Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-01-25

three impossibilites required lst AS Con
gress is but the agent of the States, it car
have no right to require one of them to relin.
qush part of its territory, for the powers no
delegated to the United States by the constitu
ton, nor prohibited by it, are reserved to the
States respectively, or to the people. End
The non-slaveholding States have not the pow
er to amend the constitution. 1t requires
three fourths of the several States to ratify any
amendment, that may be proposed, before il
can become valid, and you certainly must be
aware, that a large portion of the sIavcholding
States are utterly opposed to any change in
thesconstitution, as no such change could re-
medy the evils of the past, and might prove
our ruin in the future. 3rd ] have yet to
learn of any overt act of aggression against
one of the slaveholding States; and it is impos-
| sible to prevent misconstruction of the consti-
tuition, as is proven by your own opinions,
which are directly the reverse of the three,
fourths of the American people, and yet if
these things are not done agreeably to your
dictations, you declare it as your decided opi-
MON that the only remedy is to be found in
secession.
l will not stop to argue the consequences
that must flow from dissolution of this heav-
en-favored Union. The evils must be appa-
rent to all, and upon no State insthe Union
would they fall heavier than upon the happy,
virtuous and patriotic State of Mississippi. Let
us suppose political impossbity - that
Mississippi does secede. What has it to gain
Will it give her additional physical or politi-
cal strength, and if as you say, the North has
waged war Of determination against slavery
in the South, is it likely that secession will
restore peace, or quiet the troubled spirits at
home? If she secedes she must take her
place among the nations of the earth; must
submit to have her exports taxed before they
reach the market for consumption; her ex-
penses must correspond with those of other
governments. The laboring man at the plow,
who whispers his silent complaints as he pres
ses forward to make an honest living against
high tariffs and onerous taxes, will be crushed
under additional burthens of the same charac-
ter; his cotton will be taxed, his team, that
now freely treads the highway in other States,
will be taxed. The flag of our county will
no longer be hailed by his children as pass
port to every civilized nation. Slavery, as it
now coastitutionally exists, and which every
State in the Union is bound to maintain, will
meet its downfall-amidst the wreck of the
model government of the earth. Intercourse
as now carried on between citizens of different
States will be cut off. Hostility, leading to
sectional wars will spring up, and to crown all,
military despotism be established upon the
ruins of liberty! %
In view of these evils thus imperfectly por-
trayed, ask your constituents if they are pre-
pared for secession; and in answer shout
will go up to Heavtn-louder than the thun-
ders Of the cataract of your native State-de-
caring that sat every hazard, and by every sa-
criffce this Union shall be preserved" It is
the purchase of the blood of our fathers
men, who knew no North, no South, and +
trust in God, there lives not an American soil
one unworthy son, who would not lay down
his life, his fortune,his all for its preservation.
But if such there be-if there be one who is
so forgetful of his high heritage, as Esau-hke
to barter it for a mess of pottage-one who
would scatter the seeds Of discord amongst
this band of brethren, and rend asunder the
bonds of this glorious Union,-shunned, liv-
ing, as a thing accursed, may he descend
aUnwept, unhonored and unsuns,
To the vile dust from which he sprung"
And such will prove his fate-nay more-the
grave will not suffice to hide his infamy. It
will survive upon his children's children--a
dread warning to all those who would sacrifice
on the alter of a personal and unholy ambi-
ton the welfare and interests of their country.
Respectfully,
RICHARD A. STEWART.
To his Excellency ]. A. QuITMAN.