The Yazoo Democrat., 1853-04-06

gard il, and the nation will not fail to
regard it also, as a fresh and decisive
PRONUNCIATION of our own hardly won
and dearly priced Magn0 Charter of
American LIBERTY RepOse, and H1DDi-
ness; not torn, like that Of old. from the
trembling and reluctant hands of pam-
Pered and besotted royalty, upon some
boosted field Of Runnymede, by Barons
bold, armed for the vindication of their
own arlStocratic privileges; but U0Z-
u'ztarg compact among selfgoverninV
Ireemen; based upon the clearest prfn-
clples OF equitable agreement and Com
promise; framed in spirit OF far sCeinr
and comprehensive wisdom: cOnserva1
tive alike Of democratic frIelLoa, OF cor
p0rale S0UerelgntY, and Of AutionoZ sll-
Prenlacy; Interchangeable, inViolable, eter
nal"
Now, gentlemen, have stated the
whole substance Of what / uttered at
raymond and / aver that il isnot only
true, as you yourselves have admitted
that my speech was "marked bv no re-
hecnonS upon those who have differed
with me upon the intrinsic merits Of
the compromise measures" but / assert
also that it is equally true, that I did
not utter sentence or word. which was
not KIND, courteous, and respectful. to-
wards every human being in the world.
except, indeed, the abolitlonists of the
North, OF whom have never been able
yet to speak anywhere, except in terms
OF deriSiOn, of abhorrence, or of con.
temp; all Of whose leading editorial orr
CANS, (and especi- lily that most infamous
OF sheets, the Tribune ofNew York; are
at this moment pouring out their vile
abuse upon me, and rejoicing at what
they deem the prospect Of my defeat
in this very contest.
On last Monday ] called no mans
motives in question in connection with
our past unhappy struggles in this State
condemned no one. ! complained of no
one. / urged as ] had right to do, all
patriotic citizens Of the South to reu-
mite in support of the principles set
forth in the Presidents Inaugural spec
ch. beSought all who listened to me
to forget past dissentionS, to relinquish
prejudiceS, and to be, if possible, of one
mind and heart upon this most mo-
mentous subject. What less could say,
as a Senatorial candidate? What more
could l hOnorably do to propitiate un-
reasonable prejudice to allay rancor-
Gus sentiments, still perchanCe fer
mentlng In some boSOms and restore
general amity and good viii among our
citizens? Was it to be expected from
me, that / would acknowledge errors of
opinion of which ! had not yet become
conscious That | would make confess
ion of offences which / had no recol-
lection of having committed? That I
would Ike confession of offences,
which, had no recollection of having
committed? That | should denC nnce
measures as oppressive and unConsti-
tutiOnal, which | did not believe to be
so? Could any reasonable person de-
mand of me that ! should openly cen
sure enactments which did in I. ID os.
heartily approve, and in the passage Of
which / had actively participated p
When / allow to others the privilege OF
denying The COnSfitattiORatitV OF these
enactmentS, if they shall consider it
either patriotic or becoming to do so,
am to be held to rigorous account.
ability for expressing in modest langu-
arge, a widely different opinion When
| accord the utmost freedom Of thought
and Of expression to all others, must /
alone be doomed to ignominus silence ?
Have I in any way lost my inalienable
rights as an American freeman is it
agitation in me to acknowledge that 1
agree with President Pierce in holding
the Compromise measures to be both
Constitutional and just and is it no ag-
itGtiOn in others, to avoW that they do
hot thus agree with him, and that they
snever can and never will admit the
constitutionality" Of these measures, nor
regard them otherwise than as in the
highest degree unjust Is it no agita4
tion in those opposed to me, to denOunce
my public conduct as a participant i'm
these measures, whenever an oppOrtu-
nifty presents itself for doing so and
am / to be complained of and accused
of renewing agitation, because / under
take simply to vihdicate my own char
acter, and that of political friends, and
to relieve myself and them from the
suspicion of being actuated by unwOr-
thy motives? If this indeed be my de-
plorable condition, then is it most mani
fest that am alrea,.y cut off from all
hope of ever receiving an unpTeiudiced
trial at the hands of my cOuntIymen;
| must, in some way have suffered de-
privation of all the essential rights OF
citizenship; and am hencefOrth TO be
recognized only as a Wretched and for
Iorn ,,;cfiga bound hand and foot bp my