The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-27
speech Of Hon. 4. d. groun, Of ,ilssi..lppi


1852 on The Southern Increment and Hissis
sippi Politics.
The House having resolved itself into Com.
mttee OF the Whole OH the state of the Union
on the Joint resolution approprialing five hun
| bred thousand dollars to continue the work on
the wings of the Capitol
Mr.. BROWN, of Mississippi, obtained the
! aoor.
Mr.. WALLACE. AS am member Of the
committee, and as comments have been made by
| the gentleman from Kentucky Mr.. STANTON
upon their action, apr ell to the iberalty OF The
gentleman from Mississippi MIR. BRowS,I to
| yield 10 ne for five minutes.
Mr.. BROWN There is nothing which
would not do for my friend from South Caro-.
lima Mr.. WALLACE, except to yield portion
of my hour. | shall want it all for my own
use, not upon this question, but upon another
question.
IL is not my purpose, MIR. Chairman, TO ad-
dress the House at all in reference to the bill
now before it. propose, in the opening OF my
remarks; to take a brief retrospect OF the rise,
progress, and fall, of the Southern movement.
| It is very well known, sir, not only to the men,
bers of Congress, but to the whole country, that
the continued action of the Northern people,
and of the Northern States, upon the subject
| of the domestic relations existing in the South,
between the master and the slave, had at one
time wrought up the Southern mind to very
high degree of evaporation. approximations
were freely expressed, and doubtless generally
entertained that some great disaster was likely
to befall the country, growing out of this ex-
element. In this state of public feeling, during
the Thrtieth Congress, gentleman, than re-
representative from one OF the districts IN the
State of New York, Mr.. Gott,l introduced
resolution, preceded by what the Southern mem
bers believed to be a most insulting preamble
This preamble, insulting though it certainly was,
did not propose any legislative action. The re-
solution, directed very simple, but very i'm
portant INQUIRY to be made. 1t directed the
committee for the District of Columbia to in
quire into the expediency of abolshing the slave
trade in this district. The passage OF this reso-
luton gave offense to the whole Southern dele
CATION, and they commenced at once, manifest
ing their hostility to this movement in manner
not to be misunderstood.
A distinguished gentleman in the other
branch Of the legislature, from my own State,
and now lis governor, came, as the older mem
bers of Congress know very well, into this
House and solicited members OF Congress to
sign their names 10 call for meeting of
Southern senators and representatives. In ODE.
dence to this call, meeting assembled in the
Senate Chamber over which venerable Sena-
tor from the State of Kentucky Governor Met
calf was called to preside. Here, sir, date
the rise of the Southern movement. From this
point il commenced its progress. But for this
movement | undertake to say, the Southern
Democracy was not reponsible. That meeting
was a Joint assemblage of the Southern Wings
and OF the Southern Democrats. There were
Wings who absented themselves; and there were
Democrats who absented themselves; but the
Southern delegation in Congress generally, and
without reference to party, was responsible for
the meeting and for its proceedings. That
meeting put forth an address to the Southern
people, written, as it is said, and have no
doubt correctly, by the late venerable and dis
tinguished Senator from South Carolina, Mr..
Calhoun II was such paper as was intend
ed to produce, as it certainly did produce,
most profouId sensation upon the Southern
mind. Upon my return to Mississippi found
very high degree Of excitement an excitement
not confined TO the Democrats, but peryading all
parties, Wings as well rs Democrats. A PROPOSE
tion had already been made, and was then being
actively urged, for convention of our State-a
popular conyention-to take into consideration
the relations then subsisting between the North
and the South, growing out of tho institution
of domestic slavery. A number of gentlemen,
Of both political parties, published u call to the
people, inviting them to assemble in convention.
| This call was the advance step of the Southern
movement, and for it, both Wings and Demo
Gratis in my State were alike responsible. In
obedience TO il, the people, without reference
TO party, assembled in primary meetings to
State convention, and, in every instance, the
delegates to that convention were appointed OF
equal NUMBERS, Wings and Democrats. The
convention assembled in the month of October,
l849.
This, sir, was the second step in the progress
of the Southern movement Up to this period,
neither party could claim the exclusive credit,
and up TO this time il was all credit-there was
no debit. That convention put forth another
address to the people of Mississippi, and from
that address propose just in this connection to
read very short extract. For this address, bear
you in mind. both the Wing and the Democratic
parties of Mississippi were responsible, so far as
they could be made responsible by their dele
gates in convention. II bore the honored sigma
lures of leading Democrats and Leading Wings.
| Il was document which bore the signature Of
a very distinguished member Of the UNION
| party. now high in the confidence Of the admin
| stration, and its representative as chief consul
on the island Of Cuba-Judge Sharkey. After
disclosing to the people what had been done,
and what was proposed for the future, Judge,
now Consul, Sharkey and his associates said
Besides and beyond a popular convention OF
the Southern States with the view and the hope
Of arestng the cause Of aggression. and if not
practicable, then TO concentrate the South in will
understanding, and action, the convention Of
Mississippi suggested, as the possible ultimate
resort, the call by the legislature Of the assailed
States, or still some more solemn conventions
such as should be regularly elected by the peo
pie of those States--to deliberate, speak, AND
act with all the sovereign power Of the people
Should, in the result, such conventions be callet
and meet, they may lead to like regularly.con
stituted convention of all the assai.ed States
10 provide in the last resort for their separate mel
fare blythe formation If a compact and an unio'
that will afford protection TO their liberties and
their rights" y
Now, that is the language for which say al
parties in Mississippi were responsible. IL i
the emsnation OF convention composed