Mississippi palladium. [volume] (Holly Springs, Miss.) 1851-1852, 1852-05-06
HOLLY SPRINGS MISSISSIPPI, THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1852

would be produced on the public mind
by the convention of November 1851,
were thus prevented by few unscru-
pulous demagogues who forced upon
the people not only false, but prema-
ture issue. The issue thus forced upon
the public mind of "union" or "disu-
Mon" was false, because the State
rights convention had unanimously re-
solved in convention that secession
for existing causes did not meet their
appreciation" and, presume, there are
but few men in Mississippi knowing
the patriotic materials of which the
June convention was composed. who
have fallen so very low into the un-
measured depths of political depravity
and moral turpitude, as to assert roun-
dly that the convention resolved a will
ful and deliberate falsehoodl
1t was also premature issue. Il
the 'Revolutionists' were desirous OF
maintaining the Union of the States
with the federal constitution intact why
did they not permit Mississippi in her
sovereign capacity TO interpret the
national compact, and mark out the le-
gitimate powers of the general govern
ment under it on the subject Of domes.
tic slavery! Virginia and Kentucky
had pursued that course in l79S-9o
Massachusetts had done likewise ir
lo07-S; and South Carolina had done
the same thing in 1928. And who
says that Mississippians are too corrupt
to be governed by the constitution. the
supreme law of the land, and too stupid
10 know their own interest and pursue
it! the Union-revolutionary' party ha:
said as much. But, thelaw ofthe MiSsis-
sippi Legislature calling convention te
"take into consideration the federal re
lations of the State" required the ac
lion OF the convention TO be submitted
to the sovereign people for their 'ap
prOual or disaRproUat:' and, if every
member who was elected to the con
vention had have been in favor of The
immediate secession of Mississippi
and 50 resolUed, it was impossible f,
have consummated the act until the
people ratified it at the ballot-box, ane
no man of sane mind ever supposed foi
a momen; that they would have beer
guilty of such madness, as thus summa
rilv TO declare war against the othe1
thirty States composing the nationa
Sisterhood of sovereignties. Hence, th'
charge that there was zone party pro
posing to put the State on its reserved
rights coming from what source SO
ever, betrays a melancholy ignoranc
of the facts, or else, EXHIBITS to the worl
a vindictive heart with malicious in
tent to faiSiiy the record, and is a gra
tuitous misrepresentation of those wh
were striving in all honesty as patriot
to perpetuate the peculiar institution
of the South, and maintain the govern
>ment in its pristine beauty and purity
In l79S, at the time OF the passag
of the alien and sedition laws, ther
were two hundred newspapers publish
ed in the United States; and, zone hur
dred and eighty of these" says an EN-
nent historian OF the times, "were az
tual federal papers and in favor of tt
federal administration whilst, he cor
tinues, "about twenty were opposed
most of the leading measures then /;
dopted." For the suppression of thes
twenty newspapers, opposed to mos
OF the leading measure" ofJohn Adam
administration. the alien and seditio
laws were passed. Congress has pov
er TO punish treason, and yet, sin Vi
ginia and Kentucky" says the distil
guished Edwin Williams in his Eistor
of John Adams administration, "tf
legislatures declared them 20 be dire,
and gross infections of the constitution
and appealed TO the other States to io
in opposition TO them,'' and, TO be SUI
thew were. But who would be so ha
dy as TO assert that Virginia. the M
ther of States and of statesmen, alth
she appealed to the other states to io
in opposition" TO the alien and seditie
laws. was 'covertly' aiming at diss
luton of the Union under the ostens
4 bic pretext of opposing what she b
] heved TO be a usurpation of power
the federal government Nevertheless
Virginia did resolve that certain Law
of Congress were '.gross infractions
the constitution" although the pow,
10 enact alien and sedition laws h;
been as clearly delegated to the feder
government by the national compac
+ as that claimed by the Aboliiionists
: emancipaie southern slaves.
Mr.. jefferson at late period of lif
: after long years Impractical experient
= and verx mature reflection saus "X4y;.