Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1851-09-13
Mr. CoBB's REPLYTO THE MACON
COMMITTEE.
ArnEvs. August io, 1851.

ArHESs, August 10, fs5l.
(IEsrLrMRN: | did not receive your letter
nnul my return from the lower part Of the State,
abou, the first ofihe present month, and have not,
therefore, replied 10 It at an earlier day.
Al. have received COMMUNICATIONS from 9th
er parts Of the State on the same and kindred
subjects, have determined in this replyto con-
rider the questions involved at some length, ms [
desire that il maybe consideredias responsive 10
the various communications 10 which have re
ferred
Your letter propounds the two following inter
rogatories:
LIST. "Dayod believe that a State, by virtue
of her sovereignty has the right peaceably To
secede from the Unionl or Is i your opinion
that The general government has the constitution
Al authority 10 cocrrc her 10 refnain ID the uns
ion And should call be madeupou the mi.
litia to aid in attempting 10 coerce q seeding
State, would ysi. Tin the executive Office, obey
srch reqssition
2ud DO you believe that ihealate acts of
Congress. iermed the Compromises, were con-
stfutional, j1st. and equitable 2"
shal consider these questions il ihe inverse.
ofder 10 which von have proposed them.
Ia order that | may BE- distinctly understood in
feierencs 10 the late acts II Congress ,fmed
The Compromise" ! consider i proper 70 make
brief reference 10 each 81 The ak kills which
compo.ed lhs, Compromise, and shall. IN that
way be enabled to give the unsatisfactory
answer 10 your second interrogatoty.
The bills establishing territorial governments
for Utah and New Mexico resl.upona great con-
sttutupal principle. whch'has always received
the warm andcordial support'ot southern men,
and by none advocated with more zeal than
those now politically associated with yourselves.
That principle Is, /" the right Of the peoplcto der
terIpine far themselves whether 4or not slavery
shall constitute apart ofihsir social.systelD." Ii
these hills on the slavery question, u 4iolnd this
provision. "And said Territories shall besres
ceivcd inta The Union win III without slavery,
"a their constitution N prescribe at the time OF
their admission Itids important principle. so
hong c0nirnlrd for by The Spuibs and 80 long ~
ais,cd by the North. BIZ now mpndiaiedby the
South, then these bllsares obnoxious u the ob.
jeciions urged against lhansbY the dspnpnsts
tut IL tho South be content III abide the opera
tioHs Of herown cherished doctrines on HIS sub
lrcts,ahens these bills are ii strict conformity
with the requirements Of the Soalh. and sAoald
be entirely satisfactory 10 lis. II isicp late 10
talk about The repeal otthe Mexican laws, aIier
the ainiostunanimous support BY the fepresenias
lives ofihe South efihe CiayionrcoEnpg "
which no more repealsth those avs than The hiIls
we IRE now considering new were our repre-
sentalives iniheir advocacyoflhe CIayion-cesn>
promise bill, rltDre united than were their conslir
taenls ii their approval the votes nf these rep
Yessata,ives The eighs southern repFesetlias
tiyes who voted against tia, bill. On Tie ground
thattbryrcquiredihe srepeaI ofshe Mexican laws,
were denounced asiraiiofstoihe South FOR ma
king the demand, BY those who are now most
noisy in their Complaints against southern repre-.
eentatives tor not requiring thaarefeal " the
Mexican laws. voted for the CaYion-cumpr0
snise bill, and / was universally sustained in
Georgia. n that vote. Why Is itthati am nov
condemned for my support cf those bllIs BY TIC
men who then approved ofmy course
The Clayton -compfoInise bill contained nc
erpress grdraafes for Tie admission d slave
Statss.itthe people desired Il whilstthese bills
pledge The Eilh Of tie etutAsnt toaansit these
territories II States, with 81 without slavery, q
the people may determine when they come n On
ganiza ihsir Stale Consultations 'fhese llllls III
csved ne support " hlaisiil, afs .ila seFI
saslses q ne south, 4onr own EerFa En;atiTcl
from Georgia were unanimous upon lhe Subject
The only violent and decided opposition made 4
them proceeded from The abslilionists it'd FEE:
sOllsfs, who saw. III The provisions sohshich
have referred, The rePpdiation III ihcir tagoriit
doctrine ofcongfessional Introduction ii SLAYER,
II heserkilogiea, and The recognition ii OUT on
iaveriie doctrine 81 leaxing ID ths H6abls liz de
cisipn oflhe question whether III Iid b Ell wossls
have slavery aIleng them.
The bin 10 settle he disputed boundary IL
swesnihe intel States ind Iexas rests spoI
equally sound and constitutional principles. Ii
provisions simply contain Il proppsition from iii
general goyaInmea Al 70 The SIzte ii exas Id ses
lle The boundary between lie territory III hi
United States and tho State of Texas 81 adspi
inR cerlainliAe asihAt boundary and, III cos,
sideration that Texas will Yield she claim wlicI
she had made ID the seeded territory. tie Til
TED States agrces % pay her the sum often nil
lions Of dollars There was Id threat, Id csef
cion, on ne Pafs n Congress p compel aeQai
esce IN tl.eir proposition. Il was maiier e
the calm and psifiolic Judgment If he peoPle !
Texas 10 determine ana Ill terms were agree
scbJ her with unparalleled unahiniis5s ItiseqiAl
y untrue and unjust u liz bfare and patfIosi