The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-04-29

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time be assembled; for We are not aware that
any other State has taken steps TO DO repre-
seated IN that body. IL The utter abortion of
that scheme the country vi b. relieved from
The dangerous Consequences too likely TO llJw
| from IT, -
Bat 1T the same tiine--as II anticipating the
Future OF tho proposed congress-Soath C.Io-
| lima summoned COS ,entlon at her own people,
10 meet at some time yet 10 Be fixed, in order TO
take into consideration her relations with the
federal government Elections To that conven-
ton have been held throughout her limits AS
sured that in the present condition OF orr affair
there g nothing to justify extreme measures on
any part and trustinglto the good sense and pa
trotism Of the people of that State, we should
apprehend nothing really dangerous to the Union,
did We not know that, IN the canvass preceding
the election, candidates before the people openly
avowed themselves in favor of secession, and
that the election resulted in the choice of great
majority Of those who held that opinion.
The net for the appointment Of her deputies
TO the congress, and for the assembling Of her
State convention, was formally communicated
to the other States and was laid before the house
Of delegates at an early day OF the session Of
the general assembly Of Virginia.
q III pIoSruNo VI tstcoc SiaFC iaCto, anu VI
others around us, We are not at liberty 10 doubt
the purpose of that State, or to shut our eyes 10
the evident dangers that threaten us from that
quarter.
We do not deny that out of the acts Of the
federal authorities or tho conduct of other
States, causes may rise to justify an aggrieved
State in resortng to tho strongest measures OF
redress for, as has been well said, to deny this
would be to question the very title by which the
people Of this country hold their liberties But
we mean TO say that cause sufficient to- justify
n member of this confederacy in Withdrawing
from it, and violating the faith plighted tn the
rest, must be of such enormous magnitude
marked by such unquestionable aggravation, and
of such imperous necessity as to leave no doubt
on the mind of an impartial public of its adc-
quateness. In the present case the injuries com
planned Of are not peculiar to the State com
planning, but are shared in equal, it not supe-
rior degree, BY the other Southern States. And
yet these States find in them no sufficient ex-
cuse for disturbing the Union. Indeed, the very
acts from which the injuries are supposed TO pro.
ceed-the admission of California as State, and
the settlement of the Texan boundary-derved
their validity, in part, rs the records of Congress
show, from the votes Of Southern representa-
iives We think, therefore, we hazard nothing
VI t1ut, pItSeht VI
fairs, federal and State, there is no usti;alion
nor even excuse for the mcdiated secession.
IL the act were such in its consequences as to
be visited only upon that State we might remain
passive, vet not the less interested spectators of
the issue. But, unfortunately, it is far other
wise and but two well calcu nted to involve in
the same indiscriminate ruin with the offending
member of the confcderacy the most innocent,
and even deserving.
We mean TO express no opii ion on the con-
troverted question of the right of State TO Sc
cede from the confederlcy, nor of the eons.itn-
tiona duties Of the federal authorities in such
IN emergency. We SHOULD certainly never de-
sire to see the soil of our sister State pressed
by the hostile tread of federal troops, nor her
sons slaughtered in unnatural war. But
can give no assurance thqt the other States will
find it compatible with their safety to surrender
the important port of that State, or to behold
some Eurooean power establish othold
there, and the very fortress erected by revolu
tionary hands, plss--p rhaps under coerced
trraties--into possession of the hnnghty foe
against whose aggressions it was Designed to
be a defence.
TO Louisiana il would hardly be conceded
that she should sccede with the mouth Of the
| Mississippi or to Florida. that she should sec de
with the command Of the gulf since either
would, BIZ tie act convert into foreign, pprhaps
hostile Stnies. territory paid for ont "f tn" com
mon treasury, and obtained for The high purpose
Of the nationl safety And yet, If the net nf
successful secession be once committed, it will
h. imp ,ssibIr. ever after TO deny TO any dissat.
i~fied member of the conicdrr,cy The right TO
follow the example. The inevitable conse-
qnence must b I, that the federal authority will
cease To be respected at home, and that abroad
dispositions will soon he manifested "to take
advantage Of It's imbccitv, and to speculate on
its approaching DOWNFALL
! Entertaining these opinions, and strongly i'm
pressed with the importance Of the impending
crisis, we considered it incumbent on the leois-
lature of orr State to avail itself Of the occasion
| furnished by the communication of South Caro-
| lima, for dsavowng the idea of Southern con.
gress for the expressing the acquiescing of our
people in the measures of adjustment, for de-
claring their attachment TO the Union, and re-
spcctfully demonstrating against the contem-
/ plated disturbance We were especially desir.
Gus Of this, because we feared that, as our senn-
tors Zone of whom had been recently rc-elect-
ed,) and majority of our representatives, had
opposed these measures in their passage, and
were known still to speak Of them in terms OF
reprobation, the authorities Of South Carolina
W0ulo, without an unequNocal deciaratlon 10
the contrary, be deuded into the belief that, in
their resistance to the federal government, and
their act of secession, they would receive the
sympathy and cooperation Of the people Of this
State.
! An explicit and authoritative declaration on
these points, we considered due to ourselves to
our constituents, to the people Of south Caro-
ina and to the country; and, in the present
state Of parties amongst U.s. we thought the de-
sired movement would proceed with better effect
from our Democratic associates. Accordingly,
in our social intercourse during the session,
some OF us sought to impress upon their minds
proper sense of these considerations and for
a time cherished the hope that deaf ear would
not be turned to The appeal. BIT resolutions
touching this subject, introduced at an early day
of the session by one Of our number, had been,
without consideration, indefinitely postponed
whilst similar ones, subsequently introduced by
another, had been as summary laid on the
table; and il was not, until the close approach
Of the day appointed for the termination OF the