The southern press., 1851-08-09

trb 8. This was rich idea TO take away The
picious that they might spread civilization
Those who where not fit to live in Americs
amongst civilized people were to be taken to
Africa to spread civilization The anomaly was
too great to receive extended notice.
Another protest in Congress was for internal
improvements, by making appropriations special.
ly for the Northern interest--another proof of q
asense of returning justice" A base fraud was
attempted to be pamed upon the South by say
ing '.shall not the Western rivers be also i'm
proved" He replied let the rivers make their
own improvements, by their tonnage duties
By this means the rivers would be improved
where they wanted it, and where they were most
used, and an improper expense upon useless
rivers would be prevented. The system would
be even n-handed and fair II would be we'll ifhe
could say the arsenas and navy yards were
placed only where they were Of service. Other
bills of character to give sectional and local
interest to various parts of the North were in
troduced. Bills in relation to the iron and coal
of Pennsylvania, &c, &c,--all of which showed
the intention of the North to increase its wealth
and influence, even at the expense and injury to
the South; whether consistency were compro-
missed or not.
The present time was ono in which Mssis-
sippi would have to declare what position she
would occupy. She had, on previous occasion
declared for her equality in the Union-she had
declared that Congress had no right to interfere
with slavery either in the territories or in States
that IL had no right to interfere with any do
mestic institution whatever. Did she now sup
port the same principle? Did her citizens still
declare for a maintenance of those rights with
which they were born, and which they had re-
tai, ~ l..
she asserted she would have equality in the
Union, what did she mean? Was it not because
the Wilmot Proviso was proposed? And had
they changed their opinions because the Wilmot
Proviso was altered and adopted under dis
guised form? They were deprived of their ter
ritory, and it was dedicated to free-soil. New
Mexico was alleged to be free-soil Mr.. Clay
asserted that the Mexican law excluded slavery,
and when Congress was asked to remove the
obstacle, it refused to do so, and so the South
was to be excluded from her rights by a foreign
law. II was said they had right to take their
negroes to New Mexico; admitted, but by what
right could they hold them when they got there !;
the laws offered no support, and no other means
except force could be applied, to maintain their
rights; every one knew to what extent force
could be made applicable to perambulatory pro-
perty, and how weak and futile it was When
Congress was asked to give protection to sla-
very in New Mexico, the answer was "if right
could be possessed to protect slavery, by the
same law power would exist to take away or
abolish slavery" This was the veriest sophistry
the meanest twaddle. What was government
for but to protect life and property Taxes were
levied to support the strong arm of the govern
meat in giving protection to the interests of a
community. Legislators and senators were
elected to serve and protect the privileges and
property of their constituents, but not to abolish
their privileges or sacrifice their interests. The
navy protected commerce on foreign seas /; in
fact the primary object of government was pro-
lection. Why, therefore, could not the authority
of government be extended to the territory Of
New Mexico, and give to the South justice by
protecting the institution of slavery. Such
measure would be perfectly constitutional, but
it would give no precedent for the destruction of
any established rule and yet they were told
that if a slave went beyond the precincts of
State, and his owner demanded
protection, he admitted the right of interfer-
ence by the government TO deprive him of his
property.
Government was an evil, but il was neces-
sary evil; it existed to protect the weak against
the strong, and to administer justice and equity
to all; but he had yet to learn that the same
power that gave il the right to protect, also gave
it the right to destroy or take away.
In vain did the South try to get their territory
below 36 deg. 80 min; yet Southern men be-
came the apologists of Northern aggression, and
he was there to ask: Did they approve or dis
approve of the action ofthe general government
Could they approve of an action that injured
them? Could they say an action that deprived
them Of their privileges was just They were
told that the measures Of Congress were neither
intended TO destroy nor injure slavery, and vet
every one must see the dangerous and pre-
carious position in which they were placed.
The Legislative enactments were passed in an
indirect form, but they were not the less in
furious to the South. Finally, the reasoning Of
the compromisers was TO the effect that North.
ern legislature should be submitted to, for fear
that greater evils should be inflicted Every
man Of honorable feeling must despise such
for if the South had just claims, and
equitable demands, from what source should the
fear arisel
. Mississippi disapproved of the first set of ag.
gressve measures. Two years ago they were
united-sgainst oppression TO
Southern rights-all were working with union
Of feeling for common cause.-the Wings and
Democrats joined TO express their convictions
on that great question, paramount to all other,
the domestic institution of slavery; and If the
position taken were abandoned IL they ac-
quiesced in the compromise, they would now
preced Mt by which future inter
ference would be m"de. Mississippi had de-
clared that if measures were passed. of
similar character 10 those Of the compromise,
she would assemble her State convention to de.
termne upon her future course and yet, from
some cause or other, it was now made a ques-
ton Of whether a State convention should be
called or not
When he found the federal government
about 10 strip them Of their rights-that il
was determined TO have California brought into
the Union, and that the Southern claims were
TO be trampled on and regarded as a dead letter
that slavery was to be doomed as far as il
was possible, and that the power Of extension
was 70 be cut off from il for ever-it was then
he became one Of those who concluded il was
their duty TO forward letter TO their constitu.
ents through the governor Of the State asking
for the opinion Of Mississippi upon the ques-
ton. He received instructions from the legisla
ture TO oppose the measures introduced 10