The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-07


have entered on It's perils, or have acquired these
territories
And now, their equals in the confederacy, and
more than their equals in our sacrifices TO ac-
quire them, Dc are to be thrust out from every
foot of these magnificent domains. The mode
in which this wrong has been accomplished, IL
of no moment to any but those who are content
with the himsiest subterfuges to hide their cow
ardice or treachery Indirect fraud can no more
reconcile brave man TO the dissertation OF his
rights, than direct or open aggression. On the
contrary, it may only deepen the Indignation
which inspires the determination for redress.
Congress indeed did not directly by law pre-
clude the Southern stakeholder from settling
with his slaves in California, but 1t did the same
thing indirectly Under an administration hostile
to the rights of the South, California is made to
apply to be admitted as State into the Union,
with n constitution precudng slavery. Under
the pretext that the people have right TO rule
themselves, a handful of emigrants from all
climes and nations, inhablting small portion OF
this territory, large enough Tor SIX great States
undertake to exclude from it a portion OF its
common proprietors, the Southern people Con-
gress ratifes the fraud. Congress gives validity
to the constitution thus made for California,
which had no validity before, and thus renders
the Wilmot Proviso triumphant throughout her
boundaries. The same policy of ndrection is
carried out to exclude the South from Utah and
| New Mexico They are not, like California, ad-
mitted as States into the Union they are or
ganized into territories, and nothing is said pre-
Guiding slavery, in the law ordaining territorial
governments. Io. how the South has tr
umphed, say the mean apologists in the South
Of Northern cunning and rapacity. Triumphant
and yet excluded excluded by Mexican laws ex-
isting over these territories, before they became
our property, and which they left unrepeaed !!
Legislation by Congress to exclude us, is thus
unnecessary, and for this cause alone does not
prevail. An executive pledged to enforce these
Mexican laws, for our exclusion, is left to ac-
complish this result, by the appointment of ju-
dicia and executive officers, who will carry out
his policy He has accordingly appointed such
officers and we stand excluded by all the power
of the general government, from entering these
territories. This is the consumm alton of nom
intervention, which means only excctly such in
tervention as is deemed necessary to exclude the
South from all participation in our acquisitions.
We had thought that it was the great duty OF
all governments to protect persons and property.
For these ends alone governments exist. a
government which does not protect property, is
entitled to no support. 1t ought not to exist
day. Yet the government OF the United States
has not only failed to protect the slave property
of the South in the territories belonging to them,
in common with the other States in the Union,
but has, by its positive legislation, robbed them
of portion ofthese territories themselves. Did
not falsehood and oppression usually go to-
gether, we might well be amused under such
circumstances, at the brazen prohigacy and au-
dacty, which proclams the Wilmot Proviso is
| daaH tba Soutb trim phopf II, har aYnIusIop
from California, Utah and New Mexico. 1t is
impossible for sophistry or mendacity to dis
guise the truth. We have been despoiled We
have been insulted, dishonored and disgraced,
stricken down from equality, and spurned from
the enjoyment Of our unquestionabe rights
| Turn it as we may, there lies that magnificent
region of sun and gold, better fitted for our in
stitutions than any spot on the habtable globe,
open to the labor and occupation of every peo-
pie, of every nation, but of that people who
fought for and won it, and who are yet to pay
two-thirds of the debt by which it was acquired.
All actions are to be estimated by the motives
which originated them. Even when they work
injury in Their operation, if innocent in intention
We drop the veil of charity, or extend the hand
Of forgiveness TO the perpetrators But, where
wrong is deliberately done, with the design
not only of injurying, but Of destroying, we can
have no other feelings towards the actors, than
those of Indignation, defiance and resistance. -
What is the openly avowed object of excluding
from the II territories, the shareholders of the
South
If the North sought to exclude us from our
territories, with the selfish design of appropriate
ing them all for themselves, this would be base
enough on their part uncomfortable on ours l.
their object in our exclusion was politicsl power,
| bv yrh;rh ihov ninbt no and hold In
their hands forever the mastery in the confed-
eracy, this would be more than freemen or SOW
ereign States have ever borne Bot the design
of our exclusion is more foul and deadly than
these. Not only sefshness, but hostility, per-
vades the policy of our excluders. Not merely
to lift themselves to power, but to accomplish
our destruction, is their aim. They bar the ex-
tension Of slavery and confne il terrtorially,
that it may be destroyed. A Roman Emperor
wished that the people of Rome had but one
neck, that he might cut it off. Our aliectiOnate
brethren of the North aim at policy compared
with which the Roman Emperors was tender
mercy. No sudden catastrophe of blood and
murder will satisfy their pious longngs for our
welfare. BY combining slavery to restricted
territory, they expect to annihiate it, by the slow
process of starvation and want, forcing COMPETE
ton for bread and rendering free, only to die.
Servile Instructions and CONGREGATIONS are oc-
casionally to ill up the slow details, to their
consummaton of final emancipation, ruin and
horror. They know full well, that throughout
the cotton region of the South, the white man
can never labor. They know that we will never
submit to live on a footing of equality with the
negro race The consequences Of these things
they clearly see and in them discover the utter
destruction of the South, as the browning result
of their policy. They may indeed, When we
shall have submitted, and they shall have in
creased in arrogance and power, graciously ex-
tend TO us Nero's policy Of speedy extinction,
and spread over us at once the gladstone catas-
trophe of St Domingo; but shor. or long in
its pr cess, ruin, and ruin utter, is their deter
mined policy towards the Southern States.
Now, with such motives and designs govern
ing our confederates, in excluding us from our
territories, shall we submit to be excluded
Even if we could evade or battle their policy
with respect to our institutions, shall we con-
tinue an union with those who are our deadliest
enemies! What is their policy but war-un
! discussed war-by hostile legislation first to