The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1859-05-25
speacb of, W, gDratt. Eso

NJ fFFNfffHf QNf IL tftNtff ~ ft t..f e
Al meeting Of thls convention bold I'll ku5sv!l.
n 49,, committee vas appointed t. report upon
the foreign slave trade. Thar committee Innoc their
report to tho meeting at Montgomery II was there
discussed with interest and ability boz the mind oi
the South not msde up fully on she qu"suoufhcre
were differences Of opinion Ia the convention itself
upon the subjac: andu uct proper 10 foTa" il d"
nnal vote. To the friends - well 80 to the cppo-
nents of the messir seemed b. Il that the rerrt
should he laid upon the table 10 fe printed. Il hes
Teen printed and las gone before ~" country other
circumstances have concurTed ." np'n public Jud@-
ment on the matter of IT, Vessels engaged il tho r
eign slave trar have hePu seized by cruisers for sd
Indication. Foreign slaves have been introduced:
tne policy Of such introdncuon, ~. I'.i :, .''H',
IA the legislatures Of the several southern state, ami
uoer circumstances 80 suited 10 just ptrce t"n 81
the merits Of the measure, We have called u up for
further, and hope, for final acton ~ ihe present
time.
In doing so. however, and in forcing II upon the
convention apain ~ have often done before with
pertinacity which has perhaps not always seemed he
coming, will be parduned, hope. the egutl~n If
hrief presentment Of tie causes that have ,mpoicd
In ls5s when the mi scaled romprrui-c wa passed
~ Congress there he'd come tu BE- fixed conyicti.n
GA TIE minds Of many southern n"u that ruior tire
gInlnaIy iorr- OF law there Wa N'hht security i"F
southern rights and Southern liberty within this
mon. OF the fact that this cpnfedcracy had come
70 1e divided into distinct political sections There
Hcre none doubt, and few to doubt Iut th"t the
power Of Government was rrsIocahy with the North
ih,y had preponderS"e OF Stateo aud pop at'on.
and shared a government ia wEirh states and IupIt-
lai.pn. of necessity, must tell on legislation They
ltu The power to pass N!ai i9a~ tHcy pl"s~ad and
/ they had passed them They had prescribed the IN
sttutOn OF tie South Ji-y hsi restricted tu yor-
tam atitudez: they had excluded b from vacant ter
rtOry they had prcclu ted supply % foreign s.,-
and to the establishment 81 dominion the most d. p
lee~ there WAS wanting Then but penal laws. aud the
means to tlieir enforcement one step ia even tist
direction they had taken: they hri passed the act
/ thm made It piracy 70 trnae IN foreign slaves That
| eNgency, none could doubt. Tor power hos seldom
/ waited long for such convenient Instruments. The
| Law 70 further punishment might not be passed III
| once. The power that held the Government might
| look to Opportunity. and might graduate atii ctun
| !" tie endurance 81 - y.rtim. hut il was sure
| 70 come IN time; and though under the hereditary
! forms Of liberty had -tll the prudence ana
the spirit 10 preserve them. Their vet the Secur
y that could MY De hung upon the Judgment OF
the iorms ofthe constitution the only Juwar against
physi al aggression yetr.maining wss iu tie strength
| and intelligence al southern iurire.
Nor was this all. There still another issue d
even more momentous Interest. For near century
the thought had grown upon the world that Their,
was propriety and night in the perfect equality 81
msn-
Il was announced in the Declaration Of American
lndePendenee' Il Was forced into fearful practice u
the French Republic il moved the heart Of -rh,tuet
there was eNutation 81 the tan Of hereditary forms
in Europe; there rejoicing Al the fan oi slavery Dc
the West Indies there was sladne~- at tie cmunri
pat.nns here; there w.s ropugnance 20 every form
Iyrediary power there were execrutionS. bitter an,
intc4ee. Of esI( iorpl ri slavery and under CON
i'ia there w. s,lv 10 h The resiiIatj6 al 4 Tr
al millennium, there came to be IN ~ countries her
slavery i not and IN many vh.re it j.. concUrro nc
the most sircuisry peTi,t IN s1 efforts 20 -r
| press the fore IA Slave trade.
Ru, vhlle this Wa 80. 60. Apprehension -rsy upe
the public mind Of certain -,ru"H- Il thI- band 3
lta-t list ulI- G'u'f pt"h WIS not strictly Just
| was s'll conceded that among -a.fla--. .guaI4ig
I right; hut y hal come g. De- gur-tuu,i whether +.
are cqa!' whether T,'- "u Not differ 4n their -unr
notions; whether. WhIl some are rag.ii. IL f.o,
eminent. there be- some not pallr ui -t.-.oy,rr
mont; Nh"urr u s." unequal there u, Iu fact th
night Go equality among them; whether O. weakc
rs''- II '' not a privilege To- share Ga" homes au
fortunes Of the stronger: and whether Will. anon
mat
raj relations Of direction aid dependence, It l- Dep
10 races untitled 10 direct thcm-'lv-. The o"r,irlu
of vel hCug. and existence even. that they -uoUI
have the guidance and direction al higher power.
such were the snclul theories that had cont 20 l
Tie IN the world The one had tsl'u it, stand au
hs'i found emhU' lmeut in the form and constitute
Of the North-thr other had taken H. stand and ha
= found embodiment IN tlr forms and constitution
| the South With that fp!m were infii-s"lully link
r. tie hopes aud fortunes # people. lt present,
every clam 70 svor and affection; itryiored in even
prospect 81 DIVINE approval u rose directly HthHt
the srntirnental~In OF the II fttsd % stand
must stand against t" world, 'nd thus this land seen
. ed destined Go become IN" haiti" ground NOT only
the sections. hut the ted oI final contest Tor the
= great coEtendng social systems Of the world.
"a | In such condition It seemed imperative upon u
South % stat" some measure thar would meet @
complicated issues II her future, and 40 Sgrhc.e
D. incHsnre seemed % be suggested.
. tuition and rights ami liberties strict e.
" fprcement OF that nstrtme n but n" power q leg
: lation vas with the North. Experience had Shug
Il that power can tnt IA any instrument warrant
it, action, and It seemed vain % hope by mere res
Withstand the pressure % afflEr
v aggressive adversary.
p By some il was proposed TO force from Congress u
recognition Of our night 20 share the common ter
tory Of the Union; but tAoI. was no means hy WIN
70 force from an unwilling Congress tho cg.gutr
a / Of that night. \ majority controlled the action
. ! our Government and there wa no means short
= dissolution y which the minority could counter.
u them. Nor!f there would that avail them.
IA Congress coud bee forced u recognize thst ght,
-. be vested, therefore, with puwug 10 force n-t
ton into vacant territory. the chances urre a. N
lion 60 one hey would use that power G. fore" u o.
But If not, sal We are unequal 10 the North in pol
laion. lheie wa no source nom which labor!
population, suited 10 the Institutions Of the SOU
could come-wItAgut slaves to spare. slavery COZ
ri take no snare m vacant territory and The It 10
= ter with our institutions there Was void ami FSlGee
IL without the power 70 do 50.
5, By some was proposed q stimulate material p
n gress At the South. and - to strengthen and ~~
our section % successful competition with the Nor
ne To that end this convention instituted and 10
IN attainment Of IL objects jealous and per~cyrrug
" forts have h-en made. but 10 material progress ia,
h., was necessity for m re abundant lafor-the lat
NC which We hat was Insufficient for the Offices
K agriculture. With slavery fixed and cherished hc
l there was no source Of further labor suited t. the
stitutions % the south. and II Of little service
- / perceive the PoTtaAee q material progress, VI
u- out percelymE also the means 10 It, achievement
I'm by some It was proposed % break the Union q
seek security and power IN Independence. hut Z
OF an end more easy ufcOnccp;IDu than attainment
Of revolutions never come by resolutions ia states
he IN men, there D. tie physical bat not the moral Po'
Of a. solution ana u all created beings IL Il true.
We night that the Do-rytislus Of life are stronger q
70 ~. natural motives TO destroy il. II wa- not the
the blood 81 Lexington. Concord and the siege
p Boston and the ships thar ps,l their iufrt1Il Fl
before the fortress Of Fort MoultTe, that the rcYs
lie ton Of our fathers came about; and here at
:, south there have been the motives AMI cause OF
ma ton-therc has been III" intelligence 70 Pcrce
IN ;hem; there have been conventions aud the call
10 state state, hut still there has been ability
deliberately take the step and Il j. TO be feared IL
IN never may be The southern states are all Rep
he lies; they have no common centre Of authority,
raj common centre Of opinion eventhe step, II tax
- must mrs De taken by single State--'o be 20 tal
h majority Of some Single ~tste must favor H. OF II
on majority the IN calmness Of council u was scare
IN sensible to hope; and 1t Was &" Doe feared. theTe
- that here also there must be the touch Of phys
Wv aggression. and encroachmentS not covered by
Law. and the clash Of arms. before there can I've
of banners and the march Of ind. psndence. No
not. would tlIat Of itself he surely sufficient TO
u deem our fortunes We stand comWugeI L,
m south. bnt stand more vitality committed to
ed cause Of slavery. Il 10, indeed 20 he doubted VIII
~ 81 the south have any cause apart nom the inst
~ ton which Affects her. Il q" b" doubted vhe1
It'll without the differences ia social constitution vi
"a effects the sections North aud south there would
= any sections North and South % wage a contest
r. its BY no means certain that the cause Of stav
to- would md it, hna triumph IN an act Of dls-oiut
nat Forreasons more distinctly stated IA the report bet
u, there j. not entire integrity {" the social r0n~t
'Nt ton al the south. While oar population hss I'd,
nt- ced there ha7 been IA" PToPortlgnato sdyancem
hat M the number Of our slaves. The widening "
- has made demand for slaves upon the older State
I'M the older states have been compelled % WELD
~ exactian- with every TRANSFORMATION there W. b
,,,a ling labor ready t' supply The place. With hire
labor came the form aud spirit Of b'mocrsoy
I'VE made IT. way across III" hprd,T-It ovcr-Prcad
;r. the States OF Kentucky. Virginia and Missouri
~ entered into southern cfis--ft glid"i into sch,
cir and pupits-t crept about our halls ot Legislat
iai aud sol J. that We arr not alone n contest with
80 North. which bears the banners II Democracy.
With Tie Democracy lt-ali within tie ,tatos tie eli
2 x and the institutions at the ~"nth. Nor the
me test unequal We al remember well tha 6
when Few wvr" ready % athTm the institution of
yns.-tIc slavery. II = even uua not popular 90
m claim night IN" means Of it, extension. an
n Virginia, with her $4,000 slaves and .huu'p vh
should come hv chance To- the ISOLATION of "a -,p-
~ lao IN 81.
p hardly stand there. within th" limits 81 that old
not minign a. It stands now within the limits Of oar
D., sent JnIon
"a" The contest therefore Is not between sections.
he sy-teHf>; not between nations, but ideas: l"tN
ads the idea proclaimed at Ia" North that equality
,.. right o. m,f ana ne o"t embodied Co some tx
at the Seuth that it l. IA" right 81 equals only.
'u- agents are the forms Of pure and slave demo
on cy; aud ~ that democracy J. not confined 90
IL North a. q extends also to the south. Crap
slavery m ~ homes and on It's hc3rthstonos Il Wi
row h.. feared that dissolution even would not end
L I controversy. that " would but have adjourned
,~ confessional slavery Ike the Tnrscau hog-r. ",
- have borne It's rider from the field aud that 49,
60 ing enemies abroad, would have been force.
its wage still more deadly contest with is "uenle
nd- I home
IN such condition the measure necessary 10
no south must meet the double issues 81 yu1r turlr
gFa- II must point 10 emancipation from Jh" North q
49,, { must point vel 20 thu spread and triumph Of
'' I mestc slavery It must do tins and MORT must
ci 20 that the means Of prngreSsIt must give GO II
the moral strength Of an aggressive attitude pos
III, I IN which there could b" no ADMISSION of wrong.
/ implication Of syHce of shame IN IT, ConditI
30 Ard thus measure meeting these conditions
lion [ conceived 90 Dee the foreign slave trade. Ind
rl -enre OF that conviction, veutured a. proclaim
~ Under continued sense Of those convictions. /
ave confirmed To- advance III and far those reasons
ton l. H. and has Il bceu that az other times,
- have been instant IN my efforts 20 force it upon
attention Of the convention, and through this
use yention to adoption az the South. The argumoI
en- enforcement Of this conception. have cudosy,
a.. o. cmbody in the report that T. nov before ii,
consideration.
our IL that report have sought to show that 10 r
sI- ia adyauceIIseIt there must be labor. and
re varied system Of production there must De- laho
excess Of the acquisitions Of a single product.
p / have further sought TO show that to the pr
nts, balance Of social system there must be sla
OF and to its harmony and order, slaves at prices
l. ! enough to come within the means Of every eute
H'u sing member Of the ruling race. And have SO
butte to show that to the preservation Of political n
had within this Union. there must bc political power;
- To political power there must he states and popul
'E'S and that such population - will give states
numbers 10 the south WIth-ut a!stu. tEECe cd q
he | ing order can only come from Africa.
Such we're the reasons that have induced me 70
sent this measure 'nsi = these POSITIONS he GORE
lily, l. the only that will meet the issue II
yev mued, il will lead the south to power and for
- within this nion II not permitted, hut Vet Apr
c Of Southern sentiment 1t will lead the South to
on pendence out This, therefore. D. the only
,oint real and efficient measure.
-. And now. before this convention. Justly repre-
. -" ing the intelligence and interests Of the South
Jho met 20 counsel OF her ortunel would ask wheth
old shall not affirm il and proclaim 10. and proclaim
"A - maine and nature Of cur Institutions
Shall we not frdiun IT, and Why not affirm az
mes for the reason TINT Democracy Is nghtl Eg
.ople may be, where one section Of people i> ele'
"a ., above another by political distinctions. merely
those distinctions should be done away with.
qthe Il was Fight that the distinctions between the
( out an and Iatrician should have gwen way M h