The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-03

WOulu nave sleWeu tne case very uiHefeutiy.
The October convention declared that the State
should not submit 10 certain acts if done by the
| United States Congress the June convention
declared that the acts had been done and fur
ther, that secession 'by the State of Mississippi,
under existing circumstances, would be mex
pedient, and is "A proposition which does not
meet the appreciation of the convention" What
could this~mean, but that they were not willing
TO resort to the last alternative in the then state
of the case? With their resolutions the con-
vention presented State ticket; their candi-
dates were honorable men, and must have de-
clined the nomination, if they had entertained
other views than those entertained by the con-
yention. But it they had been faithess, they
were too Intelligent to suppose that the State
could be put on the trial of secession by the act
Of the executive, or Of the Legislature, or of the
convention, which bad been authorized by law.
or all of them combined. If the convention, in
accordance with its powers, should propose to
the people of Mississippi to withdraw from the
Union, the Democratic State Rights party Of
! the State, by their resolutions, were pledged to
oppose the proposition. They had declared
that they were not willing to fly to that which
they had designated " the last remedy, the final
alternative" under the then existing circum-
stances" one of which circums tances, was "the
Congressional enaetments then in operation" on
account Of which, Gov. Foote says those reso-
lutions looked to secession. .,ss
l The general, probably might say, the uni
versal, declaration of our party was, that we
would acquiesce in the decision of the people Of
the State. We have done so and if Gov.
Foote cannot see the difference between this
and an acknowledgment that we are satisfied
with the action of Congress-; or between
failure to make such an acknowledgment and
an intention to counterfeit the execution of the
laws, 1t Is his misfortune, not our fault. ~tt3
| The Democratic convention of January last
was called in the usual way, and at the usual
time--the glorious anniversary of the battle of
New Orleans The Mississippiaa, long recog-
nlzed, and never better entitled than now, to be
respected as the metropolitan organ of the Dem
ocratc party, kept for some time in its columns
an invitation to all Democrats, without refer
ence to recent divisions of the party in our
State, to unite in this convention, which was to
assemble for national objects. In conformity
with both the letter and the spirit of the invita-
ton, The convention excluded all new tests,
asked for no acknowledgements, attempted TO
make no decisions, imposed no censure, offered
no arguments, took no action upon any of those
questions which had disturbed the unity and
harmony OF our party in Mississippi. a,.3 :,
The resolutions of the Baltimore convention
of 1913, and the Kentucky and Virginia resolu
tons of 1898, were re-affirmed, and delegates
were appointed to attend the National Demo-
cratic convention, which is to assemble at BaIt-
more in June next
Why then does he cali this secession con
venton! His fears as to the consequences to
himself, if harmony should be restored in the
Democratic ranks, would naturally suggest the
word spols; and as language has great COM
mand of him, he would therefore assert, though
ft.aa Il Al II
ito clutch the spoils of Office" Why does he
call it convention of secessonsts? Was it
because of the character of the members? The
fathers of the Democratic party were there; the
old friends of Jackson; the men on whom the
party has bestowed honor, and who have shed
honor on the party. The name which is de-
scriptve OF them, consistent Democrat must |
be willing to bear. This creed Of secession,
sometimes with him a virtue, sometimes a
crime, he formerly asserted to have been held
by Jefferson, and Barbour, and Jackson, refer
ring to the proclamation of the last to sustain
the assertion as to him. Just now it is with
him crime; and | do not doubt that many
have heard him declare that Jefferson and Jack
son were the mortal foes of the doctrine, and
that he could get their certificates to prove it.
AS ne tas got tire certificates of honorable
gentlemen to prove that, at certain times and
places, he proclaimed his devotion to Demo
cratic principles, and determined to support
the nominees of the Baltimore convention when
the candidate of the Union organization, in
which the measures called the compromise were
held to be paramount TO the principles of party,
when he required the nomination Of "a genuine
compromise man" for the Presidency, and when
his bore for success in the canvass in which he
was engaged was dependent on the support of
the Wings. Ii he can answer what he said at
one time or place, by proving that he has said
the reverse at another, he is safe for the past
and has but little 10 dread for the future.
As the fugitive rogue cries Stop thefw 10
avert attention from himself, so does this man
accuse others of offences Of which he is most
VIGOROUSLY guilty; and most violently de-
nounces the opinions of which he was once the
most noisy advocate,
An habitual defamer, he complains that he is
assailed In his absence. Prominent among the
first actors in the Southern movement, he now
assigns the worst motives to those who engaged
in il. Intriguing for place by a combination
with the Wings, he yet vaunts his Democracy,
and ascrbes the effort which was made TO re.
unite the party on undisputed principle, TO a de-
sire for the spois Of Office.
A changeling in his history, chanpeIinp by
his nature, even now, whilst with one hand
hopefully clingng to the Union party" for
present reward, and reaching out with the other
TO fasten himself on the Democracy for the
favors their future power may bestow, he flip
PANTY prates about change both Of name and
principle" and exultingly refers to the defeat OF
the Democratic ticket at the last election
When a mixed ticket succeeded by union
with portion Of the Democratic with the mass
of the Wing party, and he was the beneficiary
Of The association (caiIed the Union party thus
founded and maintained by disturbing the Dem.
ocratic association. |
That he should avail himself Of anything, re- |
joice at anything that gave him station or emol-
ument. was no more than expected from him;
for have long known him 10 be rs full ofntrigue
and sehshness, as he is destitute Of truth or prin
cpe. Yet 1t might have been expected that
shame, or il that, which oftentimes fingers in !
the breast from which virtue has departed, be |
lost also, then il might have been expected that
an outward respect for public opinion would |