The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-05
Minority Report Of the Mississippi Con-
ycnflOn.

selected by me C0nueni0H, Deg tedpe 10 re-
port:
That they took their seats in this body with
sincere wish that its deliberations might result
in harmonious action. They were earnestly dc
sirous to forward the action of tho majority, so
az to secure consistent and defensible position
for the State OF Mississippi; consequently they
have sought to throw no Obstacles in its course
or attempted to embarrass its movements. Ac.
tuated by such spirit, it is matter of pro-
found regret that they find themselves con-
strained to differ on many essential points with
those representing the majority.
They deem it inexpedient that the State Of
Mississippi should take any new position on the
subject of slavery. They hold, that the rights
and wrongs Of the State have been fully set
fourth and expounded in the October Conven
ton of l849. That they are unwilling that any
other distant State shall be permitted to make a
position, or pledge the action of the sovere n
ty of the State of Mississippi, touching the
Union or the slavery question; as she has al
ready developed the principles upon which she
can assert the one and vindicate the other.
| The minority of the committee deems it right,
meet and proper, that full weight should be
| given, in the action of the convention, to the
will of the majority of the people of Mississippi
as expressed in the election of September last,
| in regard to the slavery question. Therefore,
they state, that they consider acquescence in the
measures of the late Congress, called the com
promise, as the fixed and settled policy of the
State of Mississippi as indicated by that elec-
| ton.
Yet, we, the minority, feel bound to say that
they do not and cannot regard the election in
September last as an expression, by the people,
in favor of the justice or wisdom of the whole
| e l..t 4
tant assent TO them, in preference to any course
which might endanger the Union of the States,
or jeopardize the safety of the South. high
regard for the truth of history, and just sense
of the rights of the South, demand the assertion
that they consider the people as protesting against
portion Of the compromise measures, and as
being unwilling that those measures shall ever
hereafter be invoked presidents of right against
them in the future legislation of the general
government.
The minority deem it wholly unnecessary to
publish the loyalty of Mississippi to the Union,
and the Constitution without amendment, when
they are unable to perceive anything in her past
history, in the council hall, or upon the field of
battle, which would justify the world in arraying
the one or questioning the other. She regards
the Constitution the sacred bond of the
Union. All she asks is, that it be fairly con
strued and righteousEy administered, in order to
secure the perpetual devotion of her people, and
their obedience to the laws of the land Mis-
sissippi has never questioned the wisdom Of our
form of government, and has only arraigned the
conduct of those who have shown themselves
strangers to the high and holy spirit in which it
was framed, and traitors TO the honor and good
faith in which it should be carried out They
cannot further perceive the necessity which has
led to the solemn denial of right to do that
which no one is now proposing.
i We are yet TO be informed what body Of men
among us proposes to secede from the Union
| We come to this convention as representing the
sovereignty OF the State, not as a political body,
10 assert unmeaning distractions, merely to
color the present hour But inasmuch as the
majority has seen proper TO express their views
upon the right of secession, they feel justified
in asserting principle announced in the earli-
est history of the government, and concentrated
by the highest names of the republic We
therefore assert that the several States, COM
posing the United States Of America, are not
united on the principle of unlimited submission
to the general government, but by compact, un.
der style and title OF a Constitution of the United
States, and Qt amendments thereto, they consti-
tuted genera government for special purposes
delegated to that government certain definite
pOWtErt tdCil otdlt lot llsclI the resi-
duary mass of right TO their own selfgovern-
ment; and that whenever the general govern
ment assumes undelegated powers, it's acts are
unauthorized, void and of no effect; that to this
compact each State acceded as a State--as an
integral party; that this government created by
this compact was not made the exclusive or
final Judge of its powers delegated TO itself
since that would have made its discretion and
not the Constitution, the measure of its powers
But as in all other cases of compact among
| parties, having no common Judge, each party has
an equal right to judge for itself, as well of in
fractions, as of the mode and measure of redress"
! The minority do further explicitly and per
| emptorily declare, that we view "the powers of
the federal government, as resulting from the
compact TO which the States are parties, MS lin.
tied by the plain sense and intention of the in.
strument constituting the compact, as no fur
Their valid than authorized by the grants enume-
rated in that compact and that in case of de
iberate, papable and dangerous exerise OF
other powers not granted by said compact, Tor
the gross and fragrant abuse of those granted, }
: the States, who are parties thereto, have the
! right, and are in duty bound, to interpose, for
: the purpose of arrestng the progress of the evil
and for maintaining within their respective lin
its the authorities rights and liberties appertan.
ing TO them"
; Ibe minority, out of selfrespect, and in Jus
' tce TO themselves, conceive with the majority
that the convention, of which they are part
1 is not an illegal or unconstitutional body i
this we're true, they should be bound by the
oatbs TO adjourn. Their continued session woulc
+ be palpable fraud upon the rights Of their con
t stituents. The date of their oganizaton should
: have been the date of their dissolution. The,
g are unwilling thus to stultfy themselves, or tc
. stignatize those who refused proposition /,
: adjourn on our first meeting. We regard the
convention as legally and constitutonally assem-
g bled, and whether it's deliberations should NEE
Q our wishes or otherwise, we cannot hold the
: result as wanting in binding force from any de-
feet in our organization.
In conclusion, the minority are forced to dis