The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-06-12
Letter from Hon. A. Burt.

x ii
The inquiries proposed by you suggest
two propositions. The first is, whether Sc
"ession be the only alternative left to the
Southern States {? The second is, whether,
in the event of the other slaveholding States
remaining in the Union, it will become the
duty of South Carolina forthwith to secede
on the asccrtainment of that fact? The on
" full and fitting reply to inquiries of such
grave import must be found in a considers
ton of the objects contemplated bysecession,
and OF Its probable efficacy in accomplishing
these objects. The leading Object to beats
tanned by secession will be admitted to be the
preservation of African Slavery, unimpaired
and unmolested. comprcheuds the quiet
and undisturbed enjoyment of this species
of property, as well as the means of making
| it profitable and desirable. These conditions
are necessary to save fifteen hundred millions
ofproperty, the most profitable in the world,
and the sources of countless blessings to man
kind, from becoming a nuisance and a curse
They are amply secured in the Constitution,
and that instrument would never have OBJ
tanned the approval of South Carolina and
lblA1CA hJOuNuSiIl tCbdtGS W1tIOub SUCH security.
But these stipulations and compacts have rot
been carried out in good faith by the North
ern States, but have been violated and utter
| " disregarded Wecomplain especially that
slaves fleeing to the non-slaveholding States
are not delivered to their owners, on their de-
nland that the property of fifteen States is
excluded from countries which belong to all
the States, and that the subject Of Slavery it
self is made the topic of vehement and mis-
chievous discussion in the Northern States
and in Congress. They are well founded
cOmplaints-acts that are palpable violations
of the Constitution, and would in my opinion
any one of them, justify the secession Of the
Southern States. They impair the security
and the value of properly in slaves Theex-
: perience of eighty years in anxious hope and
| apprehension have broughtme to the conclIi
sion that these complaints will never be re
) moved or redressed by. any exercise of tht
} means provided by the Constitution. How
! can South Carolina reform public opIaion il
: Massachusetts, or Ohio? BY what poten
instrument can she disenchant the publ,
S opinion of the North, or break the spell which
holds in absolute sway the intellect of TIL
North? Our appeals to their justice hav
: been unheeded and our remonstranceseonte
: ned. We cannot disguise the fact that on
a guarantees of the Constitution in favor Q
c Slavery are mockeries. They are openly re
Il tpudiated by those who yielded them to til
demand of the South as the basis Of MO
: with them. individuals may submit, to 8ron
a without the loss of charactero or of selfrespGc
K but such submission by nations brings di
It honor and degradation. Tt implies bot
IS weakness and pusilanimity, and invites az
a gression as well as incites contempt Ih
?, Federal Government, cannot and woul
o not if it could, constraine these Norther
b States to the discharge of their duty,
IT has neither functions nor functionaries
e. reach the evil The great function Of Go
re- eminent in modern times is the protection
y property. Property IN slaves, &c al 9th
Is property canat least endure aggres ION al
A. most needs the arm Of Government. Go
stlernment that fails either fronts sca lyliess
pc its will to protect his property IRON demest
re as well as foreign foes, does not tlesels Il
ID ebedience or respect Of a freeman. Go
as eminent that not only fails to proteei but
"a actually hostile to the property Ct lite
en- States IS a Inonstrous despotisni, andt9 ovt
ty throw tits to pul down a huge nuisance q
at ultimate abolition e Slavery must BE- lleresJ
ed unless the slaYeholding States have the sP
De- Il to take their rights under their own pr
lot lection The establishment of a confedel
he ey Of slaveholding Ssates-it need not q
tie brace al the slageholding State Gas
10 solemnly believes The only IGea q
hh promises security or even hope ta the Sou
ns 1 hold that tie slaves Of South Carroll
are Of Infinitely greater value than tins
lie ion, or auy mon. And Ehen the essllnc
IA evils ot which We inpiain, nd iich ! Ia
n specified, can be ledfessed 81 tile seeessi
ch of South Carolina alone, an without As
he tatien and Instantly II ffaFor 81 Nhate'
ns other States may b; and n ha ever ecu
lis Eees may fellow
ne ct then, sec onr Or