The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-09-04
From the Augusta Chronicle.
The Southern Rights Platform.

This instrument is completely .telo dc SCI
No fate more severe can befall the party
which sustains it, than to be Judged out Of
its own mouth"
The great FACT set forth in their platform
is the degradation OF the South. The great
PRINCIPLE proposed is sabmission--at best
so manly and oooseea resistance
The degradation of the South is the open
burden Of their tale. Resistance is not tol
be found within its limits No one can de-
ny that they assert in express terms the deg
radiation of the Southern States. Who canI
say that they propose a remedy? If they
do propose one, what is it ? Let any uphol-
der of their platform point to that resolution,
or that line, which proposes redress for. thel
past, or solitary point of resistance for thel
future. We make no reckless request-weI
pass no indiscrminate censurc. We have
examined the platform closely, IF redress
lis there, we are unable to find it. fla point
of future resistance is there, it escaped our
keenest observation The charge of degra-
dation of the South is potent-gross as a
mountain-open-pa
That such an al ortim should have been
begotten by the great sschems and wise men
of the Southern Rights party in council, is
a special wonder If degradation was to be
their fate. resistance lay open to them as
their remedy It was as absurd to couple
degradation with submission, as it would
have been had the Union associated their
denial of dishonor, with the declaration that
it intended to resist it. Acquiescence in an
honorable settlement, or resistance toa de-
grading one, were the two grounds tenable.
The Union party took the former. The
Southern Rights party choose as it's position,
not resistance to, but acquiescence in degra-
ding settlement.
How, standing on this platform, can it
hope to escape raking fire? Silent upon
the position it occupies as to the Union, it
must say one Of t,co things in its defence
If it proclaims itself aDisunion," the hon
esty and good faith of the party is at stake.
1 A score of presses and thousand voices at
once deny the impNtation. They ask, and
ask unanswerably ''could we honestly intend
to carry so momentous an issue, without a
vowing what we were after, before the coun-
try? Would it not be the basest assassin
like skulking, thus to attack the Union p
If, on the contrary, silence meant acqui-
esccncc, and was equivalent to the cry '.uc,
too, are for the Union" to what pitiable
condition does this reduce those who are viii
{ ling to stand on such platform. This is
openly to ayow Submission" and glory in
their shame. How can they escape this
singing charge, who set forth such wrongs,
: and propose no remedy?
i Degradation and Disunion, seem to har-
, monte very well. Degradation and pas
Siye acquiesceace form platforms which can
not hold the weight of intelligent freemen
Ii the party says, eve propose redress
: then we ask "what redress y tell US it.
name?
1t is not disunion. That has been dispos
cd of. That includes each and both of tbs
measues sometimes spoken of-before tht
election Southern Confederaey and Sc
: cession Each of these implies disunion
, and if disunonis disavowed, these go by tht
board whit
Is it a measure of redress for past wrongs
: Is it repeal of the Mexican laws No
Go through the whole catalogue Of remedie
proposed in the past, and the answer still i
'sno" 1t is not s'non-interconrse." 1t i
not a Southern Congress" 1t is not t,
l get back the Territory of which the Soutl
S has (according to their declaration) sheer
e deprived by high hand" It not TO tax
q back the bride from Texas, nor to drive Cal
ifornia out of the Union. But enough o
: negotiations. Not syallable can be point
s ed out in their resolutions which propose
i redress, or revenge for the past
: But by its provision for the future, pei
i haps, the platform makes atonement for it
neglect of the past. 1t asserts the invalu
! able right of secession. After list G
o wrongs which fairly makes one shudder,
e proceeds to assert the right of secession. III
# valuable, and most appropos right VIVA
an excellent and well timed thought! Ho'
admirable the occasion for its exercise!
oBut we do not mean to exercise it-w
do not propose to make any use Of it at tn
! present time.
q What do you want with it then, gentle
= men? If you wont FIRE your pistol at hin
q when man Insults, robs and degrades yo'
of what use to you is that weapon Th
70 is one ofthc few occasions for its use. VIII
j wrongs do you think would furnish a just
of fable reason for the application Of this il
i valuable remedy, styled secession n
n Would it be sufficient wrong if u
Y should be plundered by your copartners !
- :, the Confederacy? That wrong is no long
4 to be waited for, the Southern States ha,
od been deprived By high hand Of all their i
!; terests in the Territories acquired from Me
Al ice" But there may have been a doubt
"a to their title? .sThey have been. forced
= surrender Territory unquestiondbty and
IL ultimately their own to the use and EMO
~ ment Of the hireHng States
Al Perhaps you are waiting however for v
4 latfons of the Constitution. Says your Go
;fIvention in its 7thresolution
a. The principles Of CONSTITUTIONAL quali
- enunciated in these two foregoing resolutlo
81 were yiolated in the several acts Of the. ];
i Congress for the admission Of California
AZ to the Union as q State, for the formation
s Territorial Governments for New Mexico q
nj Utah, and in the bin abolishing the Sla
mt Trade in the District Of Columbia.
~ ~ gu are Waiting for the time when J
al shall be degraded from your equality N
Unioni That time has arrived. Says u
Convention, the southern States have b
degraded from their condition Of equality
tie Union
Sin But perhaps the government has Felent
and You hare great confidence ID is dispt
hgy ton 20 do you justice for the future.
,ofs hope Is no longer felt foE tbe South g