The Feliciana Democrat., 1857-11-28

1tis" Tha following extract from the message Of
the Governor of Alabama possesses great interest
to every class Of the Southern people II relates III
rcctlyto The great question III which their rights
are Involved lie talks as Southern nan and the
Executive Of u Southern state, should do, and for it
deserves the cordial appreciation Of all embraced
within this section:
The administration Of the affairs Of the Federal
Government has passed from the hands Of one Chief
Magistrate to those of another and. though this
ha, been peacefully done. the demonstration Of pub
lie sentiment such to excite the most lively yop-
prchenson in the minds Of those who hope for peace
tul continuance Of the constitutional Union Of the
States. Whilst the people Of ihe South rejoice at the
dcira! Of that party VIII ch is warning upon the con
stitntioual rights OF the States. cannot but b.
mindful Of the fact ha, the division Of parties is ai-
~ assnmIn NJ more sectional character untayorabla
to the constitutional ,quality OF the States composing
the Federal mon. and Of the GAon itself In tn
elect on of thr present Chirt Magistrate. we havn
guarantee that The constitutional rights of every sec
tion oi ihr ainn will NJ respected. In spirit VI
public lu,t ". IL hGcam "a wait the developments
Of time j for wc hasten to declare want Of that
coiid Hcr wl ch plac him in the high aud rrspon-
slbl" position which h. now fills. Should that conf
dcHct prove to haze been misplaced il will but be
the hasienng OF political crisis. which many Of the
most faithful and watchiul patriots believe to be "but
question of time and the duty. so long and often
avoided by concession and compromise. be upon us
of eecng for ourselves and posterity the high and
Independent position Of independent and sovereign
Staes--or to rcnognce ali precnaons TO the charac-
ter oi brave and manly people, and basely aud
tamely submit to the tender mercics Of Northern ca
price and ianatcism. Unfortunately. it il weak
ness OF our nature To put oil the consideration Of dis
agreeable oubjccts-though the end appears ineyta-
ble aud the necessity Of finally meeting the difficulty,
imperative. The agitation oithe question of slavery,
10y the people Of the Northern States-properly hay-
Ing no business with the matcr-though it has been
regularly progressive, and has grown to threaten
Ing Importance has not been without advantages to
The people Of the South and TO the enlightenment Of
the civilized world.
The time was but recent when the Southern states
man only made apologies fol the existence of such u
state Of political affairs and declared that he could
offer no corrective Now. however, since agitation
has caused thorough investigation Of the subject,
The institution is defended and upheld most success.
fully upon political. social. moral and re gious
grounds 1t is shown not only to be the best condi-
ton OF society. where il can b. maintained but that
IL il absolutely essential to the development Of the
rich resources Of tropical clmcs. ana the advance
m nj OF the trade and commerce of the world Even
IN Lnsland where fanalcsm has so long ruled the
policy Of the government on this question: u great
change Of public sentiment has taken place. If We
are 10 ndge nom the resolutions and proceedings of
great commercial conventions held in Manchesterand
Liverpool during the present year and the editorials
OF the London Times. This journal not only uncqu-
vocally condemns the system which abrogated slave
ry in the British West India possessions hut advocates
aretnr thereto and the caablishme Of some such sys-
TEN in the East India possessions, by the trans
portaon thlther OF African labor. So great has be-
come the necessities of the world for cotton alone
which can only be produced to any considerable cx
tent by slave labor and in Southern climes that the
suspension of involuntary servitnde for single year
only would cause conyulsons in all the governments
of the civilized world the disastrous results of which
it would be beyond human ken TO ioresee. Ii is only
necessary for Us TO be true to ourselves to preserve
our institutions. and to be great and prosperous
people. The Union is not with lis Of the South "a
paramount political good" however much we may
and do desire its continuance under strict adhc-
renee 10 constitutional provisions and guarantees.--
When these can no longer be maintained, or when
further aggression upon or denial OF our rights is
pracced by dominant political power at the North,
we have everything to gain and nothing to lose " by
dsrupting every tie" that binds us to the confcdcr-
Qcy.