The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-08-09

(coNcLUDED.)

1
evidence Of their intention to hold to and sup
port the compromise bills--for they had nomi
mated fifth candidate for the representation
7 should the census give the claim, in eagernes!
) Tor theIr cause ; they even made him long lis
OF appointments, &c, all, doubtless, to show
their zeal and patriotism. He would not at
tempt to define patriotism, but he had To leasl
, that patriotism meant surrender to the majority
and yet the Unionists acceptation of the term
could be made TO imply no other DIR. johnson
had once been asked what was the meaning OF
the word, and the doctor replied, patriotism IL
the last resort of scoundrel." lie had seen
circumstances that reminded him of such an ap.
pcation daughter and applause) He had no
objection to any party taking up the name OF
Union, or any other name that suited them
they had right to adopt what name they
chose, but he objected to such name being
adopted for the purpose of making an issue
upon it, and he also objected to this same party
fixing a name upon himself and his party II
their opponents were Unionisis, why let them
be so, but he could not conceive from whence
they got their right to make up an issue for the
Democrats. Ii was not usual for one han to
cut, shuttle and deal cards, nor could it be Just
for Submissionists to have all the say. There
was no need to change the name of Democrats
1t was one that was honorable and reputable
--one that their fathers had borne, and as parties
Stood he knew of no name more sacred, nor of
any that he would more readily bear What
name was more honorable or sacred than Wing
in the old revolution---that name was then dear
and valued, and it was name that never should
have been misused to cloak the acts of federal
ism and power, through which it lost its beauty
and its charms. For what reason the Union"
cry in Mississippi had been raised he could not
| at I,. g.
understand. Seward, said he held the "Unon"
above the question of slavery. That he, Col
Davis,) could understand, but he thought Sew
ard would receive little sympathy in Mississippi,
if slavery became abolished. 1t was not the
name Of the party but the significance which
the word Union" betokened to hose who as
sumedi it. He was arraigned not as n disunionist
only, but as an archlcader of disunion.
He did not know why such terms were APP
piled to him, for he was sure that nothing he had
ever done or said could be referred to, to bear
out such an application But when a man
charged him with being a disunionist, he should
make monsyllabic answer which was not fit to
be used before that assembly, yet which was the
Only one that ought to be used to his foul as
sailants. (Cheers) A dsunionist must be
made from one of two causes, either interest or
prejudice. He could have no prejudice, for
since he sixteen years of age, he had
served the federal government. For twelve
years he had borne arms for his country; for
five years he had served in the council of the
nation. Whatever had been his course of life,
all he had done had been for the service of the
United States. When called upon, he had al
ways been prepared to serve his country, and
his acts had been constituted with the United
States. For twelve years, his home had been
rla fbaH of nf fto cfa and ofrin and
would indeed be strange, if after this he should
desire to become disunionst The kind con-
fidence of his feow-citizens in Mississippi had
placed him, he feared, fac above his deserts, but
he had endeavored to deserve their confidence.
He had reached period of life that caused him
to desire no higher honor, nor could any man
reach to higher station, unless he soiled his
hands, and bartered away the interests of the
South to the fanqticism of Southern opponents
"A temptation he hoped ever to resist. (Cheers.)
Then what interest had he? He had no ambi-
ton to crafty by becoming disunionist no
higher station to obtain, but he might by such
course, sacrifice the high position he held
Having thus, Them neither interest nor prejudice
what on earth could be an inducement for him
to become disunionist! (Applause.) Had he
been willing to have accepted the inducements
offered TO him, to become traitor to his consttu-
ents, he might have been led into the camp of
the "Unionists" and got his reward-he might |
have gained other laurels, that were but to fade |
He might have come home to justify his acts, and
his constituents might have appeared satisfied
for a time.
But who were the gentlemen that assaulted !
him? He knew not whether they were at that
meeting or elsewhere he was unable to find |
one of them who had ever lost drop of blood
in defence of his country--or whose acts of pa. |
hiotism had ever gained them Iaured of fame
they were merely those who had basked in the |
sunshine of pleasure or indulgence, and whose
pecuarities were an attachment to Office. loud |
cheers.) He claimed his right to be for the
Union, because his heart beat for the welfare of
his country, but the Union was not so dear to
him as Mississippi; and az a choice between !
secession and political and social degradation,
were he asked which he preferred, he would say
secession" and every son of Mississippi with |
feelings of honor, or sense of justice in his
breast would be with him to the last cloud
applause) Was this disuniou or disruption |
that deserved such censure if it were, why il
was the principle of the revolution of '76 and
TT. out of which the Constitution arose, being
rendered sacred by the blood of those who fell
to cement it and who declared that it was right
to discountenance government, when that gov
cflhhitut otchine oppressive L nc DtcihtdhOH |
Of Independence recognized the right of seces-
sion under circumstances of oppression and in
Justice lie wanted to see the man who would
come forward with arguments to show that if
country has right to secede from an oppressive
government, as the United States did from
Great Britain, why States had no right 10 secede
from the federal government under similar cir
cumstances How could colonies have greater
powers than States And what arguments could
those be that denied the right of secession. Mr.
Madison had given his opinion New York and
Virginia had both avowed their opinion in favor
of the right Of secession. Whilst that great
and good man who always opposed State coer-
cion, Gen. Washington, in his farewell address
discountenanced the perversion of power by one
department over another, nor did he ever alude
to treason in the sovereign acts Of State, but
he left it to this degenerate race to discover that
treason could be committed by sovereignty
Treason in the United States was specifically
defined by raising war against, or giving aid,
comfort and assistance to enemies-it was not
crime of sovereignty, or of States, but of per-
On, opd tho prn,pby,opf we raotrirfoa 10 fbaI