The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-12-04
MTNnRTT REpnR1


MINORITY REPORT
Tie Minority n NJ Comm ittee " 7sirieers
selected by Tic Goaveatiol., beg keQpe to !.
Report
That they took their seats ia this body, with
sincere wish that Its deliberations mighfre-
sultin harmonious actien. They were ear
nestly desirous TO forward The action Of the
majority, so as to secure q consistent and de- |.
feasible position for the State OF Mississippi:
obstacles inits course, OF attempted to en-
barrass its movements Aetuated BY such a
spirit, it is a matter Of profound regret that
they find themselves constrained to differ, on
many essential points, with those -epresent-
ing the majority.
Theydeen1 It inexpedient that the State ofi
mississippi should take any new position on
the subject of slavery. They hold that the |
rights and wrongs Of the State, have been
4 fully set forth and expounded ia the October
Convention Of lS49 That they are unwiill-
i ling that any other or distant State shall be
permitted to make position, or pledge the
action Of the sovereignty Of the State of
Mississippi, touching the Union or the slave
Try question; as she has already developed
the principles upon which she can assert the
i one and yindicate the other.
The minority Of the Committee deems it
fright, meet and proper, that full weight
should be given, in the action of the Con-
yention, to the will Of the majority of the
peopleof Mississippi, as expressed in the e
lection of September last, in regard to the
slavery question. Therefore, they state, that
they consider acquiescence In the measures
of the late Congress, called the Compromise
las the fixed and settled policy of the State
of Mississippi, as indicated by that elections
i Yet, we, the Minority, feel bound to say
that they do not and cannot regard the cleo
ton in September last as an expression, by
thepeople in favor Of the justice or wisdom
: of the whole series Of those measures, but
rather al. a reluctant assent to them, inpref-
erence to any course which might endanger
the Union of the States, or ieopardize the
!. safetyof the South a high regard for the
I truth of history, and a Just sense of the
rights of the Sonth, demand the assertion
i that they consider the people as protesting
against portion of the Compromise meas
! ures, and as being unwilling that those mea-
sures shall ever hereafter be invoked as pre-
: cedentso of right against them in the future
!. Legislation of the General Government
y The minority deem it wholly unnecessary
: to publish the loyalty of Mississippi to the
Union, and the Constitution, without amend
I ment, when they are unable to perceive any,
thing in her past history, in the council hall
q or upon the field Of battle, which would
l. justify the world in arraying the one or ques
j tioning the other. She regards the Con
= stitution as the scored bond of the Union
All she asks is, thatit be fairly construed
8 righteously administered in order to secur
n the perpetual devotion of her people, an'
ID their obedience to the laws of the land
of Mississippi has never questioned the wisdom
of our form Of government, and has onl
" arraigned the conduct of those who hay
n shown themselves strangers to the high an
III holy spirit in which it was framed, and trai
m tors to the honor and good faith in which
!. should be carried out. They cannot turtle
perceive the necessity which has led to til
n solemn denial Of right to do that whic
to no one is now proposing. We are yet to b
ut informed what body Of men among US pre-
III pose to secede from the Union We com
to this Convention as representing the So
- ereignty of the State, not as political bod,
IN to assert unmeaning distractions, merely
ty color the present hour. But, inasmuch
he the majority has seen proper to express the
~ views upon the right of secession, they fe
justified in asserting a principle announce
III in the earliest history of the Government
~, and consecrated by the highest names of Il
ia Republic. We therefore assert ssthat Il
or several States, composing the United Stat
- of America, are not united on the principle
r., unlimited submission to the General Go
OF ernment, but by compact, under style al
the title of a..Constitution of the United State
rh. and of amendments thereto, they constitute
General Government for special purpose
!. delegated to that Government certain dc
nl' mite powers, reserving each State for its,
su- the residuary mass of right to their own Sc
ros- government; and that whenever the Gen,
md al Government assumes undelegated powe
I'll its acts are unauthorized, void and of no
feet; that to this compact each State ac
'as- ded, as State-as an integral party; Il
!. this Government created by this compa
was not made the exclusive or final judge
the powers delegated to itself, since Il
would have made its discretion and not |
lni- Constitution, the measure Of its powers.
rails But, as in all other cases of compact amo
lept parties, having no common judge, each p
ical Ety has an equal right to judge for itself,
! In well of infractions, as of the mode andn
airs. sure Of redress The minority do furtl
and explicitly and peremptorily declare, that
men view s.the powers of the T ederal Goyernme
YES, as resulting from the compact to which
who States are parties, as limited by the pl
for sense and intention of the instrument 6
and stituting the compact, as no farther VI
DRY than authorised By the grants enumera
civil in that compact, and that in case of
lsia, liberate, palpable and dangerous exercis
En- other powers not granted By said comp
Pitt, Cor the gross and fragrant abuse Of th
is of granted, the States, who are parties Their
Idly have the right, and are in duty bound, to
MES; terpose, for the purpose Of arresting thel
the gress of the evil, and for maintaining "
ge fin their respective limits tie authorit
Our rights and liberties appertaining to the
cred lhe minority, out Of self-respect am
de- Justice % themselves, conceive, with the
lder- jority that the Convention, Of which t
KANE are part, is not an illegal o. unconsi
lonel tional body. H this were true, they sht
Ell of be bound bY then oaths to adjourn
easlI- Continued session would Be DalDable 81