Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-05-29
From the Knoxville Register
Plain Talk.


jected her to ridiculc, this last one at Mont
gomery is positively disgracefnl We have
been looking over its proceedings for the first
five days, and can find but one question that
seems to have seriously occupied the attention
of the convention, and that is the revival of
the African slave trade, which is but disguise
for the real question of dissolution of the
Union We cannot see that even serious
thought has been given to the commercial in
terests of the South, notwithstanding there
were many persons present who felt deeply on
this subject, and who had gone there with the
honest intent of evolving some scheme, IL pos
sible, looking to the deiverance Of the South
from its state of commercial dependence. There
was William Ballard Preston, for instance,
lltely returned from Europe, and charged by
the State Of Virginia with the high and import
ant duty of bringing to the attention of the
South, through the medium Of this convention
the importance of establishing Southern line
of steamships, and Of exposing the feasibility
of the scheme and the plan for its establish
mcnt. But he was crowded from the arena,
and, with others like himself, was forced to
content himself with listening to the nauseat-
ing harangues of disgusting and ever noisy dis
unionists. Mr. Spratt, ofSouth Carolina-who
will never die at peace with either God or man,
unless he lives to witness the dissolution Of the
Union-opened the ball by the presentation Of
voluminous report recommending the re-
opening of the African slave trade, and the
discussion of this subject was persistently kept
up from day to day. The grand idea of Spratt's
report is dsunion. 3 This is the end at which
all the advocates Of this scheme are aiming,
and this is the sole object these men have in
view in keeping alive, from year to year, the
so-caled Commercial Convention We need
no better evidence Of this truth than the
ayowed sentiments Of these agitators. Let the
reader hear few.
Mr.. j. d. B. DeBow, the former President of
the convention, and the ever-active leader in
calling the convention annually together, de-
livered an address in Charleston, few days
ago, ofwhich the Mercury makes the following
notice: M
"As the community will soon be afforded an
opportunity Of reading for themselves this
truly Southern and patriotic speech, we win do
no more than simply congratulate our fellow
citizens that we have still in orr midst man
who entertain decided views and lire tn ex.
press them. Disunion Mr.. DeBow looks for
ward to as the haven of our rest and orr rocl
of refuge.p
Hon. William L. Yancey, chief among Dem
ocrats in Alabama, and the most consnicuous
man in the convention, in his address Of wei.
come to the Democrats. used this strong and
very significant language: "a
az welcome you as the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of
that other more important convention which
if injustice and wrong continue to rule the bour
and councils of the dominant section If onr
divided and estranged land, must ere long rs.
semble for the noble purpose of uniting ths
political and industrial relations of the South
upon the safe basis of an independent sover.
eighty" sadR ~
Again, the same gentleman in his speecb IN
favor Of the African slave trade. remarked.
aThen unlike the gentleman from Virginia
he was for disunion now. rApnlapsel ~
would shed his blood TO save the Un;on 40 o,r
fathers left it, but not the Union which has
been reared upon its ruins The IJn;on Of our
fathers has already been dissolved INV onnros.
sion and fraud. and there was M dron of Mod
in his heart that he was not ready 10 she'd n
defence of Southern rights against ,b,, TT,;on
lhPpiause'