The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-11-08
Ftom The Dai,u l.ala.l Gazette.

1t has been asked what the advocates OF SO.
cesson have gained by intoxicating their princi-
Piles and policies, derived from the late com
promise measures Ii it is meant what control
they have gained in the next Congress-, or in the
State legislature, answer--nothing and ad-
nit. upon the facts developed in the recent cleo.
tons, that their purposes are still unpopular
throughout the country; they are in the mi
nority, and the voice Of the people has declared
that the injuries sustained by the South do not
demand the remedy which they propose. But
it remains to be considered whether they should
pursue the disorganizng policy which has been
proposed Before leaving the position they have
taken, and resuning another, it would be wei
gravely to consider what has been gained by
placing themselves upon tho Southern Rights
platform, aud what would be lost by falling
back upon the lines of the old Democratic party
But few men of the Southern Rights party ex.
/ pecied to meet with success in the recent cleo
tons. The questions which they advocated
ere new, and before their propositions could
be acted upon, it was necessary that the deepest
conviction of their necessity should be planted
in the minds OF the people. A policy of such
magnitude, and which struck so near the foun-
dation of the nation, could not become popular
in single campaign. They had not been dis
cussed in any previous issues, and were similar,
in no wise, to those with which the public mind
was familiar. The party could not, therefore,
hope for immediate success, but the effect OF
these questions was powerful, and is likely to
be lasting The party gained no control in the
councils Of the nation, but the question Of
State rights has been brought before the people,
and made one of the cardinal features of South
ern politics. The politics Of the Southern States
were changed and the voice OF warning has
been sent up to the Capitol at Washington.
The eyes of the people have been opened,
and they have pledged themselves to resist the
aggressive advancement of federal power. The
secession party has not succeeded in establish
| ing separate CO.. deracy of slave States, but
| the rigM upon which such confederacy would
necessarily be based, hes become district
feature of public opinion at the South. These
! things the advocates of Southern rights have
gained.
The most sanguine man Of the party did not
hope to gain the ends held in view at single
effort twill require the continued exertions
of organized power to gain the influence in the
South, which it is necessary to hold before the
princl, y = and purposes of the party can be car
ried into successful operation. 1t is necessary,
therefore that what has been gained should not
be lost, and thai these questions be kept before
now no one can expect to be OF long continuance.
The most ultra conservative cannot hope that
the North will remain satisfied with her recent
achievements ; she has been successful in every
effort to control the interests Of the South
nothing has transpired to INDUCE her to adopt a
more enient policy for the future, and the re-
fusal of the Southern States to resist the meas
ures Of Congress in relation to the new terri
tory, will add new confidence TO the authority she
has used before There is, therefore, nothing
10 sustain the opinion that the North will CON-
nit no further act of aggression. II vss to re.
sist the spirit at the North, opposed to Southern
interest, that the Southern Rights party was or.
ganized, and in the face Of these circumstances
there is no sufficient reason for leaving the pc.
siton WHICH I'll our interests demand tina, we
should maintain.
The Southern Rights party can gain nothing
by falling back upon the Demoeratic issues
Dsorganzing now, would be equivalent TO re.
signing the position we have taken. and the
operation of Democratic principles has never
prevented the growth of doctrines which have
initiated against Southern interest The views
of the Democratic party upon the question oil
State rights are vague and indefinite, and are
construed according to the policies and purpo
ses of the different sections of the Union. II
it were one of the Leading ans admitted features
of democracy the mere operation OF the prnci-
pie would have obviated the necessity of n
Southern Rights party. But there are many
men Of the oid DemGc -atic party who have OPP
posed the doctrine of State rights; Democrats
did not consult the equality Of the States in
casting their votes on the compromise meas
ures. aud we have no authority for supposng
that they will do so. when questions involving
the same principles arise in future, Southern
Rights and Democracy not syponymo Gus
terms, and we cannot hope to secure the safety
of the South by reliance on Democratic meas
ures Our only security is in the party which holds
that to be its settled and determined purpose
and our privileges as equal States will not be
respected until that party las gained the ascend
cncy in the South. bv powerful majority. We
cannot hope for repeal of the compromise
measures. because the policies Of the North do
not demand IL. We cannot hope that she will
commit no offensive act for the future, because
every offensive act has been crowned with sue
cess. We can only hold up our injuries to the
public eve, and point out to the people the
spirit manifested by Northern Legislation.
in effect the Southern Rights party nnst rely
upon the virtue of the Georgia platform. II is
evident THAI 90 State will secede, and those who
iaVoI TIE seCtSetou " IouthefU ,Slhtts now,
must whit until those who stand ypep the Geor-
Qia platform are willing to unite with thsm.-=-
Their opinions are not changed and their pur-
pose should still be to impress the necessity of
definite sation upon the minds Of the people,
With whatever party il may be necessary to co.
operate, it would be sayise aud injudicious for
them TO recede now from the position they have
assumed. The party should continue ts dis
tiaet organization, and hold itself in readiness
to act whenever an additional necessity shall
arise. To recede now. would be but to undo
what has already been done, and create the ne.
cessi,v of forming new body when occasion
may demand it, The party has been defeated,
but defeat does not destroy the necessity for ac-
ton which first called il into existence, and the
causes which led to that necessity will continue
to operate in dApts.
MACON