The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1851-03-11
ADBRESS
Df the SOHlhern Rights Association,
Of tie University Of Tuginia, to tie
Young Men Of Tie South.

Sixty years have now elapsed since the
formation of the federal Constitution With
IN those sixty years great and radical
change has been wrought in the whole spir-
il and genius of our government. A treaty
framed to "provide for the common defence
and promote the general welfare" Of whole
people, has beea moulded to suit sectional
aims and local interests A government
made to establish justice" has become to
great portion of the government, an in
strument of fraud and oppression. A Con-
stitu adopted to form more perfect
union, I. lensure domestic tranquility, has
been SO perverted from its original character
and purposes as to serve only to array against
each other, in bitter hostility, two great Sec
tlons OF mighty people. A confederation
(Which was originally little more than
Customs Union, superadded to a league Of
fensive and defensive" has been made TO
rival III power, ard in its centralizing, ag-
gressiye tendencies, the most. consolidated
monarchies of the old world. The Union
of SO and Of equal rights---the Union which
we love, and for which our forefathers bled,
is passed away---and inits stead we have
Union Of unmingled rapacity, and exorbi-
tant power on the one side, and accumulated
injuries and repeated spoIialions on the 9th.
er. 70 enumerate all the causes winch
have contributed to this great revolution,
would exceed the limits OF a simple address.
10 rehearse some of the circumstances
which have tended to bring about the pres
ent crisis, is necessary preliminary to
discussion Of the remedy.
The time has now come which must de-
eide finally the fate of an institution on which
depend in great measure the happiness and
prosperity ofthe South. That which, twen-
ty or thirty years ago, was mere speck on
the horizon, has become cloud of porten-
tious size and frightful backness, overshad-
owing the whole future destiny of our coun-
try, What were once but the obscure and
unheeded clamors of few fanatics, have
become the unanimous voice of millions
From the entire North has gone forth the fiat
that the area of African slavery shall never
be extended The Wilmot proviso has been
applied to territory embracing an extent of
more than 10000 square miles. The peo-
excluded from region Of country, acquired
by the common eXertions and common sac.
rlflces of the whole nation. This has been
done by most unWanantabIe assumption
ofpower on the part of Congress--in defiance
OF the plainest dictate OF reason and equity
and IN the face of the acknowledged fact.
that to the acquisition of those rich and broad
frop oh chah hae l.
shut out, the South contributed her share,
and far more than her share, both of men and
money. Of the volunteers who served in
the Mexican war, " the South furnished
46,640, and the North 25,0S4-but little
more than half as many. The South sent
one man out Of every twenty-slx of militia
ry age-the North only one out of every
1884, OF the expenses of the war, amount
ing to S9O,O00,000. the South, according 10
the eQusta6le system OF taxation pursued by
the federal government, must contribute
two-thirds, 100000, ,000--while the North,
with far greater means, pays only one-third.
And what has been our reward To have
our institution branded as infamous, and
ourselves treated as strangers and aliens in
the land purchased by our treasure and our
o'ood-to be debarred of all the benefits flow
ing from our rich and costly conquests-and
10 De cut OFT from their possessions, both we
and our heirs, forever. Tn the grand scheme
OF Southern spoliation. not one acre has
been LETT US, but all is gone to crafty the
avarice and the lust of power OF the North
Indeed, our enemies have not SCRUBBED to 90
farther, and to take from us that which Z
already ours, BY piece of infamous 10.
htical luggery and corruption. Texas. and
through Texas the entire South has been
robbed Of land and to the amount Of So 600
square miles; and as if to add insult to in.
Jury, we are called upon to pay $4,000 900
for the sacrifice. BY this means, We have
been deprived OF all hopes Of ever enjoying
the slightest advantage from the nominal
possession of Utah and New Mexico Well
might the North, under these circnmstari.
ces, forbear the application OF the Wilmot
proviso to those territories. Thus has slave.
y been localized and discouraged" Hem
med IN on all sides. deprived of the liberty Of
1pansion, and surrounded by Gordon oi
~ States. what southerner can fail to see, al
AS inevitable result of such policy, the
seI'aln '' downfall of an Institution, witt
ha NAose safety and preservation are iudisso i
,h;. M un'erwoven all his interests, his sympa
tues and his hopes,