The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-25

nation OF members OF the Southern congress
was held at the Hibernian IL III, at Charleston
on "Wednesday evening 18th inst.
Ga motion of Col. r. +. Reynolds the meet
ing was organized by the appointment Of tn,
following officers
PRESIDENT.
Dr. JOHN BELLINGER.
VICE PRESIDENTS.
81. Philip and 81 Mchasl-p A. Aveilhe
Chas. Kerrison. John G.. Bnrcknyer, Hon. Robt
Fife, Robert N. Gourdin. Theodore Huchet, Ed
ward HorIbeck, Geo. III Ingraham, Col Chas
Kauapau. Col. James Legare, William Lobby
George N. Reynolds, DR.. Thomas G. Prio!eau
II. +. Strohecker, It. Grange Simons. w. X Da.
Wis, Mi w. Laval, Daniel Hayward. Hon. VIM
Rice, c. Is. Northrop, Michael Lazarus, Hon.
John f.. Carew, Oliver Middleton, Frederick
Shsffsr, Col. NJ. l. Keith.
ST. James, iSantee--Rev. Dinl Dufore, Col.
Saml. J. Palmer, Hon. lex. Mazyck. Mr. Saul.
Cordes, II. M. Manigault, Chas. c. Pinckney, sr.
81 Thomas and 81. Dennis Hon John Hu.
ger, Hon. J. l.. Novel;, VIM. b. Mcdowell.
Christ Church--Dr. III. v. Toom,r, Hon. An.
drew Hihben, VIM McCants, II. NJ Venning.
81 Johns Berkiey--lion VIM. Cain, Hon.
Peter p. Palmer. Col James Ferguson, Dr..
Henry Ravene, Col James Snkler, Thos. W.
Porcher
ST. Siephsns--Hon It. L. Gourdin, Maham
Palmer
ST. Andreaos-Dr Gorge Haig, Hon VIM.
j. Ball, Hon. p C. Grimbal, Solomon Legare,
DIR. Jno. S. O'Hear
81. James Goose Creek-Maj. C. w. Rich.
bourg, Gaillard Stoney, Isaac Bsadwell.
SECRETARIES.
Theodore Stoney, b. Galard Pinckney, b. j.
Whaley, Paul. II. Hayne, Thos. p Ravenel,
Chas. j. Snowden.
The president having briefly stated the object
OF the meeting
+. ID. Ric' ardson. chairman of the committee
of invitation, stated that large number Of let
tiers had been received from distinguished gen
tlemen Of this and other ates, in answer to in
vitations to be present and TO address the meet
ing but on account of their number and length
he would only occupy the time of the meeting
by reading two of them-one Of which was from
e. w. Gavle, esq. of Alabama, and the other
from John Forsyth, esq of Georgia.
LETrsR OF G. w. GAYLE ESQ
CAHAwBA, ALA, Ang. 90, 1851
GENrLEMEN: Yours of the goth inst, desiring
me in behalf of those you represent, to address
public meeting to be holden in Charleston on
the 18th proxmo, was received to day. On the
day appointed for your meeting shall be op
my circuit, and am forced, therefore, by duty
to my clients to decline your kind invitation.
The determined spirit Of resistance yon ex-
press, through the medium of separate aud i'm
niediats Slate secession, gives me hope. Des-
pair never could annoy me if were certain
South Carolina would stand up to her profess
sion, her honor, and her integrity. Slavery in
the South is literally staksd upon her, and if she
retraces one step she has taken, all is LOST, and
lost forever, save what relic of the Southern in
stitution may be found amid the associations of
civil war.
! Who can doubt that we have been driven to
the alternative Of giving up our siaues 10 North
ern fdnaticisna, or dissoIring The Union. This is
not debateable question, even among the
most crouching submissionists. All parties in
the South concede it, while they propose differ
ent remedies Hostility to slavery has grown
up with the government, and year after year
since 1887 it has become more determined. IL
has now reached maturity, is as undomesticated
and inxorafac as wild hyena. 1t has succeed
ed in one of its grand schemes of abolition
hemming in the institution by surrounding it
with free States. InsoleDt in its power, it re-
fuses to allow the fugit We slave law TO be en-
forced, and thus triumphs in another plan Of
MISUNDERSTANDING the slave property Of
the border STATES unsafe, by open robbery, and
forcing its owners to push il upon the interior
Of the South. Not content with these, for the
last three years. they have, by their irresistible
power in Congress, increased the government
| debt millions upon millions, with view TO ex-
haust the sources of public revenue, and reach
emancipation through the levy of direct tar
perhaps, of three hunired dollars upon Stare
OF this latter scheme ! think can hardly be
mistaken. Within the time specified, appropri
ATOMS have been unsplringlv mads--the public
lands given away to every petitioner, and no ef
fort made to raise the duties upon Imports
They have the constitutional right to levy such
tax aud am certainit is looked to as an early
means Of abolition.
| When we are thus driven to the necessity of
! giving up siaueru or disabling The Union, what
shall we do? 1t is true the Northern argument
that g. the Union is stronger than slavery" has
had its influence in the South, even with 81 I'VE
holders. But shall we give it up, although this
startling fact shall stare us in the face! No
never! We have the power to preserve it, and
we will do 80, by the best practicable means.
How shall we preserve the institution of
slaveryl BY submitting TO federal aggression
until we can get the cooperation Of The South
Ask your Cheves, and yonr Butler, and your
Hayne, and your Barnwel to. tell you. They
may tell You we will get IL when slavery Is abo,
ished in the District of Columbia This cannot
| be, because should that be done, we will be told
that The South roed for NJ. Van Buren, for The
presidency rohen he had publicly declared he be-
ieued Congress had tie constitutional yo,oer 10 do
so. They may tell you, too, we may get il vhen
the fugitive siape lao is repealed Let this be
done, and il will be defended in the South upon
the ground of it's uuconNfutiongiity, and your
noble Rhett will be cited IA an auihority.-l
What, then, is TO produce the expected co-opsra
Ion of The South! Nothing that Congress can
do, most certainly. When Southern conven
u of only sir or seren States could be assem-
bled at Nashville, while the compromise bills
we're upon their passage,and the Union trembling
under an excitement upon the slav cry question
which it never before experienced, it is vain to
talk of cooperation for ,ohat fhe government may
hereafter do. When a subsequent Southern
Congress has been appoiotod, to be held in Mont
gomery, Ala, in December next. and no other
State but South Carolina has appointed dele
gates to the same, is it not idle to talk of co OPP
erafion7 We cannot, then, preserve slavery by
,rnflinO for m oopr1fiou III " unit for n wa