The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-17

OtneI 6lhtos, " WAC INC uuty Vi niiostoSiPP W
meet Sonth Carolina In convention, and counsel
with her, and advise her against the step OF
actual secession. That was the position which
he took, and it was the position which humby
took myself, in my addresses TO the people Of
Mississippi And that was the object which in
fuenced us when we found no other State will
ling to 20 into convention with South Carolina
1t was TO counsel her against the act of secession
when we believed she had determined to exercise
that right; and to ask her 10 join us in an appeal
to the other States, in seeking the redress for
the past and security for the future, which we
desired, and thought could be obtained by the
united demand of the South. Some even went
so far as to call US disunionists, because we did
not denounce South Carolina for the course she
had resolved upon. | never denounce anybody
for the opinions they may entertain have
reasons for my own course, and am willing TO
give those reasons, but | never denounce any
one who does not agree with me. II was the
right of South Carolina, if she considered her.
self injured to sufficient extent TO warrant 1t,
to exercise the right of secession. II was a
proper remedy in the last resort, and the State
had right, If the arguments and authorities to
sustain it which have advanced above be cor
rect, to Judge when the remedy should be used.
Therefore, we could not denounce her in exer-
cising that right, although we might Judge, and
did Judge, that it was not expedient for her to
exercise it.
have said, Mr.. President, that never de.
nounce anybody. did not do so even in the
late heated canvass in my own State But there
is an exception. will say that perhaps did
say some hard things in reference to my late
colleague Mr.. FooTE, who, at the commence
ment Of the agitation Of the slavery question in
the last Congress, took the most ultra Southern
ground; who even went so far as to intimate, or
threaten, the hanging of certain Senator, II he
should come to Mississippi, and that he himself
would assist in the execution; and who, when
the resolutions of compromise were first intro
duced by Mr.. Clay, denounced the resolutions
and the speech then made by that distinguished
Senator, as one more calculated to "mortify
Southern sensibilities to awaken dissatisfaction,
and to provoke resentment" on the part Of the
people of the South, than anything that had
ever been uttered by "professed Abolitionsts,
not excepting even the farfamed Garrison, Phil.
lips, or Douglass; and said that the Senator
from New York Mr.. SEWARD would never
"dare to make such speech here" and that the
Senator from New Hampshire Mr.. HALE
''would recoil from the utterance of much that
fell with an easy grace from the lips Of the hon.
orabe Senator from Kentucky !" that the Sena.
tor from Ohio Mr.. CHASE was 'too moderate
and ferbearing in his temper ever to deliver
such philippe against the whole system of do.
nestle slavery, and against the efforts OF the
Southern States of the confederacy to protect
themselves against menaced aggressions;" and
when,' after all this, he made his wonderful
change, and as the circus song goes, wheeled
about and turned about and jumped Jim Crow"
on the floor of the Senate, and then came home
to Mississippi and denounced everybody there
as traitors and disunionists, who occupied pre-.
cisely the position which he had done before,
without his violence. and as L. Kossuth would
say, my poor humble self" among the rest
did say some hard things ABOUT him, but they
were all political aud not personal.
Nj. President, | believe now have done my
duty to the party in Mississippi whose sent-
ments represent in placing them in a proper
position before the country 10 reference to the
false and unjust charge made against them, Of
being in favor of dissolution of the Union, on
account of the measures of CONF romise. Ipass,
therefore, to consider the merits Of the compro-
mise measures themselves, and regret extreme.
| ". 10 trespass upon the attention of the Senate
| in the discussion Of questions now past and set
tied, and in the discussion. Of which ! shall be
necessarily compelled to occupy some time
| DuL as htU tUIdgtu Ou subJcCAs duu as Tue
resolution embraces the merits Of these meas.
ures of compromise, feel il to be my duty to
present TO the Senate, and the country, the rea.
sons which influenced the people Of Mississippi
originally, In opposing these measures, and the
Democratic States Rignts party, TO the last, in
the belief that they were unjust to the South.
In the first place, We believe there has been
a party in this government, ever since its founda.
ton, desiring 10 strengthen the hands Of the
federal government by the exercise of doubtful
/ powers under the Constitution, against the
rights Of the States which granted them, We
believe that this party existed-and ] do moi
wish TO make any invidious distinction between
| the North and the South, because prefer Ia
heal breaches where breaches are likely 10 occur
rather than 10 open them-we believed that thi.
party existed principally at the North, having
however, leading advocates in the Solthern
l States and respectable numbers, forming ilsel
first upon the questions Of finance, anti.free
| trade, internal improvements by the genera
| government, and the distribution Of the pro-
ceeds Of the public lands, afterwards strength
eninp itself in connexion with slavery and The
i Territories At the time the territory was az
auired from Mexico, we believed that this party
ayalng itself Of the hostility against the inst
tuition of slavery existing In the minds Of III,
Northern people, took up that subject with
view 10 strengthen the powers of the fedora
government against the rights Of the South, By
excluding the Southern States from that terri
tory, in conneyion with the institution Of sla
very.
And, sir, 10 show how the government ha,
progressed against the institution Of slavery
and the South, from it, foundation 10 the pres
ent time, have here statement Of the smom
of land distributed between the North and the
n South from all the territory which belonged
separately 10 all the States at the time Of thu
treaty Of peace in 1883, and all which has beef
acquired by the government Of the Unitet
States since that statement. as the accoun
stated between the North and the South, in ref
erence 10 the territory:
When the peace Of 1883 was concluded, the State
north OF Mason and Dixons line contained IL
square miles. ........,.s's.'ssss. lO4,Uc
, The States now south................ 67,20
The surrender Of Virginia affected the
result so, that the North measured
(square miles ................... 1851
\ The South .......s..'.s..sss Jo0J0<