The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-07-12
From the Esyata Spirit Of the South.
The Declining Spirit Of the South.


From the Ewtala Spirit Of the South.
The Declining Spirit Of the south.
To a Southern patriot, proud of his renowned
ancestry and sensible Of the unparalleled bles-
sings of Southern civilization, nothing excites
more gloomy forebodings, than the fatal decline
of Southern spirit since the passage of the Mis-
souri, compromise. From the beginning of the
government until that fatal day, the conserva
tive spirit of the South mainly controlled the
action of The general government Then the
avaricous ambition of the North trunphed in
the success of rabid fanatcism, by means of
the generous concession Of Southern patriotism.
ssThen you and and all Of us fell down.
| And bloody treason triumphed over us.''
From that day to this, the history of the
country is detail of foul encroachment on tho
part of the North; and bosterous hut complete
submission on the part of the South, only re-
lieved from base cowardice by fitfu CLEANS of
generous self-sacrifce on the altar of the cOun-
| try and the Union.
| When abolition petitions were first present.
| ed to Congress- the whole South was on fire.
| and distinguished politicians were hurled from
their seats in Congress because they voted to
receive and lay the petitions on the table. In
few years Southern statesmen, begged in
vain for this disposition Of these firebrands. -
The 2lst rule was expunged from tile journals
Of Congress-the most rabid fanaticism was not
only allowed to petition Congress, it claimed
and gained the right to be heard in the Halls of
Congress. Its lurid and balefu fires now burn
and blaze in the sancium sanctorun of our
Temple, and lick with its scorching tongue
the dome of the Capitol God grant that it
may not convert it into funeral pile, in which
will be consumed the rich legacy of our iber-
ties A few years ago. the entire south denied
all power to Congress on the subject of slavery
in the District of Columbia. Last wear the
slave trade was abolished, and the right to
abolish slavery tselfin the district practically as
serted. And large body of Southern polti-
clans and people, yield willing .acquicscenoe
TO the outrage, and deny that it trenches upon
our constitutional rights and guarantees.
AT the close of the Mexican war, every man
woman and child south Of the Potomac pledged
themselves to resist our exclusion from the
Pacific, " at every hazard and to the last extremi
ty." In the course ola little over TIVE I've months
the wrong was perpetrated, by means of palp-
able fraud, and we are called on to submit to
the tyranny because the dead forms of the Con-
stltutIon were apparently observed i its con-
summation.
From the splendid triumph of the principles
Of the kentucky resolutions in the election of
Thomas Jefferson until now, no respectable au-
thority in the South has had the hardihood to
deny the right of Il State to secede from the
Union. Now man who asserts it as con.
stitutiona right, to the maintenance of which
he is bound by his oath Of Office to devote the
resources OF the State is perjurer, rebel, and
traitor, in the opinion Of the candidates of sub.
mission and their venal presses And South
Carolina, the birth place and grave of Marion,
and Sumpter, and Calhoun, is TO be troddcn
under the iron heel of hired sodery, and her
people butchered for the sin Of maintaining the
principles for which they commended and by
the triumph of which America was redeemed from
the yoke Of British oppression, and sped upon
the splendid path of her victories
The heart sickens at this recital of our wrongs
and dcspars at this exhibition of the declining
spirit of the South.
Is this the region, this the soil, the cline!
this the seat
That we must change for heaven? this mourn
full gloom
For the celestial light?
0, how unlike the place from whence we fell?,
But thank God, the spirit Of the South is not
Yet broken
4" What though the field be losti
All is not lost the uncomfortable will
And courage never to submit or Weld
And what is else, not to be overcome.
What can be worse
Than to dwell here, driven out from bliss. con-
DENIED
Ia this abhorred deep to utter Woe"
What though the field is lost and our serried
ranks are broken! TIE South can yet be rallied.
our oppressors driven back and victory snatched
from defeat, on the field Of Buena Vista by
the gallant Mississippians-and if the Union
cannot be saved, we can at least save the green
graves of our sires from the bloody bscchanalian
orgies which waste the fruitful wales of st.
Domingo.