New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-11-29
VOLUME XIII.
Ntm Orleans DULY Crescent.
THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 20, iaeo.
A sPLENprp LETTER.

SPLENDID LETTER..
The subjoined letter, which appeared in the New
buryport (Mass.) Herald, explains itself. Gen.
Gushing is to address the people ON the issues Of
the day, but he could scarcely say more, in four
hours speech, than lie has condensed into this ad.
mifable letter. The rebuke administered to his
own people, as just as it is terrible, shows that
there are those in the North who do tho South just
ice; and our only regret is that there are not
more Of them like Gen. Cushing:
Hon. Albert Cta1-ier--Dear Sir had the honor,
some time since, to receive communication from
yourself and large number Of other slgners, re-
questng me to address the citizens OF NeWbury-
port on the subject of the state of the Union.
To do so at that time seemed to me nconvenient,
FIRST because of my belief of the impossibility,
pending the presidential canvass, of the accommo-
daton of the points Of controversy between those
who, while thus differing on temporary incidental,
or personal questions, were yet in my Judgment,
alike the true friends of the Consttution-and
secondly because Of special reluc tance TO put my
self in the position of partisan conflict with any Of
my immediate fellow citizens of this city.
But all those questions have passed away, and
yielded peace to others Of higher order and more
Comprehensive character, appertaning to the now
imminent peril of the dissolution of the American
Union.
To the imminence of that peril, it is no longer
permitted to us to continue, as for years we have
done, wilfully to shut eyes. 1t forces itself
upon us in report of official acts; 1t has become
the chief topic of the newspapers; it preoccupies
all minds we feel 1t, throughout the country
in the decline of the yendible value Of stocks,
merchandise, and real estate, and in the universal
disturbance of domestic productions, trade and
labor.
God forbid that, at such moment, anything
should be done or said by me to add to the Intensity
of socitude which already exists in this relation
On the other hand, there is but one thing to allay
it, which be done or said by or in the State Of
| Massachusetts,.
IEoA, n1,, 10
cuss the question of the expediency or inexpedi-
| ency of secession and to endeavor to impress on
| the Southern States the sacredness of the Union.
So long as the State of Massachusetts, maintains q
system of legislation plainly contrary to the Con
stiuon in the very matter of the special rights Of
| the Southern States all ears are closed to appeals
| in behalf of the Union, from us. To such appeals
| the answer is ready, that when we duly regard the
Constitution ourselves, and not until then, 1t Will
! be competent to us to exhort other States to re-
| spect and observe IL /; that otherwise we are but
meanly enjoying the benefits of the compact with
out dscharging its obligations; and that our lauda-
! ton of the Union is alike odions and ridiculous,
whilst we cling to it only as the means of eXerting
the power of the Federal Government to the spoli-
ation oppression and wrong of fifteen States of the
Union, How deeply soeyer, therefore, any citizen
| Of the State Of Massachusetts, may depore the
possibility of the dissolution of the Union, she Is
4 utterly powerless to dssuade any other State from
seeking or promoting its dissolution.
The notification laws of Massachusetts, were not
but the question Of their repeal has been earnestly
moved in the Legislature Of the State, first by Mr.
| Charles Hale, and atterward by myself: and
| although some provisions of mere exacerbation in
those laws have been repealed on the recommend
alton of Gov. Banks, yet the vicious substance still
subsists, and has but just been carefully reenacted
| in the general revision of the statutes.
Vainiy, therefore, would the State of Massachu
setts admonish the State Of South Carolina to OBJ
serve the Constitution, or uphold the Union. II
NE would have equity, we must do equity, and &C
into court with clean hands Lectures on loyalty
to the Federal Constitution come with poor grace
from obstinate and systematic violators of tht
Il Constitution. There is but one thing odi0us
and absurd than that, and ii is the idea of Massa
ehusets, hersein state of permanent rebellion tt
the Constitution and laws Of the Union assuming
to coeree other States into pnnctilous obedienct
to The Constitution and laws of the Union. Nay
if there be any article articles in the Constitu
ton which, with her particular notions of righ
and wrong, the State of Massachusetts cannot o.
will not fulfil or obey, then every consideration oi
honor, truth, faith, conscience, virtue, religion
would impe her either to seeede at once from tht
Union herself or to cooperate with Virginia in tht
call of Constitutional Convention to revise th'
terms of the federal compact, or at least man
fully to extend to South Carolina the right hand
cordial nnlliication and secession fellowship.
Our forefathers, when they found the govern
ment Of their country not to be up to the height
their standard Of liberty or morality stroye in th
first place to change the government, and, falhni
in that they withdrew themselves from it. In suel
| none in keeping the good of the Union andretasin
its price asserting the bond of the Constitution
where 1t is favorable TO Massachusetts, and repud
ating it where it is favorable to South Caroline
Conduct of the latter sort in ordinary life, has ugl
names-as cheating, swinding, fraud-and it de
serves no softer appelation in the acts OF Stat
or people.
Furthermore, SO long as the State Of Massacht
sets perseveres in this notification of the ConstitI
tion she affords, not preteSt only, but a justhcf
, , tory cause to the State Of South Carolina, to thf
of Georgia. Alabama, Mississippi, or any other Stat
otherwise disposed to secede; for the violation
the fundamental compact Of association by one
the contracting parties serves, in morality as we
as law, to release the others; and the unconstit,
tiona and dishonorable attitude Of the State in tn
matter is not less mschevous in another respee
to.wt its obvious tendency to parayze the col
servative efforts of other Southern States not vi
prepared to seeede, such as Maryland Virgins
North Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee.
/ think there is duty in this behalf, which it
incumbent on Massachusetts, and every loyal Gil
zen of the State to perform; one, which it is new
too early to enter upon, and never too late to pc
sst in and which it is peculiarly fitting for us
is undertake now-namely, to repeal unconditional
% these laws,--which scandalously false in the
profession of purpose-whch are tyrannioal
their domestic and reasonable in their federal r
lation-and which misrepresent the spirit and di
grace the legislation of our Commonwealth.
- As this is the duty of all, it is the duty OF eve
one and therefore it will give me pleasure
| speak on the subject; to expose the gravity
the situation; to demonstrate our obIgatlon
garng it, and to participate with you in the init
Y, ton of measures for the wpng out of this foul bl
= from the escuteheon of the State of Massachuset
Y Having done that we shall then have the rigt
g happen what may, to stand erect, to hold up o
'e head in the Union, to look our sister States in t
Mt face, and if need be- to address raternal exhort
N ton to the State of South Carolina.
" Ii am, very faithfully,
Newburyport, Nov 18TH, 1850,
-
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE.
| Snsn 1onde tlnC