The southern press., 1851-05-03
From the Charleston Courier.
Sueeeh of the Hon. n, b. Rhett,
Delivered al Hibernian Hall, April 7, 1851, at a
meeting of The Southern Rights Association.

| a.
meeting of the Southern Rights Association
FELLow.C CITIZENS | am indebted, presume
to the fact that am but lately from the seat OF
government, for the invitation have received TO
address you this night, and for the warm reeep-
ton with which you have greeted me- You
know my opinions, frankly expressed, on the
past state of our affairs. But you wish to know
whether see any thing in their present condl-
ton, which has changed or modified these opin-
ions.
Gentlemen, | can teach you nothing, and
presume you desire to hear nothing OF those
wrongs, which have aroused within you the de-
termination to redress yourselves. South Caro-
| lima, in her legislature long since, declared that,
with respect to them, the argument was ex-
hausted. She will no more reason with her
sister States concerning them and we, think,
| need no more reason concerning them amongst
ourselves. Our understandings are sufficiently
| informed. All we want is the will, in The face
of acknowledged wrongs, to right ourselves. 1t
is on this point, and this only, The mode Of re-
dress that propose, in a very simple way, to
submit to you few brief considerations.
Your last legislature looked to two expedlenfs
| for redress-secession from the Union in CO.
operation with other Southern States; and Sc
cession by South Carolina alone. With the
exception of less than half dozen members, all
the members of the legislature were disunion-
lists. Those who were In favor OF dlsunion, in
concert with other Southern States, limited their
policy to the call of Southern congress.
Those who, despairing of the co operation Of
any other State, were in favor of secession by
South Carolina alone, supported the call Of a
State convention The latter prevailed by n
| lar-o majority in the senate, and their bill was
sent awn to the house calling State conven-
ton. Il tore failed for want of a few votes
| necessary to give the two-thirds majority, re-
ouired by the constitution to call q convention.
| On the other hand, the Southern congress bill
failed also in the house, where it originated As
! all aimed at the same end, it was soon agreed
| to pass 10th measures All desired Southern
congress for redress, if it could be obtained.
| Time would in very few months settle its prac,
ticability; whilst the call ola State convention
would put il in the power of South Carolina, in
| case her invitation for Southern congress
should be declined by the other Southern States,
| TO 90 out Of the Union alone. A bill embody-
| ing these measures passed both branches Of the
| Legislature by an overwhelming malority-far
| more than the two-thirds required by the con-
stitution to summon the people in convention.
NV friends, time, resist'ess tlme-the great
| discoser of our destinies-the iron instrument
of Providence in working his decrees-has set
tied at least one branch Of this policy. South
ern cooperation is at m end. The governor of
your State, in obedience to your command, has
sent TO every Southern State your invitation to
meet Won at Montgomery, in Alabama, to confer
on the wrongs we have endured, and the dan
gers which environ the South All are silent,
save one but that one has spoken for all. Vir-
ginia who first counseled us by one legislature,
to resist the Wilmot Proviso or any kindred
measure at all hazards, and to the last extremity
Virginia, who, at succeeding Legislature, re-
peated this counsel, and drew after her the
whole South in support-now, when the wrongs
and outrages anticipated have been actually per-
petrated, and the South with her institution Of
slavery, is excluded from every foot of our ter.
ritories acquired from Mexco-Virgiaa sue.
cumbs Nay, more-she not only submits, but
brings herself forward to obtain the submission
of Others. South Carolina, ready to follow her
first robe lead, adopted her brave resolves word
for word There they stand on the records of
the State No sophistry can expunge them.
Dishonor, even. cannot ohliterate them. They
live and must live forever bright memorial OF
our consistency and firmness in the vindication
Of our rights, or foul stain on our yet unblem.
ished fame, and contemplate burlesque on the
sovereignty of the States Virginia now leads
the way to submission. Excepting South Caro-.
lima, Mississippi alone seems capable Of main
tanning the first high counses Of Virginia. Her
people certainly appear TO be actuated by deep
sense Of tie wrongs OF the South. and Z reso.
Lutte will to redress them. But Missis ,ip2 il
practically land bound State. She has no sea.
port suitable for Transatlantic commerce The
depth Of water on her bar does not exceed six
feet. For this reason II for no other, she can.
not secede from the Union without her coter
minous States. IL she secedes without Louisi.
ana or Alabama, receiving all her supplies Of
foreign commerce through them, she would stiH
be in hc Union, so FAR rs the taxes levied on her
foreign commerce by the general government
are concerned.
TIE citizens consuming the goods imported
from foreign nations, would pay, in their con-
sumption. the taxes levied on them in the ports
Of other States Mississippi would thus be not
practically iDdependent-not independent in that
greatest function Of all government, the greatest
te,t Of liberty with our Anglo Saxon race-the
imposition Of taxes She will, therefore. not 20
cut Of the Union with u.s. Cooperation with
her in measure Of secession is out of the ques-
ton, and probably Il is better for US that she
should not 90 out Of the Union along with us
In the Union she will have n certain influence
on the other Southern States which we, out OF
IL. would not possess. Our final object is be.
vond single State secession; and we will want
States in, as well as out OF, the Union 10 bring
on that object TO its accomplishment With the
failure Of Mississippi TO give us her co-opera-
ton, ends all Southern cooperation: no South
ern Congress will meet. Our sister Southern
States decline our solicitation 10 meet us in
counsel. They tell Us plainly, in declining our
invitation, I'VE will not. or cannot aid you take
care Of your own de tiny" Surely, II we now
move on alone 10 redress our common wrongs
no charge Of precipitancy, or Of ambitious lea
dership, can, with any show Of justice, be made
against u.s. We have done all which delicate
regard 10 their position has required US 10 do.
We have implored them 10 co.operate with us.
| They will do neither; after pledging themselves
10 do both. Nov, then, that We take our fate
into our own hands are we not entitled 10 their
sympathy-their hearty good wishes for our
success For my part, IL they will give us these,
Il Is AL would desire in the present state Of
things in the South. Southern Congress now.
would be our ruin. With Virginia Maryland,
Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee--in such Con-