Southern reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1851-185?, 1852-05-12

! lecture on the pressing necessities OF tn
mechanics and laborers whose work had bee
suspended" Why did not the gentleman
thus rebuke our colleague from the secon,
district, when first he lugged these foreig
topics into the House Of Representatives.
Ny colleague says, /" the secret Of the gen
tleman's lmyl speech is to be found in th'
fact that the Union Democrats Of Mississippi
have called "a State Convention, and sent dele
gates to the Baltimore Convention" an
not aware Of any secret purpose entertain.
ed by me in making that speech II is upon
its face my reply to a colleague, and no one
can read it without seeing that it could only
have been suggested by the speech to which il
was a reply. Let me assure my colleague
that what he calls "a State Convention Of
the Union Democrats Of Mississippi" has
never given me a moments uneasiness.
looked upon it more in sorrow than in anger.
Il was poor abortion at best and the only
concern | ever felt in regard to it was, that it
became the " slaughter-house Of few pure
minded and upright Democrats.
The gentleman says admitted "that the
movement Of my party was dead, " and that
my party was dead" Now, sir, made no
such admissions; said nothing from which
such an inference could have been drawn; and
if the gentleman shall ever take the trouble
to read the speech to which he wrote a reply
without having listened to its delivery, and
without reading 10 after it was delivered he
will see how grossly he has misstated what it
contains
said the Southern movement was dead, .
and 50 it is; but / said explicitly that it was
not the movement Of my friends or Of my par
ty. 1t was, l said and as / now repeat, the
movement Of all parties in the South-Whigs
and Democrats, Union men and State-Rights
men. Ny party is not dead nor dying 1t
lives and moves, and has a being; and 90
long as there is true Democracy in the South,
it vii continue TO grow and flourish. II is the
party Of progress It contains all that is sound
in the creed Of the ancient fathers, and all
that is pure and original Of the " Young De-
mocracy." Its steps arc guided BY the lights
Of past ages, and its course is onward and up
ward, to that destiny which awaits the votaries
Of freedom in every land It is, | repeat,
neither dead nor dying. Its glory was eclipsed
in the late contest in our State, as the glory Of
the National Democracy was eclipsed in 1910,
and again in 1913. But things must pass
away, even as the clouds pass over the face Of
summer sun. The gentleman and his party
cannot blot out the glory Of the TRUE Democ.
racy. Impotent attempt. As well might
they strive to eclipse the true glory Of the sun
with the light Of penny candle, as thus to
throw discredit upon the National Democracy,
BY their eternal cry Of Union, Union. Theirs
is feeble light at best. 1t burns dimly in
Georgia and Mississippi, and throws a sickly
glimmer over part Of Alabama Everywhere
else it is lost in the sun-like blaze Of Nation
al Democracy Democracy which is as broad
as the continent and as athletic as Hercules
The Democracy Of my colleague and his
Union allies is Of feeble nature. Ii is con-
stantly going into spasns about the safety Of
the Union. Ours is Of a different kind. II
has no fears for the safety Of the Union. The
Union is strong, and can defend itself If it
should ever get into trouble, the National De-
mocracy will be ready to give it a helping
hand had rather rely upon one friend Of
the Union, who would stand by it in the hour
Of its peril, than a whole regiment Of defen-
ders who would 60 into Mysteries every time
some mad-cap cried Secession!
Ny colleague says that after my return
home in 1850 the compromise bills having
passed. / made violent harangae," in
which I said $50 help me God, / am for
resistance; and my advice to you is that of
Cromwell to his colleagues, Pray to God and
keep your powder dry" Here, again, my
colleague blunders. / made no "Ui0lent
harangue" after my return home. Il is
true made speech, but lit was characterized
by everything rather than violence. / had
no reason, at that time, to suppose that the
speech did not meet the appreciation Of my
colleague. We were upon terms that would
have justified him in communicating any dis
appreciation he may have felt; and his failure
to do 30 left me under the impression that |
had said nothing which shocked his confidence
in my devotion to the Union and the Consti-
tuition.
II Is true that used the two expressions
which my colleague attributes to me, but not
in the connection in which he employs them.
I said, after the compromise biiis passed, or
after il became manifest that they would pass,
" So help me God, / am for resistance" 4