The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-11

bis senses, doubt that the AbQlikienists will a.r
~ out their doctrines, unless Rtepented by time
ly and united action!
| What j. Il that has prodnsed the PRESENT pans
IN the action Of Congso9s on the slavery qpes
ton! It il nothing but the fear Of dissolu
tioh Of the Union. that has brought out it'll
favorable expression in some Of the Northern
cities. It 10 the fear that some of the Southern
States may make such move may bring
danger 70 the Union. They fear that the actor
II the Southern Rights party might endange
the advantages which they have already gained
They vol know and have fully calculated the
money value of the Uniou-and they truly love
T. They know the untold millions which II ID
worth to them, and they will never voluntarily
dissolve II themselves, or permit 1t to he dis
solved by OF ers. TIL real enemies of the con-
stitutionnl Union, the fanatical AboIitionists
OF the North and submissionists Of the South
With the state Of public sentiment and sec
tional hostility which they are bringing about,
the Union would rot down If no one would
take the trouble 70 pull 1t down.
The Union can only last upon the ssme basis
upon which it was originally founded--that is,
the basis Of equality and Justice This IL what
the State Rights party Of the South now ask, and
it il all that we have ever asked. am aware
that we are called ultras, i,npracticables and
disunionists- that too by Southern men,
to their shame be 1t said-but in what 10 It that
our ultraism consists? We have only asked that
in the common territories Of the Union, where
| the federal government has exclusive jurisdic-
ton, and where no flag flies but that of our
country, that our persons and our property may
be protested This has been refused us--and
because we, complain, we are denounced as
traitors. Finding that wc could not obtain a
general protection Of our property In the terri
tories, we have proposed to devide them by the
Missouri compromise line-thereby giving to the
Northern States five-sixths Of the whole Of the
territories of the Union. This, too, is refused
us--and because we are not satisfied, we are
denounced as disunionists. We, also, have in
sisted that the Rio Grande was the boundary of
Texas; and have refused to pay $lO,OO0,OO0
that portion of Texas might be taken off to be
dedicated to Free-soii Our government had
winged war against Mexico at cost of $780,
100000, and the lives Of thousands of our best
citizens, because, as our government told US, a
Mexican army had crossed the Rio Grande, the
boundary of Texas, and shed American soil.
Believing in the truth of this declaration, we
were unwilling to falsify the records of our
country, by permitting the title of Texas to be
drawn into question--and for this we have been
denounced as impracticable ultras We further
asked that If laws were in force in the
territories, and operated to exclude us from thoee
territories as effectually as the Wilmot Proviso
could do, that those laws be repealed. This, too,
was refused us.
would ask what is the difference to the
South, whether we are excluded from the enjoy
ment Of the common territories of the Union
by the action or non-action Of the federal gov
eminent? To us the effect Is precisely the same
One 10 sin against the South of omission,
the other Of commission and my code of morals
has taught me that one is about rs criminal as
the other.
We, also, have been denounced as utras and
disunionists, because we would not vote for the
bill abolishng the slave trade in the District Of
Columbia, as a part Of the general Compromise.
| Now, why should we have given such vote I!
Why should the slave trade be abolished in the
District! The government found it existing
here, when the cession Of it was made by Mary
land; it had existed from the foundation Of the
government up to the last session of Congress,
I'D jts abolition did not make one slave more OF
lesz or prevent the sale or purchase of single
slNe. Tbcn, l can see no reason why we of
the South should have sought or desired its abo-
| lition. But can see why it was sought and
desired by the North for the purpose Of the gen.
eral abolition Of the STARE trade and slarery every
Uhere. 1t was giving Congress jurisdiction Of
the question Of slavery; it was the entering
wedge; It was putting the institution Of slavery
under the condemnation Of the government
the ban of the empire. 1t was the declaration
Of the government that to trade in slaves ia
wrong-that it is sin-thus bringing not only
the opinions OF our own countrymen to bear
against us, but the opinions of the civilized
world. For If it be wrong, either morally, 80
cially or politically, to sell slave in Washing
ton, 1t is equally 80 in Mississippi; or If it *
wrong to sell slaves here, It would follow as
corollary that it would be wrong to own then
here, it is equally wrong to own them in Mis-
sissippi. And believe the next step will be I,
abolish slavery here, and then the slave trade
between the States.
am sorry 10 entertain or express those opin
ions; they are against my interest and my wish
es, but | am constrained to say that | deeply
fear that they are too we'll founded VIII,
should the North urge this question upon us
but for purposes of general abolition? They
now have both Houses of Congress- and tht
President, and the power to keep every depart
ment of the government for all time to come
Then this agitation cannot be kept up from an,
fear of encroachment on the part Of the South
but, OH Tile contrary, Tor the purpose OF Iurtne
encroachments by the North upon the South
We have many evidences that this is the case
The Abolitionsts proper, openly avow it, ant
declare that their purposes shall be executed, re-
gard ess Of either the Union or the Constitu
ton. The Free-soiler will also tell you TIM
such ia his hostility to slavery, that hereafter nc
slave State shall ever enter the Union; an6
most, if not all, of the more conservative por.
ton of the Northern members of Congress tel
Us, that though they are opposed to the institu
ton of slavery, and desire to see il abolished
everywhere, that still they are not prepared to
invade our rights as secured under the Constitu
ton, but that so far as this government ha,
power under the Constitution, they are pre-
pared to use it for the gradual overthrow Of thu
institution. Now, this on the first blush woult
appear to be pretty fair but when you analyzs
il, il 10 an outrageous perversion of the object,
Of the Constitution. 1t 10 proposition to per
vert the Constitution from its Legitimate object
the protection of property, to the instrument o
its destruction.
All governments are created for the purpos
Of vrofn<.iiv< l;fo E1>orfv N.