The southern press., 1851-09-27
PREsIDEYT
Dr.. JOHN BELLINGER.
VICE PRESIDENTS.

Rice, T.. b. Northrop, Michael Lazarus, Hon.
John +. Carew, Oliver Middleton, Frederick
Shaffer, Col. NJ !. Keith
ST. James, Santee Rev. Danl. Dutore, Col
Sam J. Palmer, lion. Alex. Mrzyck, Mr.. Saml
Cordes. ii. M. Manigault, Chas. G, Pinckney, ST.
ST. Thomas and 81. Dennis Hon. John HUI
| ger, Hon. J. l.. Novel;, VIM B. Mcdowell.
drew Hibben, VIM. McCants, X. NJ. Venning.
81. Johns Berklsy-Hon. VIM. Cain, Hon.
Peter p. Palmer, Col. James Ferguson, DR..
Henry Ravenel, Col. James Snkler, Thos. w.
| Porcher.
81. Stephens.-Hon. T. l.. Gouriin, Maham
Palmer.
ST. Andrews-Dr. G. .orge Haig, Hon. VIM.
j. Bull, Hon. p. e. Grimball, Solomon Legare,
DR.. Jno. S. O'Hear.
81. James Goose Creek-Msj. c. w. Rich.
bourg, Gaillard Stoney, Isaac Bradwell.
SECRETARIES.
Theodore Stoney, d. Gaillard Pinckney, B. J..
Whaley, Paul. H. Hayne, Thus. p. Rayepel,
Chas. J. Snowden. +,
The president having briefly stated the object
of the meeting \"
F. d. Richardson, chairman Of the committee
Of invitation, stated that large number Of let
| tiers had been received from distinguished gen.
tlemen of this and other States, in answer to in,
vitations to be present and to address the meet
| ing but on account of their number and length,
he would only occupy the time Of the meeting
by reading two of them-one of which was from
! G. w. GAYLE, ESQ., of Alabama. and the other
from John Forsyth, esq. of Georgia.
LETTER OF @. W. GAYLE ESQ
CAHAwBA, ALA, Aug. %, 1851.
GENTLEMEN Yours of the Goth inst, desiring
me in behalf of those you represent, to address
a public meeting to be holden in Charleston on
! the 18th proxmo, was received to day. On the
day appointed for your meeting shall be on
my circuit, and am forced, therefore, by duty
to my clients to decline your kind invitation.
The determined spirit of resistance you ex-
| press. through the medium of septrdte and i'm
mediate State secession, gives me hope Des-
pair never could annoy me if were certain
South Carolina would stand up to her profess
sion, her honor, and her integrity, Slavery in
the South is literally stdksd upon her, and, il she
retraces one step she has taken, all is lost, and
lost foreper, save what relic of the Southern in.
siitution may be found amid the desolations Of
civil war.
Who can DOUBT that We have been driven TO
the alternative Of giving up our siqres 10 North
ern fdnaticism, or diss0lr:lg The Union This is
not a debateable question, even among the
most crouching submissionists. All part:es in
the South concede it, while they propose differ
ent remedies. Hostility to slavery has grown
! up with the government, and year after year
| since 1887 II has become more determined. IL
has now reached maturity, is as undomesticated
and inxon:Sla rs a wild hyens. II has succeed
ed in one Of its grand schemes OF aoo,ition-
hemming in the institution by surrounding il
with free States. Insolent in its power, it re-
fuses 10 allow the fugitive slave law TO be en-
| forced. and thus triumphs in another plan of
mancipation-rendeing the slave property Of
the border STATES unsafe, BY open robbery, and
| forcing it's owners 10 push il upon the interior
| Of the South. Not content with these, for the
last three years, they have, By their irresistible
| power in Congress, increased the government
debt millions upon millions, with view to ex-
! haust the sources Of public revenue, and reach
emancipation through the levy Of direct Tar,
! perhaps, Of three hundred dollars upon Stare
OF this latter scheme think | can hardly be
mistaken. Within the time specified, appropri.
ATOMS have been unsparing!y made--the public
| lands given away to every petitioner, aud no ef
fort made TO raise the duties upon imports
| They have the constitutional right to levy such
tax, and am certain il Is looked TO as nh early
means Of abolition.
When we are thus driven 10 the necessity Of
giving up sLdreru or disabling Nh. Uaion, what
| shall we dol Il is true the Northern argument
that 81 the Union Is stronger than slavery" has
had its influence in the South even with slave.
holders. But shall we give il up, although this
startling fact shall stare US in the face! No
never! We have the power to preserve it, and
we will do so, by the best practicable means.
How shall we preserve the institution OF
slavery BY submitting to federal aggression
until we can get the co.operdtion ~ The South
Ask your Cheves, and yonr Butler, and your
Hayne, and your Barnwell TO tell you. They
may tell You we will get ii when slavery is abol.
ished in the District Of Columbia. This canno,
be, because should that be DONE We will be told
that The South roied far Hr. Van Buren, for ht
presidency iohen he had publicly declared he be.
hered Congress had he constitutional polrsr 10 do
ST. They may tell you, too, we may get il plsn
the fugitive Stare i1v is repealed Let this be
done, and il will be defended in the South upon
the ground Of It's unconstautiondiity. and your
noble Rhett will be cited rs an authority
What, then, is TO produce the expected co-opsrd
ton Of the Southl Nothing thst Congress car
do, most certainly. When Southern conven
Ii n Of only sir or serep States could be assem-
bled Of Nashville, while the comprcmise bill
were upon their passage and the Union trembling
under an excitement upon the sla, cry question
which il never before experienced, il is vain u
talk Of co.opera,ion for whd, he x ,cernment mn,
. hereafter do. When a subsequent Southern
Congress has been appointed, 10 be held in Mont
gomery, Ala, in December next, and no o.he
State but South Caroiaa has appointed dele
gates to the same, is it not idle 10 talk Of co op
erdtion We cannot. then. preserve slavery by
rafting Gor co operation. " We wait for IL, W,
!, must wait until direct Tar NJ three NJ fte hun
d,ed dollars is laid upon a stare. This mgy pro
duce co.opra,iou. But | fear, IL We wait 30 long
: we will have become 20 accustomed to suJmis
. sion that We viii acqaiesce' even in that out
rage.
There is one way, however, to preserv,
slavery, and TO preserve IL by co operation. I
10 the seperate secession Of some one slave State
II Is the only way TO unite The South and pro
duce cooperation. When this occnrs, shoulc
the general government interfere, (f any gen
eral government remains.) each slave Stat
,, from interest and from sympathy. will rally Z
her support. ShouId the general govsrnmen
not interfere, a large majority Of them vii