Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1855-11-22
politlltal.
GOV, JOHNSON'S LETTER.
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,

MILLEDGEvILLE, Georgia, Oct Il.
GcutIcmeu: | have this day received your
invitation ..to attend and address mass meet
ING of the National Democratic party of the
City and County of New York, to be held at
the Metropolitan Theatre, on Monday even
inc, the 22d instant, at I l-2 o'clock, for the
purpose of ratifyng the proceedings of our
1vour7 late State and county conventions, and
the tickets nominated by them | regret that
official engagements deny me the honor OF ac-
ceptins your invitation; for there are circum-
stances corrected with the political condition
Of our ccantry, which would render it exceed
irolv agreeable to minele in the interesting
sce,ss of the occasion. As it is, I must be
,.rmtted to substitute, in the form of a hasty
communication, a few of the many reflections
that are suggested by the signs of the times.
As the result of the war with Mexico We
acquired extensive territorial possessions on
the Pacific coast The Southern States con-
tributcd their full proportion of blood and
treasure, and consequently thought they were
Justly entitled to a fair participation in the
fruits of the contest. But they were denied
it. \ Brigadier General of the United States
Army, without authority of law, assumed civil
power in California, and constituting himself
Territorial Executive, proclaimed an election
for Convention, and prescribed the time,
place and manner of holding the elections
He ordered the Convention to form State,
and conferred the elective franchise upon eve
ry type and shade of people who had squat
ted upon the public domain, to plunder its
golden treasures There were but few inhabi-
tants from the Southern States. They had
been deferred from emigration thither by the
Frcesoil counscls which prevailed in Congress.
The Convention met, organized State, with
constitution prohibiting slavery and against
the protest of the slaveholding States California
was admitted into the Union-the usurpaton
of the Brigadier General was ratifed-and the
South deprived Of all participation in scope
of territory sufficient for ten States as large as
Georgia. Was that just? This was one OF
the aggressive features of the "Compromise
Measures" of 1901.
There was another. 1t was necessary to or
ganize Territorial Governments for Utah and
New Mexico. The latter lies adjacent to Tex
as slaveholding State Lynx-eyed Free
soilism discovered that fog and dust could be
thrown over the question of boundary between
Texas and New Mexico. It's fendish myr-
midons insisted that a large portion of the for
mer property belonged to the latter; and,
therefore, forty thousand square miles were
carved out of Texas, given to New Mexico,
and converted into freesoil. And, as if to add
insult to injury, the public treasury was taxed
to the tune of SIC, 900, as bonus to Tex
as to bribe her into the arrangement. Was
that just?
And what were the compensatory features
of the Compromise of 1850? The South OBJ
tained the enactment of the Fugitive Slave
Law" but she has, to great extent, failed to
realize its peaceful and bona fide execution
This is one. The other consists in the recog-
milton of the principle, that hereafter the peo-
ple of the territories should determine the ques-
tion of slavery for themselves, independently
of Congressional intervention.
Well, in 1850 the Southern States were put
to the test of acquiescence eel non in these
"Compromise measures" as final settlement
of the slavery agitation. Georgia acted IN
Sovereign Convention, and for the sake OF ner
devotion the Union-:n consideration OF the
memories of the past. the fruitions of the pres
ent, and the hopes of the future Fhe solemn
" resolvod n acmiese. Can thd non-slave-
holding States ask her to make further sur
render? Can it be possible that they will so
far forget the claims of Justice, a4 d disregard
the sacred guarantees of the Consti tuition, as to
require her and her Southern sist ers either to
submit to degradation, or to resort to the most
appalling alternatives?
Yes: Georgia acauiesced, but she did it