The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1851-01-24
Gecession

tStct3 VI hic 1ful uib. 1He 3DJecb VI tuS WIitcf,
and the tenor ofthe first potion Of his article,
is to show that no one Stae has the constitu-
tional rigR to secede fran the Union, and
thereby destroy the Federl compact. AS we
have other matter pressingupon our attention,
and demandinga place in our columns, we shall
dismiss the argument, and lake up the article
at the point where the writer commences to
show the consequences of such secession and
the absnrdity of stpposing that itean be peac-
eably effected. ToAthis, we call particular at
tention, for it is no oyerdrgwn picture, but the
truth of it will impress iself upon any calm
and sensible mind which viii consider it well.
We entreat all so to consider it, and then ST.
lently ask themselves whether they are ready
to aid and abet those who under the name of
"The Southern rights party" are seeking to
drive US to the ruin which, here so yiyidly de-
picted. Among other things it will be seen
that the writer has made the same predictions,
and almost in the same lsnguage which ace have
heretofore used relative to British sympathy.
"Andh how, pray, does South Carolina view this
matter, and what is her PRESENT atiitudey Let
any man look to the proceedings of her Legisla-
ture. She, too, holds, line is to Judge rom the
resolutions which have been introduced, and
speeches which have ben made, that State
has the constitutional right to Secede. She de-
clares it to be a peaceful remedy--a kind of
bloodless revolution. Bet is sae sincere in all
this? Ifso, why all the preparations for war
which she is makings She has called, or is
about to call, on her banks to say what amount
Of money they can lend her in her "dnticipdted
conflict with the General Government" She
has ordered her seaport ttwns to be fortified.
She is making military Preparations. What
does all this mean-what does it portend? A
constitutional right TO secede-a peaceful remedy
indeed And yet all these preparations for
bloodshedi Does she not expect conflict with
the General Government, if sAe obstrncfs the ex-
eeution of the laws within hel limits? The truth
is, at the very time this is claimed as constitu-
tional right--a remedy within the constitution
it is well known-it is felt by those who set up
such claim, that is nothing short Of REvoLU-
TIoN, and that the General Government will be
bound, will be compelled TO meet it as such,
however unpleasant the task may be. In this
way il was treated under the administration OF
General jackson; and rash indeed have those
become who presume that a Government repre-
senting twenty five millions of people is weaker
than il was when it represented but sixteen mil
lions, and that all its increase in pecunlary, mil
itary, I'D naval resources and power has brought
| it nearer and nearer to national ineffciency and
| mbecility
ave say again that this is but a part and par
| Gel of that system by which, if yielded to, we
shall be led blindfold to the brink of disunion;
and when it is too late TO retrace our steps, be
! uIngG, tho yawniug pIes;Pino by South
Carolina and her adherentsl What then will be
our destiny? Even should the rest Of the Union
remain inactive, although the General Govern
ment should refrain from coercive measures, anC
the Southern Confederacy should be the off
| spring, how would we stand? Would we then
be freed from the "icalling in" process wnicl
has been trumped up to frighten us from our pro
priety and allegiance to the Union? 1t must bt
apparent to all, that without a continuous line o
strong Notifications from the eastern extremity
| Of Mason and Dixon's line, extending along tht
| whole course of the Ohio, encIrcling the eas
| tern. northtrn and western sides OF Missouri
and ceasing only where the dividing line between
slave aud free territory ceases. without all this
without an expensive standing army TO mar
4 these Notifications, there would be no security
| to the property of those residing in the northern
/ part Ofthese slave States. Would these State!
submit To such a burden? Even should thel
submit, what would necessarily follow? Mary
land, Kentucky, Missouri, perhaps, Virginia
would at an early period force their slaves int
the markets further South, and would ultimately
become, in selfdefence, non-saveholding States
| Would they then remain any longer with as
They would at least get rid Of their slave pro
perty, and then would follow squeezing up
| process, more dangerous and injurious than oil
| present 'slcdILed- IN condition. That such
state of things would drive the non slaveholdins
population from our midst, to the extreme ives
and northwest, would be inevitable. Thej
| would seek country where their labor woult
be free from The competition of that of tht
slaves. They would desire 10 avoid the dan
gers (whether imaginary or reaD Of such
condition of things, and the South wouI
then in truth become what the West Indie
were before slavery was abolished in SOM
of those islands-a raSt plantation, subject 10 al
The ersls Of a superabunddnt black population.
.'In any event, and in every view, dissolution
Of the Union Oo which, in our humble opinion
the recognition Of the constitutional right Of Sc
cession would most assuredly Iead) viii be fol
lowed by burdens intoeraby oppressive, AM
evils incalculable But il is boastfuly said tha
"CoTToN" would be a bulwark of defence to u
this would give us the commerce OF the world
But where is the navy to protect that commerce
Here, too, they say, au answer is at hand
England! She is the workshop of the world
she will buy our cotton, she will protect on
commerce. We will send our cotton and othe
productions in British vessels" Ab! but wou'
they bring in no fanatics7 Why, just look at j
What has been the course OF that nation in re
ference to negro slavery? Has she not prove
to be It's most embittered, jealous, and reckles
enemy? Look to the West Indies! Has tha
lanalicism which characterized her legislatio
towards her own Colonies ceased to govern he
councils? Would she extend more moderation
and forbearance TO usa There is proof, ful
ample, conclusive, that she would not. Sh
has long since declared war Of exterminatio
against this institution! 1t is only necessary,
confirmation OF this, to read her public journal
Ito examine tie enactment upon her statut
book.
"In the last June number 1--WE think it was)
the British Westminster Review, the joint orga
of the Radical and Wing parties OF England
/, there was an article which should set all 2artie
in this country TO THINKING. It declared that
prosecute to its proper end the policy which il
duced the abolltionof slavery in the West Indie
the British nation must extinguish slavery
- 5laEz.-1 R~a1;l ~ tha y<,o ~