The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-05-19
DOINGs IN THE SOUTHERN CONVENTION

ern Convention met at Vicksburg on the 9th. On
the first day seventy-four delegates were present
Mississippi, ffty-among them two reverend gen.
tlemen; South Carolina, eleven; louisiana four;
Tennessee, four; Georgia, two; and Texas Ala
bama and Florida, one each.
"A citizen of Kansas, by birth a Georgian, who
chanced to be IN the city, was invited to take a
seat in the Convention. Another gentleman from
Tallahassee, Florida, who not chosen delegate
was admitted as one; and finally resolution was
offered inviting all gentlemen in the city,
The remark OF delegate that under that resolution
a gentleman from Massachusetts might take his
seat, afforded some amusement.
The Convention did not favor the proposition,
there being but three votes in its favor
Several more delegates arrived on the 10TH
Gen. Charles Clark, of Mississippi was elected pres
ident.
Gov. J. R. McRae, of Mississippi, was not present
but submitted through delegate resolutions de:
carlng that the success of the Republican party in
1850 would be a virtual dissolution of the Union
&c, and that the interests and necessities of the
South as well as the entire country require the
permanent ascendancy of the United States in the
Gult OF Mexico; and to secure this end the Gulf
must be made an American sea, Cuba an Amer lean
State, and the lsthmian transts to the Pacific
placed under American control; and demanding the
abrogatlon OF the Clayton Bulwer treaty. These
resolutions were referredto the Committee on Busi-
ness.
Mr.. Spratt, of South Carolina, called up a report
made by him at the last Convention, held at Mont
gomery, Alabama, on the revival of the African
slave trade, closing with the following resolu-
tions:
|. Resolrcd, That slavery is right and that
being right there can be no wrong in the natural
means to its formation.
2. Re8olred, That it is expedient and proner
the foreign slave trade should be reopened and
that this Convention will lend its influence to any
Legitimate measure to that end.
s. ReSolUed That Committee consisting of one
from each slave State be appointed to consider of
the means consistent with the duties and obligations
OF these States, for reopening the foreign slave
trade, and that they report their plan to the next
meeting of this Convention.
Mr.. Spratt, in the course of speech in support
of the resolutions, said:
1t might be said that the slave trade could not be
legalized within the Union and that to re-establish
1t the Union would have to be dissolved. Let it be
so. The men of the South had higher trusts than
to preserve the Union. If the resolutions propo-
sed by him were affirmed by the Convention the
re-opening of the slave trade would have all the
sanction which, as Southern men, they woulk ask.
lAppause.) If the principle should be approved
by Southern sentiment, it matters little what might
be the course of Congress- The profits of the trade
would compensate the risks of the adventure. and
slaves would be brought into the country Besides
that, there point of honor involved in this
matter. There were men in the South who felt
that in this way only could the South take the po-
sitlon that was consistent with the maintenance of
her rights. His friend Lamar had already hosted
the slave trade flag, and that flag now hoated at
the masthead. (Appause.) If this government
In that madness which precedes dissolution, should
send its agents here to spy the acts of South
ern men, to enforce this law, to seize Southern cit
Zens, and take their property for acts which they
recognise right-as as the sun should rise it
would rise on the reeking plains of another Lexng-
ton and Concord. cloud appIause.)
Several other delegates spoke in similar strain.
At the evening session Mr. Moody opposed the
slave trade, and advocated the 'appreHtice svstem
He said that if they came here to talk treason and
and preach disloyaty to the Union, he had heard so
much OF that from Mississippi politicians that he was
nauseated by 1t. 1t could do no good to rail against
the general government. If the gentlemen who
introduced these resolutions Spratt, of South Car
olina), wanted to set of the North against men
OF the South he had done all in his puny power to
effect that object Fire-eaters from the Southland
he never knew any of them who would fight-spoke
OF dissolution of the Union, but he regarded that
as utterly impracticable. As to the argument that
the law prohibiting the slave trade is unconstitu-
tional, it did not amount to a decent sophism
Before Mr.. Spratt, of S. c., or Mr. Davis, of
Miss, made such declarations as they did to-day
it would be better for them to begin and missiona-
rize here at home. In no less than ten Southern
States are there laws the statute books prohib-
iting the Importation of slaves from Africa TIE
code of Mississippi, enacted in 1857, makes the in
PRODUCTION of single African slave into this State
an offence, punishable with fine of 81 600 And
yet 1t was preached here that they could go before
Congress and ask Congressto repeal its law prohb-
ting the slave trade. The law of Congress on the
subject has an express provision that no penalty
sHdii NC UH any one VINO introduces an Al
rican in accordance with the laws of any State
not In conflict with the Constitution of the United
States. There was nothing to prevent man going
to Africa and making contract with free Africans
to serve him for twenty, fifty ninety years.
A motion made that Mr.. Spratt should be
requested to furnish the Secretary with his speech
to be printed for the of the Convention
Ex-senator FoOte was instantly on his feet and
vehemently opposed the motion. He said | charge
and | am prepared to establish it whenever have
an opportunity of doing so, that that speech is
fraught with reasonable doctrines. l speak deib-
erately speak not as partisan or a sectionalist
l belong to no political party under the sun. No
party is responsible for me, and am responsible
for no party. am affiliated with no body of
men on any political question. But | saw delhi
erately that however honest and conscientious that
gentleman Mr.. Spratt) may be, however bioh
may be his character in South Carglna, the speech
he has delivered here is fraught with treasonahle
matter; and if put in practice by any body of men
in the manner proposed, they would each of them
be guilty of high theason, and be subject, and de-
servedly subject, to be hanged by the neck until
they are dead, dead, dead.
Many attempts were made to interrupt the sneak
er but without effect. He continued:
The proposition that the Constitution of the
United States is no longer a valid and binding in
strument-the proposition that the sacred laws OF
the Union-enacted by wiser men than now live,
and wiser men, fear, than will ever live in the
country again-(appreciative laughter and cheers
the proposition that these laws, marked with the