The southern press., 1851-04-10

| Thomas Sims was illegally held, ana 0ught 10
be discharged by this court.
[Chief Justice Shaw will deliver the decision
of the court this afternoon, at three o'clock.
| From the ht,o Orleans Bee.
Extracts OF Gov. Quitman's speech,
| DELIVERED AT NEW ORLEANS.
Governor Quitman said: 1t was always more
agreeable to him on such occasions, to make an
apology, rather than u speech, as he was but
poorly qualified to perform the latter duty But
he could not escape from the obligations to ex-
press his grateful emotion for the compliment
thus enthusiastically paid him by tie citizens Of
neghboring State, and the great commercial
emporium Of the South. On few occasions of
his life were his feelings more wildly aroused,
than on this. Were this testimonial mere per-
sonal compliment he should have felt bound to
decline it; but as 1t was considered that prnci-
Piles deeply interesting to all Of us were involved
in the matter---as he was regarded as belonging
to that band in the South who were to be pro-
scrbed for their fidelity to her interests and prn-
cples--ae thought it his duty to bear back to
the gallant citizens Of his own State, who are
closely allied to them in feeling and interest
this evidence Of the good feeling of this great
city The impression had gone abroad that the
only dependence in the struggle between the
North and the South, was on the country, he
was happy to carry back to his State the evil
dence that there was a gallant band in this city
who would rally around the banner of the South,
and sustain her honor and rights. Though
greatly disincned to speak Of himself--to OBJ
trude his private griefs affairs before the pub
lie, he could not refrain from alluding to the Pc
culiar circumstance under which he appeared be-
fore them.
| 81 or az.
boring State--not dreaming that he had GOA
mtted any violation of law-he was suddenly
advised that a prosecution had been got up
against him for an alleged participation in the
Cuban affair. He felt entirely innocent Of the
charge, and as an opportunity had not been al
lowed him to show ii in court, he considered it
due to them, TO the public, to the State whose
Executive he had lately been, to declare upon
the honor of man, that this persecution was
wholly unfounded. He thought it proper to
say this, even in anticipation of an exposition
which he should publish at some other time
In thus stamping the baseless character of this
prosecution, he begged to be understood as
casting no censure or reproach upon those of
our feow-citzens who embarked in the noble
purposex of revolutionizing the beautiful but
oppressed island of Cuba; of bearing the free
principles of our country to the richest and most
plenteous-endowed spot in America. Loud
applause
/ 1t would be strarge indeed, if he, who has
contributed some aid to Texas, when strug-
| Cling for her liberty-who had co-operated with
some he now saw around him in that glorious
and successful revolution, should not have
sympathized in the great American policy avowed
by Mr.. Monroe, of the right. of the United
States, rather than Of any foreign nation, TO
control the destinies of the continent. He
trusted that the time would soon arrive when
this would become fixed principle in our ma
ton, and that not only the American people, but
| the American government would aid the strug-
giles of the oppressed in every part of this coa-
| tinent, whenever they should assert their rights
| This obligation he thought doubly binding in
regard to our neighbor the beautiful isle of
Cuba which lies almost within sight of our
shores, which has been condemned, Tantaus-
like, to see and admire the fruit of liberty
without the power to enjoy it,--whose ears are
4, filled with the shouts OF our own people, on
the great days of our national commemorate
ons, and who yet can send back no response.
i cloud cheers.) Whilst he thus sympathizcd
with Cuba, his position as governor Of a neigh
boring State forbade his taking any part in the
effort to emancipatc her. He felt bound, there
fore, TO sly with perfect respect for the grand
under the instructions of the legal officer of
the government, that there was no evidence on
which prosecution against him could rest.
But because he happened to enjoy the conf
dence of those who had embarked in the Gu
ban affair, to such an extent to be offered
the command in certain event, it was deemed
1 necessary to drag the chief executive Of a
State from his position and jurisdiction, to an
swer to charge thus got up He would leave
the responsibility where it belonged, Of this
harsh measure this harsh attempt to bring
about conflict between the federal govern
ment and State sovereignty, with view of
producing resistance and violent measures, which
might be made the basis of suit for high trea-
son against the executive of a sovereign State.
But he would leave this subject, and proceed
to one of more general interest. Gen. Quitman
then referred to the subject of State sovereignty
the battle for which had to be fought over once
more. He felt highly bonored in being desig-
mated as one of tile chiefs in that struggle. He
considered that the sovereignty of the State in
voved not only the preservation Of the Union,
but also that of American liberty. There were
powerful reasons why the South should cling to
it, as their last refuge. Gen. Quitman then en-
tered into an elaborate and able exposition of
the relation of slavery, showing that it was
natural state, and was authorized by divine reve-
lation--that all parts Of our country, the North
as well as the South, were interested in its pre-
servaiion--that the products of Southern labor
gave employment to millions of labcrers at the
North, and in Europe--that under its influence
capital and labor, instead Of being made hostile
and antagonstic, co-operated most bene6cially,
80 that all classes, those who did not own equally
with those who did own, large number of slaves,
were greatly benefited by its existence and pre-
servation it was the natural and happy condition
of the Africans, who, it satisfactorily estab-
lished, conld never take care of themselves, with
out the protection Of the white man. We give
but the skeleton of this part of General Quit
mans speech.
This institution Of the South had been threat
ened. We had words of-compromise com
i promise y peace peace But those who
rose this cry, do not believe in their hearts what
is on their tongues. This institution was threat
ened not by its own defects--nor by n foreign