Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-03-27
,nseouences, to a military revo.

Gen. QUITMAS SAID
| do not expect Mr.. President, from anything
| shall say, to change the apparent determination
of This bodv to reject any resolution of the char
a.ter now presented. | would not mingle in the
debate. did not fear that my silence might be
misconstrued. | would rather that politicians
should consider me impotic and impractlcable,
than be regarded by thinking men as timid ana
wavering Strictly speaking, it is not IN order on
this appeal to go into the merits CT the resolution
introduced by my young friend from oktlbbeha
but as the distinguished gentleman who has Just
spoken, (Co Davis has discussed the subject
generally, and as other opportunity will occur,
# the decision of the Chair be sustained, | hope
NAV be permitted to this occasion, briefly,
to present my opinions upon this question.
But before / proceed, let me ask those gentle
men who would dispose OF this resolution so
unceremoniously, how are we out OF order =
II seems to me that if the general committee, to
which all resolutions involving principle were TO
be referred still exists, the presldng oshcer IN
Inmates this resolusio ought 10 be entertained
and referred If the committee is funt6s oBIc'o,
this proposition should be considered and acted
on here | can see no good reason to exclude
it. but that the mind of the majority Is made
up against it. On our part We have no desire
to resist that will all that we WHO favor tbs
resolution ask is that no technical forms shall be
interposed to debar us the privilege OF recording
our votes for it. In my opinion the peculiar
circums stances under which the Democratic party
have assembled demand some declaration of the
character embraced in this resolution. Since
we last sat around our council fires a great CON
test has taken place in the State. Wehave had
Convention of the people, called 10 establish the
position of the State upon the late acts of Con-
afgss mis-named the Compromise. We proposed
some remedial action to the measures which we
deemed serious aggressions. majority of our
citizens however, were found disposed to acqui-
esce in acknowledged wrong and injustice, rather
than resort to remedies which we regarded con-
servatiye, but which they appear to have consider
ed AS revolutionary. Under these circumstances
it seems to me both in accordance with principle
and sound policy, that the Democratic party Of
the State now first assembled since these events,
should fully define its position upon the great poll
teal issues that still occupy much of the public at
tention / would 90 further than this resolu-
ton, or even those heretofore presented by the
gentleman from Madison, Mr. Handy. We should
exactly define how far the proceedings OF the late
State Convention obligatory upon citi-
zens. So far, we should declare our submission
to them. with this exception: should re-afirm
all the general principles asserted by the June
Convention of the Democratic State Rights party
principles which we then deemed elementary in
our system of government, and essential 10 the
preservation of the rights of the States, and the
protection Of special property interest. Is
there any gentleman on the floor who will deny
that they are less so now, than they were then p
The least that we can do to preserve our consis-
tency, and to support that frank and bold charac
ter, which has heretofore marked the Democratic
party, is to adopt this or similar resolutions
If we fail to do so, viii it not be said that we
dared not the question of the right of seces-
sion But gentlemen say that 1t is unnecessary
to assert abstract principles. Why. then, have We
adopted the resolutions of SO and '99, and those
of the Baltimore Convention Their value CON
sists in the assertion OF abstract principles. Let
me remind gentlemen that although tie right of
secession may be regarded as abstract, yet this /
great question, involving all the rights of the
States, IS now leading subject of discussion and
the right assaied from every quarter. Unhsppilv
IN the rapid strides we making towards CEN
tralIsni the defenders of tie States find their doc
trines neither fashionable nor Profitable The
Spltndor OF government which dispeEsts fifty
millions OF revenue, and thirty thousand Offices
dazzles the eyes OF most poll iciS rs. Few are
disposed to come TO the aid OF The Spartan band
Tho are yet defending this last defile against The
hosts OF Consolidation. Ii seems to me that the 1
assertion of this great elementary principle, which
distinguishes the old fashioned j tiicr>onan Dem +
ocrat from the Federalist, Is now more than ever
demanded OF us l repeat, has Il gular Con-
ientlon of delegates elected by the p,opIe Of this
consideration the question of resistance TO he late
aggressive acts OF Congress That Convention
esoived to submit. So far their act was authori
alive and binding But the delegates oversttp-
BED their power, and passed a resolution depyino
nat the State possesses the right of secession, 4
hat is, the right of the people of the State TO
esume the political powers delegated by them to
nc federal Government, asserting that such act {
Feela be revolutionary, and thus by implication {
dmitilng the right on the part of the Federal ,
government not only TO coerce a State by military {
Gree, but to prosecute and execute her citizens for
eldlng obedience to the sovereign act of the i
state Ii the Convention had power and author. f
y to make this declaration, the act of DOING So
5 virtually formal surrender Of the soverei9ntv
i the State-an abandonment of her reserved
Ights-a voluntary civil suicide r
Now, while deny that this act of the Convep /
ION was authoritative or within the scone of its i
overs, 1t cannot be questioned that the declara-
on Will De regarded by all the world, as indirectly
ne opinion of the people of Mississippi as in fact Q
ne position of the State on that question. If af- i
n this, we, the Democratic party at our first y
'mly meeting, fail to negative that degrading 1
solution, will not our silence imply our assent
II! VIII you permit such imputation upon our O
rlhordoxy? Come what WILL / am for meeting a
promptly and emphatically. Let us leave MOTH n
g TO implication. Let our disclaimer of copces- h
ons SO degrading to State sovereignty, be prompt
ID loud, SO that it may be heard throughout
re land. Why should we hesitate for a moment
ut'er our hrm convictions of principle that Il
IS at the foundation of orr oovernmant5 Gn :,