Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-06-21
LocUsT GROVE, Limestone County, Ala,
Nav 18TH 1851

GENTLEMEN: / am inxeceipt of your distinguish
ed favor of the GOTH ultlmo, enclosing the procee-
dings of an informal meeting of the delegates to
a District Convention, held at Clayton, by which
l learn that was unanimously recommended as
suitable for the support of the Southern Rights
party of Alabama for the Office of Governor
You were correctly informed as to my opinion OF
the vital question of the times I glory in feeling
worthy of being numbered among those true hear.
ted southern men who are unwilling, tamely and
spaniel like, to submit to the late measures of the
General Government, fraught as they are with
injustice, tyranny and oppression to the South-to
all of which l am for resistance by State action,
Individual action, and any other sort of action-in
the Union if we can, out of the Union if we must
And for the expression of such opinions have
already been modestly denounced traitor
Well such denuncatons have no terror for me,
for looking back to the days of our revolutionary
struggle for liberty, independence and equality
see that such men as Washington, Jeffereon,
Hancock, Patrick Henry, and indeed all of those
who were unwilling to submit to the injustice and
manifest wrongs of the mother country, were called
rebels, traitors, and such other modest names as
federalism and toryism could invent. So, upon
the whole, l feel rather complimented than degra-
ded by the application of such terms as "Iraitor,
Fire-eater, " DC, applied now.
Can it be that those who are for tame submis-
spark of the spirit of 76 in their compositions?
For one, l think not. But they say that if any
further aggressions committed on the south,
they will then go for resistance. 1t will not be
long before we will have an opportunity of testing
the sincerity of such declarations, for if am not
greatly mistaken in the signs of the times, prepa-
rations going on in the free States, upon an
enlarged scale, for additional assaults upon the
Constitution and the rights of the States.
u. -
of the north and with the aid and comfort they
are receiving, and l fear will continue to receive
from the spirit of submission at the south, they
will have but too easy matter of it. But l may
in all this do the southern submissionsts injustice
hope it may turn out so-but l make the pre-
dction, that when the trial comes there will be
some more backing out done, 1--WE shall see.) 1
happen to be one of those who believe that the
princp pies of the Union, without the name, are
more sacred than the name without the principles
l believe that when the blessings which the Union
was designed to alike to all classes of citi
zens are denied to us-when these equal rights
and privileges which the Constitution guarantees to
ALL is wrested from us--and all things done in the
name of the linton, 1t is our duty to adhere to the
benefits, rights and principles of the Uuion and
let who will, wear the empty name"
Candor compels me to say that | am not at the
present in favor of the immediate secession of AL
ALBANIA. am for exhaustlng all other means first,
and then if we cannot have justice meted out to u.s.
am for absolute secession-a right unquestioned
and unquestionabe, except by federal consoda-
tionists and their new recruits.
l hope the course of South Carolina may be
marked with prudence and forecast. I know it
will by patriotism South Carolina has been shame
fully treated by her sister southern States, and by
none more so than Virginia. repeat that hope
she may act prudently and judciously. but let her
determination be as it may, and any attempt be
made to coerce her to submit by the federal au-
thority, she may rely upon Albanian, at least
to help her in her struggle.
am with sentiments of high consideration,
very respectfully your obt serv't,
NAT. TERRY.
To Messrs. Jno. Gill Shorter, Jno. Cochran, and
w. A. McCarty.