The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-28

"Resoieed. That the advocates OF State Rights
are the true fiepds Of the SQuth, and Of the
Union and that no right can be more clear or
more essential to the protection Of the minority,
than the right Of State peacefully to withdraw
from the Union, without denial or obstruction
from any quarter; but whilst VIC assert the
right We consider It the last remedy, the final
alternative, and also declare that the exercise of
it by the State OF mississippi under existing
circumstances, would be inexpsdient, and Is u
proposition which does not meet the approba.
ton of this convention"
This surely does not look like confident ex
pectation of civil war! There is the decIara
ton that they did not contemplate secession,
and that il AS the last alternative it should ever
be resorted to, it should be as peaceable REM
edy This WAS the first and only posi- ion ofthe
party upon the subject. Unless then, there be
certain persons who have run to such extreme
OF consolidation as to believe that the federal
government would make war upon the State, if
that position was endorsed by the people that
the presldent would call out the army and navy
to reform their political opinions, do not per-
ceive how or why @civil war was confidently
expected in the gentleman's own State" twill
be remembered by many who heard me durino
the canvass, that 80 far treated Of civil con.
flict in another State, (South Carolinn.) II was
which would best serve to avert the calamity.
But it was announced by Senator Footc that
two gentlemen OF Mississippi were referred To,
at meeting at which Mr.. Rhett, Of South Car
| DINA, was present, AZ the leaders of the South
in the event of civil war, and as suitable persops
to be at the head of Southern republic that
Mt meetings attended by Mr.. Rhett, they had
been marked out for military and civil honors
by hundreds oftoasts drunk on various occasions:
he had previously said that he "eouid name the
military leaders who wee expected by their adj
miring friends to gain immortal glory in the an
ticipated conflict Of arms" Thanks to the gen.
erous interpretation of Mr. Rhett, to shield from
injustice absent Mssissippians who were as.
sailed by the representative Of their own State.
the names were brought out--Gen. Quitman
and Col Davis This is not the first petty fling
which has been made at me us military leader.
The gentleman, it seems, cannot forgive the Of
fence OF having attracted the kind consideration
of my fellow citizens by such services as it was
my fortune to render in the war with Mexico.
| But address myself to the assertion made,
and ask where, wien, and by whom were those
toasts drunk, that selection made, that nomina.
! ton announced Having never seen or heard
OF my selection rs n military leader of the
South in an anticipated civil war, or of my nomi.
nation as the head Of a proposed Southern con
federacy, or of one toast connecting my name
with either or both positions, must have proof
before believe the occurrence to have been so
frequent as is represented.
II it has been done in any case, whenever |
learn when and by whom, it will be easy for me
to obtain the most conclusive evidence that it
was without any understanding with, or good
reason TO suppose the proposition would be ac-
ceptable to me.
AS to the letter of Mr. Pickens, the contents
of which do not accurately remember, and of
which have no copy, will only say that having
been written in answer to an invitation to fes-
tiva in honor of Gen. Quitman, it il not at all
surprising that he should particularly have no.
ticed the distinguished military services OF Gen.
Quitman, nor that he should have connected
with him many names Of Mississippi as COM
plimentary reference to the State. Mr. Pickens
is only known to me through his public reputa
ton, and the commanding talent which has made
his name familiar 10 us all. We have no rer
sonal acquaintance, and have had no correspond
ence. He might have applied to my colleague
of the Senate to learn my position; the reverse
is not supposable case. The reliance upon
that letter must be taken as evidence that tho
gentleman had but narrow foundation for his
broad assertion.
In tho daily Union of December %, 1851.
month, in reply to a statement of Mr. Rhett.
as to what had occurred between those gentle
men when their relations seem to have been
closer than now, to have said:
eff the gentleman had known what peculiar
difficulties We had to encounter in Mississippi;
If he had known what peculiar Taylor. Ciss
speeches were made there by persons who pos
sessed particular nfaence--which made me
leave certain duties which was performing here,
Tor the purpose OF counteracting movements
elsewhere--he would, perhaps, have perceived
that circumstances had occurred which had no
right TO anticipate at the time of that conversa
ton. These circumstances were of such ma
ture as even to justify some surprise that the
State was not carried by 10000 majority against
us"
The illusions to Taylor Cass speeches will,
presume, be 80 generally understood to have
referred to me, that it would seem like affecta-
ton to doubt it. ! will apply the test Of
I! fact to the whole statement Those speeches
he says, compelled him to leave duties he was
performing at Washington. The first speech |
made in the Presidential canvass of 1913 was Mt
Raymond having gone there by invitation TO
| meeting for two days Of Joint discussion | ar
rived late, and found Gen Foote upon the stand
cree ed for the speakers. IF he alluded to nv
speeches, teegraphic speed would not serve to
reconcile the statement with the fact and if it
was not to me, then to whom did he allude p
Again. what was there in my speeches which he
had no right to anticipate! He knew before
the Nicholson letter was printed, that was not
satisfied with it. He knew that honored Gen.
Taylor as patriot, soldier, and honest man. In
the few counties which my physical strength
enabled me to visit, rendered justice to Gen.
Taylor, as man who had rendered service to
his country.-I acknowledged my obligations
to him for acts of kindness done to MissisSippi's
sons when under his command Thus, was
willing to pay the debt of gratitude felt to be
due to him. With all the power possessed
urged upon those whom addressed the sup
port of Gen. Cass as the Democratic candidate
for the Presidency, always objecting to hi, doc
trine of squatter sovereignty, but arguing that
the opinion was unconnected with the duties
which would involve upon him if elected
President of the United States. Are these the
circumstances which render it surprising that we
did not lose the Stats bv a minority of ian