The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1852-01-20

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VI As'oe'y cou'esteu ppntical struggle, III
winch question Of the utmost magnitude aud
importance, to the present and iuture gene.
ratons, have been subject TO eiabOsate .cru
tiny aud TO animated discussion ia many oI
the States OF the coufedency. aud IN which
principles vitality sentiai to the mslutennee
OF the Republican institutions have been
enforced, upon the hearts aud understand.
ings of the enlightened millions who inhabit
this faif continent, as TO render II almost
impossible that the time should ever arrive
when those principles shall be carefully for.
gotten or criminaRy disregsrded In taking
upon myself the duties aud responsibilities
appertaming to the high executive station
to which it has been my fortune to be ele.
waited by the spontaneous safirages OF my
fellow citizens, ] feel II to be alike due to
those who have thought proper, in man.
! ner so honorable 10 associate my name with
that glorious cause the triumph of which
we this day celebrate, aud to my own aui-
tnde as public fnnctenaly, thar should
avail myself ofthe p,eseut convenient oppor.
tunity OF reviewing, in a concise and expli.
cit manner few OF the leading facts which
have marked a C. ntest which has ai last
been brought to close under circumstances
so decidedly auspicious.
About four years since, cond ition ol
things existed, of nature calculated ia
awaken the most painiu apprehensions in
the public mind OF the country. A valuable
aud extensive territorial domain had been
wrested from the Republic OF Mexico, by
Our conquerlng armies the Tile TO which
was destined to be in few months there,
after. formally perfected by solemn interna.
tional compact Tie enemies OF our South.
ern institutions, distributed somewhat ,in.
equally among the non-slaveholdng States
of the Union, had already eonspired together
for the purpose of bringing about the exclu.
sion OF Southern slave holders, from every
foot OF the territory which have been then
newly acquired, through the lnslrumenallty
OF what is now well known as the Wilmol
Prosiso. The abolition OF slavery in the
District OF Columbia, by Congressional Ell.
actment. had been constantly threatened loi
series OF years antecedent TO the period
referred to, and there were ndicaions / oc
significant to be disregarded. that the actua
consummalion of this nefarious scheme o
injustice and fuatica folly was well nph a
hand. The prohibition by Congress of the
trade in slaves between SIate aud State ant
between the District of Columbia and th.
slaveholdiug States of the Confederacy, hat
been for long time openly and audaciousl,
proclaimed, as part of the settled policy o
the higher Iaw faction OF the North. |,
had been also most explicitly avowed, both
IN the Halls of Congress and elsewhere thai
the measures just specified would be only
preliminary to direct assault upon the sys
TEN of domestic slavery wherever found ex
is;ing. Meanwhile, and indeed almost evel
since the foundation OF the government it,
self. that the important clause Ia the FEEDER.
al Constitution (known to have been a sint
qua non 10 the establishment of the Union
i'sef, as now existing) which provides iol
the recapiure and restoration of fugitives
from service, had been insuilingiy set al
taught, aud in numerous instances deIiber
ately trodden under foot. The admission .
California into the Union---not as inteera
part of general system Of equitable com
promise, (Which there is reason TO believe
that no State in the South would have pre-
sented the least objection, )--but as a separ
ate and substantive act OF uncompensatec
/ injustice, instigated by sectional hostility
and brought forward VIGOROUSLY under abo
! liuon and Free-soi auspices, was zeaousl,
urged and even imperiously demanded.
The boundary question between Texa,
and New Mexico. or rather between the
United States and Texas, had become .
subject of fearful controversy. and no dis
cerning man in the Republic in the leasl
degree doubted, that if this question should
remain unadjusted only for few m onth,
longer. unprincipled factionlsts in the oppc
site sections Of the Union would seize upos
the country all the incaicua5le horrors OF q
bloody and exterminatiBg civil war Such
were tht circumstances existing when. in
the month Of October, $50, the people o
the State of Mississippi held their celebratet
Convention. and adopted series of resolu
tons deelarative oftheir constitutional right,
and of their determination to maintain then
inviolate at all hazards. These resolution,
we know. demanded no change Of the or
ganic law Of the Republic, and avoided al
recommendation OF remedies not know Il
the constitution itself, or OF nature calcu
lated to prove subersive OF Our October
Convention proposes also the assembIage o
a general convention of the Southern Siatel
at Nashville, for the ayowed purpose Of COZ
sulling in fraternal and patriosic spirit. 70
the general safety of the South, snd the pr
servation Of the Union, from the danger
with which il was SO obviously menaced
THE Nashville Convention assembled -
How far that body transceDded the power
committed 10 IL. aud to wha: extent tlles
powers were abused by ambitious and pre-
, snmptuous factioDists, / need not now e,
, plain. Suffice tito say that everythin
was done which was found at all prsctlca
ble. calculated TO emharass the action {