The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-06-05
10 the Hon. ]. ?. Richardson.

To the Hon. ]. ?. Richardson.
President Of tie Coireatton Of Southern
Rights Association Of South Carolina.
[ take this medium Of addressing you a
few observations on the subject Of secession
ideas which I would have been glad to
advance in the Convention had it been de-
Lucrative body.
| am not willing even by my silence to
sanction the action of the Convention. Ap-
preciating, however, highly the patriotism
of many who urge secession, / desire to diff
fer from them in a spirit Of kindness.
Without further preface, | object to the
secession of South Carolina, for the follow
ing reasons which shall most briefly midi
cate and not elaborate:
The great purpose before us is to give
future security to the institution Of Slavery
If we accomplish this purpose, We accom-
plish everything; if not, we accomplish moth
ing, for the present Of slavery IS not endan-
gered-its future is.
[ assume that the future Of slavery can on
y be secured BY the Union Of the South.
In our Union IS cur hope; in our disun-
ion is our despair
1t follows, then, necessarily that ali eur
policy should tend to produce this union
and to avoid this disunioh Of the South
The question tlcn comes up, low can
this union Of the South be brought about?
To which reply, that it can be brought
about by the pressure Of external danger,
and in no other way Thus all unions have
been brought about The Achean League,
the union of the s0attcya States Of Greece,
an illustrious and suggestive precedent, was
caused by the pressure of the Macedonian
power. The confederacy of the Swiss Can.
tons was caused by the pressure from the
German Emperor Albert. The League Of
the Netherlands from the pressure of Phil
lip II. Our present confederacy from the
pressure from without
Examine all history, and you will see thai
all unions have been formed by the pressur,
from without, and that this is a necessary
law of union, is evident from obvious prin
Iciples.
The same cause (the pressure from with
out) which has caused all unions, will cause
q Union of the South; especially when We
consider the momentous interest the South
ern people have in the institution OF slavery
their intelligence and spirit:
This pressure from the Northern powe
must if anything can, unite the South.
One thing is certain, that South Carolin,
cannot produce this Southern union, for it
indispensable prerequisite is a conviction o
It's necessity ON the minds Of the Southern
people, and this conv4tion can arise in n
possible way except from the march of ia
naticism. If the North continue to infring
upon us, the conviction will be forced upol
the Southern people that they are not SAT
in the present Union-that their safety re
quires them to unite. They have not tina
! conviction yet, and hence we have not sou
them Union, for this moral revolution mus
precede the political one; and, in view Q
the non-existence of this moral revolution c
the South, have no hesitation in sayin
that if you could by political convulsio
now break up the present Union and hay
a form Of Southern Union, you would hay
"a barren sceptre in your grippe" You
Southern Union would be wholly ineficier
to work out the great and arduous missio
before it; because the spirit springing frol
! a conviction of its necessity being absen
the Union would be an inert mass witho1
vitality, unmoved BY any passions save tho:
'lof internal hatred and discord
II And the certainty that the Southern pc,
! pie are not yet qualified by their opinion
/ for a Southern Union, should admonish |
not to try to coerce them prematurely in
such union.
! 1T would seem, then, that our policy is
wait the progress of public opinion at Il
South and profit by it.
But we are told We must act at once
re are ruined, as the North is gaining up,
US every day.
have myself shared this alarm, but
-lithnk it IS an Imaginary danger. We ha,
nothing to fear from the North if the Sou
remains firm we WILDE able to contend wi
the North Is years hence, and more able
do SO SO years hence, if slavery retains
/, present limits. And this for several reason
9 the power of the FREQ States IS not such
llunit as that Of the Slave States, the nome
: eonVulsion takes place between the Il
sections, the vast regions west. Of the Roc
: Eaountains fall frem lie North and becon
separate power The Nerf has
intense disease pre- ing On its vitals, s8ci
ism that Nill prevent It as becomes EMS
populated frem being very dangerous
eept q itself; tie north viii never 81 amin
Ted lie same gene slJifit to desti
8 tlle ions Of the South, as NE Sos