles upon which our government was founded
and alone act the sooner the States dispense
with the agency, the longer they will be free and
happy people.
The most dangerous features in the controversy
between the States to the acts and powers of the
common agents are set forth by some men that the
Congress and the Executive of the Union are en-
powered with the aid of the purse and the sword,
to interfere with the sovereignty of State, put it
down. take away its rights in and out of the Union,
and put it under colonial submission No free
man of the land and home of George Washing
ton, whose great name stands first on the COnsti-
tuition of the United States will admit it to be a
constitutional right. We all admit power can en-
force acts which often wrong and seldom right,
and the putting down of one State, (if one can
be put down, it seals the fate of the remaining
States AS history teaches that power is always
gathering to power, as smaller bodies attract
/ l.. Il 1 Il.
be preserved by suffering no violations, but when
suffered to depart cannot be reganed by the same
generation.
No one doubts the right of revolution to all
communities who believe themselves aggrieved,
but have the States of this Union no other rights
to remedy wrongs and violations of the compact,
(under the compact) but unconditional submission
and disgrace.
The States have given Congress no power to
make war State, the only question is what
power have the States of the Union, separate in
their sovereign capacity to object to States with
drawal from the Union the compact is silent both
as to the States sovereignty and in the Union
Jointly to object. The wisdom of faith is no
doubt intended (and Justly too to leave this ques
ton to the parties separate from each to act and do
for themselves, as circumstances might arise
The present generation would leave the question
with the States, were they to perform the du-
ty our fathers did in forming constitutional COM
pact, and were the present generation as Jealous
of their rights as revolutionary fathers were,
we would hear and see none of those widespread
and death-like gashes inflicted the constitution
and liberties of the people of the United States.
If we are to Judge the future from the past and
present, we certainly have dark and bewildering
journey in our advance, on the slave question:
For one moment permit me tC take glance at It's
history and the acts and doings of men and gov
ernments on the subject.
At an early day in the history of the English
colonies in America, the Introduction of the Afri-
can was encouraged by the home Government,
and very soon fostered and aided by colonial egis
laton; this system of theft kept up by the
owners of American ships with those Ofthe moth
er country, and at the close of the war of the
olution, the people of the United States found
within their limits near seven hundred thousand
slaves. And how did the great and good men of
that dav set to remedy the evil of slavery, so
much complained of? They granted its importa-
ton from abroad, by the constitution for twenty
years, and from the rapid increase within those
twenty years, we may suppose our Northern
brethren were not idle with their ships and time,
and could the waters of the mighty Atlantic
speak and send forth the number of murdered ne
groes by those saint owners, captains and crews,
by their dungeon confinement and starvation
while passing the Atlantic, the rocks would cry
out mountains would sink the seas would disap-
pear, humanity would shudder and the nations
of the earth would cry out mercy and protection,
and from the fate and place of our dear brethren
a0ho to be so tenderiy dealt acih as not to hurt
their feelings. And after the limit In the consu-
tuition expired, Congress put stop to the theft
from the land Of the benighted African. And
what next? They had grown fat in this business,
and as it appears, it had become part OF their
natures. They had commenced stealing negroes
from slave States-the very negroes and their IN
crease that they had stolen from the shores OF Al
rica years before. And now we stand at the end
of sixty three years with slave population of up
wards of three millions; and by the rule of In
crease, what will the next sixty or seventy years
bring forth Near twenty millions of negroes
Y You don't say sol Yes, gentlemen, our children
will be confined by present limits of slave ter
ritory, and in all probability much curtailed by
the operation of free -soilism, with that mighty
army of land destroying negroes.
And what do you think will then take place :?
(and fear long before that period. The fate and
lot of the Island of st. Domingo, only fifty years
ago. Then stop the decree if you can, yet with
more success may hope to stop the flow OF the
fathers of waters into the Gulf of Mexico, than
to divert the fate of the fair daughters of the
ny South
When we see the so-called free States passing
laws to punish negro stealers and negro concealers
we may then hope soon to receive justice at their
hands-what would the people OF Mississippi,
Louisiana and Arkansas do were the people OF Tex
as to commit similar acts to those committed by
the free States, in stealing, concealng, decoyng,