The southern press., 1851-09-20
HYDE PARK, Duchess county, ". Y.
SAntamhar 9Th l2hI

HYDE PARK, Duchess county, N. I.
September 9th, 1851.
GESTLEMEs Your letter directed to me at
New York, conveying an invitation to address Il
meeting of the citizens Of Charleston district,
to be held in Charleston, South Carolina, on the
18th inst has Just reached me at this place,
where | now reside
For the compliment thus rendered, and the
language in which il is conveyed, beg you to
accept my acknowledgements, accompanied by
regrets that cannot comply with your wishes.
Distance and space, the burden Of years should
bear with me, and more than all, my ncapacity
for public speaking, compel me to decline task
for which am totally untitled What have
to say, therefore hope you will permit me to ad.
dress you, through medium to which ] am
more accustomed.
As il appears from the tenor of your letter
that you are already sufficiently aware Of the
opinion entertain with respect to what is
whimsically called the compromise, | will only
trouble you with brief recapitnlation. In my
view, it was II gross and palpable rotation Of
that great fundamental principle of State equal
ity, which pervades every provision of the Con
stitution, and forms the basis or this confedera-
ton a most unjustiiiable attack Oh the rights,
interests, safety and happiness of one half the
States composing il, accompanied by insult and
obloquy; pretended concession, wrested by
mere force of numbers from minority and
that, in its CO sequences, it will prove more fatal
to the repose, prosperity, and happiness, if not
the very existerce of the Union, than any mea-
sures that may be resorted to in attempting Ia
obtain redress for the past or security for the
future.
Sach being my view of the subject, ] am, and
always have been, Of opinion, that the stand
originally taken by South Carolina, and most OF
the Southern States, in opposition 10 the prin.
ciples embodied in that series of measures, was
not only justifabe, but demanded by proper
regard for their rights and their honor; and that
an abandonment Of the position they then AS
sumed, and an acquiescence in measures they
repeatedly declared they would resist, "at all
hazards and TO the last extremity" unless ac,
companied by frank acknowled sment Of hav
ing been wrong in the first instance, would, in
the language of the printed resolutions append.
ed to your letter, be what they could not sub.
nit to without dishonor" IF such an abandon
ment OF all previous pledges and declarations
were the result Of a subsequent conviction OF
having greatly erred in mskinr them, it would
be honorable and mngnanimous. But such ap.
pears not to be the case since even the advo-
Gates of acquiescence still continue TO assert the
principles on which these pledges and declara-
tons we're based as we'll rs the wrongs which
first called them forth.
The association is, believe, right In its Sec
ond resolution-declarng its belief that the CO.
operation CT any Of the Southern States with
South Carolina, either in resistance or secession.
is at least improbable, 80 long as the influence
anu patronage Of the general government. are mr.
rayed against State rights. Nor do see any
reason for believing that any probable change
Of administration will produce change Of
measures, since, as you will perceive, from their
repeated declarations, all parties in the North
unite 10 denouncing slavery, and maintaining
the constitutional right Of Congress, as well AZ
inAexible duty, TO prohibit its extension TO any
Safe that may hereafter be admitted into the
Union. From oil present appearances, the prin
ciples embodied in the compromise will continue
to be the basis of the future policy Of the gov
ernment. u seems, also, probable that the
States which have submitted 90 past, will be
equally quiescent under future wrongs.
Having thus briefly stated my views with re-.
gard TO your first aud second, will now revert
to your last and mos. important resolution,
namely: that failing in reasonable time TO
obtain the cooperation of other Southern States.
South Carolina should alonc Withdraw from the
Union"
II seems rather late in the day to be called on
to combat the old exploded doctrine of passive
obedience and non.resistance, the assertion Of
which cost ono monarch mis- head, and sent
another into perpetual exile. Vet, as that doc
triue has lately been revived by some of tlr
highest names Of the republic, il calls for
passing notice IN connesi ioH with the subject Of
this letter. II seems strange too, that this long
buried monster, which received il. death. wounds
in the two revolutions OF England and America,
shonld have been dug up and resusci,ated by
distinguished Democratic republican statesmen.
FROM all but the darkest regions If tho civilized
world, this portentous phantom has been bpn
ished, rs Il would appear only 10 find refuge In
that which professes 10 bc the most free and en-
lightened. There is not European writer, or
statesman, or thcolagi-t, Of any established rep.
uiation, that would now venture TO proclaim the
slavish principles which have been asserted by
republican leaders in the halls Of Congress Of
republican States.
a thorough discussion Of this doctrine Of
passive obedience and non-resistance, on The
part OF equal members Of q confederation Of
States, would require more space than is proper
for me to occupy, and more time than you can