The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-01
ADDREss
Oj he Con',npee appointed By the members Of
ne Legislature friendly 10 Southern RighiS, 10
The people Of Mississippi.

FELLOW CITIZENs:--lt has now been up
wards Of sixty years since the formation of our
present Constitution. That instrument was
framed by separate and feeble States, to give
them greater strength amongst the nations OF
the earth IL was adopted with great reluctance
on the part of the South at the earnest soliclta-
ton Of the North. For number of years after
its adoption, an extraordinary struggle was go
ing on in Europe The wars OF the French
Revolution shook every throne to its centre. IL
was with great difficulty that the United States
could avoid being involved in these collisions.
Each of the great belligerent powers endeavored
to force them from neutrality; but the wisdom
OF our revolutionary sires preserved the peace
of the country. The pressure from abroad kept
the people united at home. The slave question,
which even before the adoption Of the Constltu-
ton, had been source-of difficulty, was permit
ted TO sleep IN the presence OF more pressing
danger. France ceded Louisiana to the United
States, to keep ii from falling into the hands Of
England. This produced no extensive agta-
ton of the subject Of slavery, because all
thoughts were occupied by our foreign relations.
But after our ability to resist aggression from
abroad was established by the war of l8l2-af-
ter the increase of our population and wealth had
given us n high rank among nations-and after
the Union was thus felt to be less necessary for
defence against foreign powers, our dissenslons
on the subject of slavery were renewed The
general peace of Europe removed all fear OF a
foreign war. When State, carved out of the
territory of Louisiana, applied for admission into
the Union the question OF slavery appeared in a
more menacing form The existence Of the
Union was threatened, and the Government was
shaken to its foundation. The wisdom and patri-
otsm of that day were found sufficient to adjust
no lfy AMI of n on ia nj
the South, which fully evinces her attachment
for the Union. That sacrifice was made with a
hope that it would put final end to the ques-
ton. The subsequent spread of our domain to
the Pacific Ocean, was not foreseen. If it had
been, no one doubts but that the line of 36 de-
grces 80 minutes would have been extended
across the continent. That would have ended
this question forever in its application to terrific
rial acquisitions.
But this prescience was not accorded to the
men of that day. Ii remained for the events of
the present time TO develop fully the evils which
grow out of an inference by Congress with n
subject not entrusted to it by the Constitution
The Missouri Compromise gave quiet to the
country, but for n very short time. In fifteen
years from the time il was made, the halls of
Congress were filled with petitions praying for
Legislation upon the subject Of slavery, in many
other aspects Such power Of Legislation was
denied by the South, and this topic has been the
source Of constantly increasing agitation, from
that time to the present. At the last session Of
Congress, it absorbed its entire attention, and
excluded almost every other matter from con-
sidernton. A bitter warfare is waged against
the institution, which will not stop short of its
destruction, if it be not stayed and arrested by
the action of the South. The General Govern
fba md in, bnp IL IF
Northern majority, is arrayed ag INST It, and the
institution must perish if the States who are in
terested in its preservation do not protect it,
A sagacious Southern statesman, years agode-
clared, that it was the settled policy of Congress,
never to admit another slave State into the
Union Had Congress alone been consulted,
that policy would have been carried out to the
letter. But in 1874 the desire of he people for
more territory, by a popular vote, brought
about the annexation of Texas, and the settle
ment of the Oregon boundary. 1t was thought
that by the resolutions of annexation, n vast eX-
tent of territory was inaienably secured to the
South. Although the South conceded the whole
of Oregon to the North, without a murmur
reckless majority of the last Congress, by an
offer or $l0,000,000 and by throwing the sword
into the scale along with the purse, succeeded
in Remembering Texas, by which Free-soism
makes an immense stride towards accomplishing
the avowed object of its advocates, in surround
ing us with Gordon of free States The same
determination to prevent the admission of any
more slave Stltes, induced the North, during the
war with Mexico, to refuse TO vote appropria-
tons to carry on the war; unless the territory to
be acquired should be previously devoted to
Freesoilism. The policy thus early developed,
has found its consummation in the recent acts of
Congress.
Under all the DISCUSSES which the act has been
been made to assume, it is easy to be seen, that
the admission of California was brought about
by the Federal Government The convention
which framed the constitution of California, was
called by an officer of the United States, who
prescribed the qualifications of the voters, and
put in motion all the preliminary proceedings
He was but the agent of the Federal Govern
ment 1t is an established principle, that every
government becomes responsible for the net of
its officers, if, when those acts are complained
of, they be not disavowed, the agent punished
and reparation made. The Government of the
United States has done neither of these, although
the South has bitterly demonstrated. The whole
series of measures, from the proclamation of
Gen. Riley to the admission of California as a
State, finds nothing to redeem them from the
character Of usurpaton and revolution but the
action of the Government of the United States.
1t hence follows that the act of California was
but the act of the Federal Government, and that
the adventures who gathered upon It's Shores
and seized upon the soil and the sovereignty
without right to either were but instruments in
the hands of Congress, to carry out its determi
nation to exclude slavery from the shores of the
Pacific Though Congress has the undoubted
power to admit new Safes, it is vain to look in
the Constitution for a sanction of these irregular
proceedings-they were unapt horzed, fraudu-
lent and void, and we have yet to learn that the
confirmation of void act can give it validity.
The bills forming territorial governments for
Utah and New Mexico, are no departure from
this line of policy, to exclude all further adms-
sion of slave States. Congress was ready
enough, by intervention, to shut out slavery
from CALIFORNIA; but was firm to the principle
of non-ntervention ms to the repeal of the
Mexican law in regard to slavery in these terri
tories. The law was deemed ms effectua for
the exclusion of slavery rs the Wimot Proviso
The territorial legislatures are forbidden TO touch
the subject, and it is thus rendered certain, as
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