New Orleans daily crescent., 1857-08-18
4 POWERFUL LErrER-BoLD GROUND.

We publish, in another column, a powerful, bold
and manly letter from the pen Of the hon. l.. M.
Keitt Of South Carolina for many sessions known in
Congress as one Of the distinguished Democratic Rep
resentatiyes from the Palmetto State. Although,
perhaps the writer goes too far in some Of his ex-
pressons. still the letter is none the less entitled to
the careful attention of the people of the South
OF those who have the most to lose and the most to
gain by proper determination of the impending
issues between the North and South-issnes that
are sure to precipitate a crisis within very lew
years.
As will be seen the letter is written IN answer 70
an invitation from the State Rights Democracy OF
Marion to partake Of apublc dinner at their hands,
as token Of the high appreciation they entertain Of
his distinguished talents, hghtoned political char
acter, and manly defense ofSouthern Rights" After
regretting his inability to accept the invitation, Mr.
Kett proceeds to argue the Southern question with
much vigor, point and power.
He starts out with the distinct proposition that
events are hurrying to crisis, in which the South
will have to stake her rights and safety upon her
own union, and vindicate her existence by her own
resources There is too much truth in this to furnish
food for happy reflection. The South is now in a
minority in the Senate-the preponderance in the
House has been largely against her for years-kan-
sas has been sold to the Freesoilers by Walker and
Buchanan, and Minnesota, Nebraska and Oregon are
preparing to knock for admission into the general
confederacy sovereign States. Each will bring IN
two Freesoil Senator'S making eight in ALL which will
hand the Federal Senate completely over to the do
| minion of our Northern enemies. When this is
accomplished, and there is hardly shadow OF doubt
it will be accomplished before 1860, the South will be
as helpless in both branches of national egsla-
ture as an infant would be in the hands OF strong
| man No wonder, then, Mr.. Keitt declares that the
South will be obliged to stake her rights and safety
upon her own union and vindicate her existence by
| her own resources" p
| 4 The truth of the matter is, we must have union
of the South for the sake Of the South or else the
South, now SO fair fertile and fourishng-so rich in
all the elements Of national greatness and power
will, in less than decade, become the spoil OF hypo
critical, ayaricious and tyrannical Northern task
masters who will levy extortion upon extortion on
us, just in proportion as grow feeber and feebler
until the fruits of our labor bare subsistence
shall be made to flow into their bottomless pockets
There is nothing in the way of the formation of such
union but the cohesive power welded by leaders,
o6iee-holdels and politicians; and this power the
people must break down, scatter to the four winds
Of Heaven if they would avoid disasters all but I'M
medicable in their nature.
The administration is scathingly denounced for its
conduct respecting the Kansas embroglio, and the
denunciations are well sustained by a reference to
historical facts. We particularly direct the attention
Of our readers to this portion of the letter. Says Mr.
Keitt To say that the of the South was lost
in Kansas prior to the appointment of Walker, is to
palliate fraud by falsehood.H Emphatic language,
but the writer Immediately proceeds to demonstrate
its verify gr
After some further observations, enforcing his pro-
positions Mr. Kett states that it is the duty as well
as the policy of South Carolina to join Georgia and
Mississippi in rebuking the " dishonest intrgues y
that have tricked the South out of Kansas. We
think So too. 1t is the duty and the policy OF Louis
lana, and of every Southern State, from Texas to
Maryland, to range themselves beside those noble
States and arragn and punish the administration for
the grossest reachey that was ever perpetraed upon
a trusting people.
The conclusion of the letter is alike significant and
sententious There should be dissension in the
Southern Camp, and trust there will be none when
the hour arrives in which loyalty to party ,cM be
treason to the South.' Let Mr.. Keitt take care of
the party with which he has heretofore acted and all
will be well. The Americans will be ready, when the
time comes, to array themselves the side Of their
section with a snglehanded determination which
others may emulate, but cannot surpass.