The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-11

of the people | desire nothing 40 much as
the safety of the Union place IL beyond the
striking distance Of cunning a. We'll as mad
fanatacism-do this, if you can, without resort
ing To the final remedy but, II you cannot, then
give to the Constitution an express, positive,
prohbitory amendment, which shall j0rerer
end the entanglements and pretexts OF interpre-
tation
But what, you may ask, if this doubtful and
dilatory course should prove aborvei Much
time and opportunity will have been afforded
Congress, the Executive and the people will
have perceived that the resources Of the Consti-
tuition for the defence of State rights were pa
tienty exhausted, and may become sensible that
a single further step of invasion will, like the
last feather on the eamers back, break down the
confederacy. AT all events, the responsibility
OF perinaciously peryerting, after reiterated
warning, the funciions OF the Union, will, even
more strongly than now, rest with those who
dare gtavey claim to domneer the condition
and consciences Of others. Instead OF forbear-
ing remonstrance, of reasoning and of appeals
TO the buiwark of the fundamental compact the
quick instinct of self preservation will alone be
left. Even at that crisis when dsunlon, partial
or temporary, shall seem the alternative on
which TO shun consolidation, shall not cease to
hope that faction may yet be stunned into 50
briefly, and that the confronting presence OF lib
erty and usurpation may, in this western world
Of ours, terriy the latter into retreat.
do not think that misjudge my country
men in saying that the party in the wrong must
ultimately yield; but it is well to remember
that in order to retain the position OF right, ex
IRENE forbearance is necessary, and that perhaps
gross oppression may for season be most hon
orably borne In contests Of speculative poll
ties salutary something can always be antici-
pated from the soothing and truth disclosing in
fence of time. To fling the guantlet while
vet the civil controversy is undecided; to mutt
ny from and quit garrison within which you
may really have more friends than foes, il chy
alrs of the kind painted by Cervantes. Napo
leon, the FESTIVE and ntractable, owned and in
culcated, as to all projects, the wisdom of wait
ing "ti,l the pear is ripe" and not initiate the
savage who cut down the tree to reach the fruit
Southern men hose faith wavers in the mean
Ing and purpose of the Constitution, as to State
equality and nOn-interventiOn, are naturally
made testy and choeric by their own misgivings;
but it is the province of conscious justice and
perfect conviction to be patient and to abide the
inevitable triumph of truth Nor ought it to
be forgotten that, however, convenient and ad-
MISSILE in ordinary parlance the language il,
there are under the Constitution no such separate
realities as Southern rights" that an outrage
upon reserved sovereignty on any subject is
Just as much an infringement OF my right in
Pennsylvania as Of yours in Texas, and that a
large proportion Of the people on this side OF
Mason and Dixon. line have been taught by
experience and reflection to know that their
dangers in peace or in war have their sources IN
the North A citizen who truly estimates and
loves the Union who is capable of comprehend
ing that to the domestic tranquility and enduring
freedom Of the American people, lisa political
necessity, feels as sensitiveya blow inhicted upon
one great interest or region as upon another,
u,on the fisheries, the navigation of the Missis
sipp', the liberty Of the seas the freedom Of the
press, or the LOCAL sovereignty oyer soil and
slavery. The right to fish is no more Northern
than Southern: the right which was in momen-
tary jeopardy at Client, of exclusive use of the
waters Of the Mississippi, is no moe Western
than Eastern, a. the right not to be impressed
by Bri sh naval audaciiy was cherished alike
in the fields of Kentucky and on the Atlantic
COAST and SO tell you that the right of each
State to be accounted an equal of every ether
ftae, and to secure, If she so peases, to her in
habtants the enjoyment of as ample and I'M
restricted scope for the exercise of their minds
and means as can be secured elsewhere, is not
a sectional, not a Southern, but a common union
or constitutional right, Such | am sure was
the design of all those who as master workman
built on the basis Of the confederation, the
United States; such believe to have been the
sense of those who after the most widely popu-
lar forms of consultation accepted the structure
and entered upon its occupancy, and such must
be. for the trnth is mighty and will prevail, the
ultimate judgment even of those who, with the
bigOt,ed frenzy of crusaders, would attain what
their delirum deceives them by depicting as the
q will of God"
And now, my dear sir, having fear, tedously
and imperfectly met your comprehensive ques
tons, let me advert TO your intimation that you
desire TO publish my answer 1t is unpleasant
to be thought shy of avowing ones sentiments,
but it is perhaps more unpleasant to be obtrud-
ing, as if important opinions which may he e.
teemed worthless, and which are liable to be at
once sigmatized ne symptoms of the prevalent
epidemic for canddateship. have scrupulous-
ly abstaned, since quitting the Vice Pres dencv
in 1910, from invoking political notice, and this
upon variety of motives, some of domestic
duty, some dl taste for the implied competition,
some of different reluctance, to seem, by even n
shade, to differ from ADLER and better men, and
some from ssdative suspicion that matters
would in all likelihood roll on TO their destina-
ton quite as well without as with me- Unless,
therefore, you deliberately conclude that the
ideas in this letter are such as may be- without
particle of reference TO their bearing on my
self, substantially useful TO the country or the
Democratic party, hope you will abstain from
any sort of PRONUNCIATION. Owing you return
for the visit which You were kind enough 10 paw
me in May last, shall feel perfectly satisfied If
what have written be acceptable to you alone.
and convince you how truly and respectfully
an, dear sir, your friend and obedient servant
=. g. H. DALLAS.
10 the Hon. Guy NJ. HRYAg.