The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-11-08
SOUTHERN CONVENTION AT SA-
VANNAH, GEORGIA.

70 TIT PEOPLE OF TIE sLAvE-HoLDING STATES
FELLOW CITIZENS: The Southern Convention
which was held in February last at Richmond,
adjourned over by resolution, to meet at the
city Of Savannah, on the second Monday, the
eighth Of December next.
Among the resolutions adopted at that
Convention, was one nominating n committee
| to whom was referred all the resolutions which
had been adopted as the sense Of the body,
with instructions to prepare and publish al,
address to the people of the Southern States,
developing and expressing more fully its views
and inviting n general and larger attendance
of delegates at the adjourned session. The
committee consisted of j. y. b. De Bow, of
Louisiana; Tench Tilghman, of Maryland :;
Rol'crI Ould of the District Of Columbia;
James Lyons Ii. X Meade, j. Il a AnderSon,
Myor Myers, Z. b. Dean, Of Virginia; aud i.
II. Gblon, of North Carolina
Nearly quarter Of century ago it began
first to manifest itself to the Southern States,
that, although they embraced in proportion to
population the wealthiest producing region in
the world they were contributing directly or
indirectly Of It's proceeds to the aggrundizcmcnt
and commercial opulcnce mainly Of other sec
tioiis of the Union, Notwithstanding every con
sidcraton of propricty and patriotism demand
cd that these elements of wealth should be re-
tanned at home. Four-fflhs of the commerce
of the nation are made up from the products Of
Southern industry Our commerce with Great
Britain alone constitutes the half of what has
given uo her the commercial control OF the
world. Her great economist MCulloch, said
long ago. "the cotton manufacture forms the
principle business carried on in this country,
alording an advantageous field for the employ
mcnt and accumulation OF millions and millions
Of capital and thousands upon thousands oi
workncn. 1t giycs us strength to sustain bur-
dcnS that would have crushed our Tiers and
could not be supported by any ether people,
The Conventions which were held ut Maco,
and Augusta, Georgia, and at Charleston
South Carolina in 1883, representing sry
crai States, ana embracing anong their mrm
berS the abcst, most distinguished and patri.
Otto of our citizens, constituted the earliest
embodiment OF tiis sentiment; and thesc Con-
ventions have been succeeded hy Others 81
equal Responsibility and even wider influence,
adjournng from place to place, and composed
Of delegations from every State OF tie South
appointed in primary assemblies, by 'nnnicpnl
government or by executive authority. The
records of these assemblies. at Memphis il,
lS45-4O; Baltimore 1852 New Orleans
ls5l-'54; Charleston 1855; and Richmond
1856, have long since been given to the public
and are marked by ability ana patriotism sci
dom il ever surpassed in this or any OF her coun-
try.
1t is impossible to resist the evidence that
these Conventions originated at first IN purely
economical considerations, however afterwards
stimulated and deriving renewed activity from
the inSolent and aggressive spirit exhibited ut
times by the free States, sufficient in other
countries to have led to open lticS and
which has threatened, and only been arrested
on the threshold of II disruption OF the Federal
Union itself, have contributed largely toa con
soIidation of Southern sentiment, to better
understanding of our condition and II necessities
and have also been felt in that gencrnl dcyci-
opmcnt now everywhere mnnfcs'in,s ltscli nj
the south, extending our railroads. cnlargng
aud diyersifying our commerce and nanutac-
lures, and developing our agriculture, inviting
and concentrating population and leading to
new combinations and to higher and still high
er hopes.
1t was declared at Richmond that the Oh
ects of the Convention were 'to sccufe to the
Southern States the utmost amount Of prosper.
ity as an integral part of the Federal Union,
or to enable them to maintain their rights and
institutions in any event." and that matters
were all gerniane which related to the dcvel-
opment Of our soil, the enlargement of our in
terno Improvement system, our domestic trade
and direct foreign commerce, Wincs, manufac-
lures and the arts the social system and insti-
tutions of the South, our schools, colleges and
the press. 1t will properly be the duty of the
committee therefore to make few brief refer,
cnccs to each Of Those heuds