Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1860-12-29
[Fr0m the y. 0. Delta.
Position Of Messrs. Slidell and BENJAMIN.

~ "hA' VIZ "'A~ VI O"A
tors, and has misrepresented them so
extravagantly, that people have begun
to imagine that method of communica-
ton. at least SO far an individuals are
concerned, to be nothing more than a
vehicle of falsellood. The statements
rejecting on the positions of Messrs.
SIidell and Benjamin have been already
c~ontradicted; and we are glad to be now
able to confirm the contradiction, on the
authority of those gentlemen themselves,
and to have their own words to prove
their devotion to the great cause OF
Southern Liberty and State Sovereign
ty.
A letter to a prominent gentleman OF
this city from Mr.. SlidelI, abiding to his
signature to the Congressional Circular,
published in our mornings edition, says:
BY speedy separation, l mean the earli-
est possible declaration that our separa-
ton will take place on the 4th of March;
| this declaration to be unconditional. The
States seeding will adopt the present
constitution, and all laws, &c, locally
applicable"
From Mr.. Benjamin we have the fol-
lowing letter, which was intended to be
laid before the Legislature at its recent
session. 1t ought, being dated Decem-
Der Sth, to have arrived in time for this
purpose; but delays of the mails and the
speedy adjournment Of the Legislature
rendered this impracticable. In accord
ance with Mr.. Benjamin's request, we
give his letter to the public:
WASHINGTON, 9Th Dec, 1860.
To the Legislature of the State OF Louisiana:
Having been unexpectedly prevented
from returning to the State until it is
now too late to join in counsel with my
f~ellow-citizens in this momentous crisis,
| feel it due to yon, as we'll as myself,
to make public declaration of my opin-
ions as to the course of action demanded
by a proper regard to the honor of Lou
isiana and the security Of her people. |
abstain from offering any reasons in sup
port Of these opinions, hoping soon to be
able to address you in person, if any i'll
dication of them be required. Briefly,
then, | believe,
LIST. That the feeling of a very large
number, (if not a majority,) of the people
Of the North, is utterly hostile to our
interests; that this feeling has been in
stilled into the present generation from
its infancy; that it is founded on the
mistaken belief that the people Of the
North are responsible for the existence
Of slavery in the South; that this con-
~viction of q personal responsibility for
what they enormously believe to be a
sin, springs chiefly from the considera-
ton that they are, with US, members Of
a common Government, and that the
Union itself is thus made the principal
cause of hostile interference by them
with our institutions.
2. That no just reason exists for hop.
ing for any change i'll Northern feeling,
and no prospect remains of our being
permitted to live i'll peace and security
within the Union.
3. That, therefore, the interest of the
South, the very instinct Of selfpreserva-
ton demands a prompt severance of all
connection with a government which
has itself become ali obstacle to what
it was designed to effect, viz: "Insur.
ing domestic tranquility, and promoting
general welfare"
4. That to effect this purpose separate
State action IS rartuaAy necessary. That
all attempts at concerted action should
be reserved for the work of reconstruct.
ing a government. Concert of action
amongst numerous independent States
is the result Of long and patient efforts
to reconcile divergent interests and har.
monte conflicting opinions. The emer.
gency does not admit Of this delay, I'm.
less the South is prepared to submit to