The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-04-14
SOUTHERN CONVENTION AT vICKs-
BURG tt8


A Southern Convention has been called to
meet at Vicksburg on the. 9th of May. The
call, signed, by ]. d. B. De Bow OF Louisiana,
John j. McRae of Mississippi, Guy ID. Bryan
of Texas, William L. Yancey of Alabama, and
William 81. Chase of Florida, is an exceedingly
opaque document, from which it is difficult TO
gather any definite idea of the objects of the
proposed Convention, beyond the fact that it is
to be all over Southern. We believe that orig
inally these Southern Conventions were designed
or intended to promote commerce, but nothing
of that kind is alluded to in the document be-
lore US. The committee are so cautious, that
nothing is said about disunion or the slave trade.
Are the hre-eaters growing conservative The
following paragraph is a specimen of the style
OF this document, of which the reader is at lib
erty to make what he can. All we have to
say IS, that if the swords of the chvalry are not
more trenchant than the pen of their commit
tee, the North and the rest of mankind are in no
immediate danger of total humiliation. The
committee say:
There is no name honored in the councils
or revered in the hearts of the South. from the
earliest period of its history to the present that
may not be claimed as authority for everything
that is sought by the Convention. From such
patriot sources have come warnings of danger
against which the Convention would provide,
and appeals for action to WHICH the Convention
would respond and if any of these are now to
be found in conflict with it, or interposing dis
couragements, commonplace yet sincere men
may find it difficult to understand the.peculiar
al, Ii LII. Al z<s II
pose of the South, which has been exercised by
the recent triumphs Of Black Repubiicanisna
an eceyy free State Of the North, and ITS seem
in9y secured majorities IN the electoral COL
Lege."
The manner in which this Southern Conven-
ton is to be constituted may be inferred from the
following hints, at the close of the document.
The committee say:
"The Executives of the several States and
the various municipal bodies of the South are
earnestly requested 20 send such delegates as
Will best represent the opinions of the body of
the people.
The 9th day of May will be favorable
time to visit Vicksburg, and the citizens Of that
hospitable community invite to the waters of
the Mississippi the people of the Atlantic States
and of the Gulf
to this"
The English of this is, that if the people are
not sufficiently interested in the objects OF this
Convention to elect delegates, then the Gov
ernors are requested to appoint them and fail
ing in this the delegates to former Conventions
are invited to make good the deficiency.
We confess, that notwithstanding the great
and chivalrous names appended to this docu-
ment it appears to US mnch like humbug
and we suspect that its main object is to keep
alive the interest of the Southern people in De
Bows Review.
The FUGITIvE SLAVE CASE IN PHILADEL-
PHIA.-We are gratifed that the colored man
Daniel Webster, alias Danger6eld, arrested at
Harrisburg as fugitive from Slavery, has been
released. The concluding proceedings before
the Commissioner will be found in our news
columns The evidence of identity, though
sworn to by several persons from Virginia, was
not deemed conclusive. The discrepancies be-
tween the statements of witnesses for the
claimant and the actual facts, apparent in the
person of the negro, backed by the counter
testimony for the defence, was sufficient to
raise doubt in the mind of the Commissioners
In question of Liberty or Slavery as in that
Of life and death, the prisoner should have the
benefit of doubt. No man should be con
signed to Slavery or to the gallows, where
rational doubt can exist in his favor. This
was the practice of the English courts five hun
dred years ago, when the rule was that all the
prescriptions were to be in favor of liberty.
HAYTI INVITES THE PEOPLE OF CoLOR-The
FeatiIe du Commerce, Haytien paper, extends
the following cordial invitation to the people of
color in this country to make that island their
home. The recent revolution, by establishing
liberty gives a new interest to this splendid
island. We cannot doubt that an infusion of
the American element into its population would
conduce to its renovation. The paper says:
Hayt will soon regain her ancient splendor.
This marvellous soil that our fathers, blessed
by God, conquered for us, will soon yield to us
the wealth now hidden in its bosom. Let our
black and yellow brethren, scattered through
the Antilles and in North and South America,
hasten to cooperate with us in restoring the
glory OF the Republic. Hayti is the common
country of the black race. Our ancestors, in
taking possession of 1t, were careful to announce
IN the Constitution that they published, that
all the descendants of Africans and of the in
habitants of the West Indies, belong by right
to the Hayten family. The idea was Grand
and generous.
Listen, then, all you negroes and mulattoes
who, in the vast continent Of America. suffer
from the preludices of castei The Republic
calls you; she invites you to bring to her your
arms and your minds. The regeneratingI work
that she undertakes interests all colored PEOPLE
and their descendants, no matter what their
origin or where their place of birth
Hayti, regaining hor former position. re-
taking her ancient sceptre as Queen of the An
titles, viii be formal denial, most ELOQUENT
and peremptory, against those detractors Of our
race who contest our desire or ability to attain
high degree of civilization"
Ellen Mitchell, white slave, from FEEDER
icksbuFg, Virginia, with her five children. we
are happy to say, has been .emancipated by the
liberal subscriptions in this city, New York.
and Philadelphia. We are also gratifed to
state that three hundred dollars has been raised
and will be presented to her, to aid her in the
support of her family. She will settle in Gin
ciHpad.
KASsAs--There is no doubt that the people
Of Kansas have voted by an overwhelming ma
jority In favor of forming Constitution pre-
paratory to admission into the Union. Public
sont;m. - ID SO near unaniHity, that but small
o.o -, boo,, , "~d. 4 few Pro Slavery votes
were-cast against Convention.