The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-12-12
following extract from an article written t.
x,nc;E.r Tho Qo..kh "A


y pac;fy the South and to reassure its fears:
e There can be no doubt whatever in ii
n mind Of any man, that Mr.. Lincoln rsgarl
e slavery as moral, social, and political evi
n and that it should be dealt with as such b
i the Federal Government. in every instanc
n where it is called upon to deal with it at al
b On this point there is no room for question
e and there need be no misgiyings rs to his Of
|, ticial action. The whole influence of the Ex
n ecutiye Department of the Government, Will
/. in his hands, will be thrown against the ex
. tension Of slavery into the new territories @
T. the Union, and the re-opening Of the Africa
e slave-trade. On these points he will make n
f compromise nor yield one hairs breadth t
e coercion from any quarSer or in any shape
' He does not accede to the alleged decision Q
the Supreme Court, that the Constitution
places slaves upon the footing of other proper
, ty, and protects them as such wherever it
, jurisdiction extends, nor will he be, in tn,
least degree, governed or controlled by it IL
his executive action. He will do all in hi
power, personally and officially, by the direc
exercise of the powers of his office, and the in
direct influence inseparable from it, to arrest
the tendency to make slavery national and
perpetual, and to place it in precisely the
same position which it held in the early days
of the Republic; and in view OF the foun-
ders of the Government"
"Now, what enigmas may be couched in
this last sentence, the sphinx which uttered
them can perhaps resolve; but the sentence in
which they occur is as big as the belly of the
Trojan horse which laid the city of Priam in
ruins.
These utterances we have heard SO long
that they fall stale upon the ear but never
before have they had such significance
Hitherto they have come from Jacobin con-
ventlcles and pulpits, from the rostrum, from
the hastings, and from the halls of our nation
al Congress; but always as the utteranceS OF
irresponsible men, or associations of men. But
now the voice comes from the throne; already,
before clad with the sanctities of office, ere
the Amounting oil is poured upon the mon
arch's head, the decree has gone forth that the
institution of Southern slavery shall be con-
strained within assigned Limits. Though pa
/ ture and Providence should send forth<s
| branches like the Banyan tree, to take root in
congenial soil, here is power superior to both,
| that says it shall wither and die within its
| own charmed circle.
What say you to this, to whom this great
| proyidential trust of conserving slavery is as
signed "Shall the throne of iniquity have
/ fellowship WIFI IIlet, WHICH HISCuiei
by law ?' 1t is this that makes the crisis.
! Whether we will or not, this is the historic
moment when the fate of this institution hangs
suspended in the balance. Decide either way,
it is the moment of our destiny-the only
thing affected by the decision is the complex
| ion of that destiny. If the South BJws before
this throne, she accepts the decree of restric-
| ton and ultimate extinction, which is made
1 the condition of her homage.
AS it appears to me, the course to be pur-
sued in this emergency is that which has al
ready been insugurated. Let the people in all
the Southern States, in solemn counsel assem-
bled, reclaim the powers they have delegated.
Let these conventions be composed of men
whose fidelity has been apProved-men who
| bring the wisdom, experience and hrInness of
age to support and announce principles which
have long been matured Let these conven-
| tions decide firmly and soiemnly what they
will do with this great trust committed to
their hands. Let them pledge each other in
sacred covenant, to uphold and perpctuate
what they can not resign without dshonor and
palpable ruin. Let them further, take all the
necessary steps looking to separate and indt-
pendent existence; and initiate measures for
framing new and homogeneous confederacy.
Thus prepared for every contingency, let the
crisis come. Paradoxical as it may seem, if
there eany way to save, or rather to recon
struet, the union Of our forefathers, it is this.
Perhaps, a. the last moment, the conserva-
tive portions Of the North may awake to see
the abyss into which they are about to plunge.
Perchance they may arise and crush out for
ever the Abolition hydra, and cast it into
grave from which there shall never be re-
surrection.
L.
rejoined united and happy people. But, be-
fore God, believe that nothing will effect this
but the line of policy which the South has
been compelled in selfprescrvation to adopt.
confess frankly am not sanguine that such
an suspicious result will be reached. Partly,
because do not see how new guarantees are
to be grated upon the Constitution, nor how,
if grated, they can be more binding than
those which have already been trampled un-
der foot !; but chiefly, because do not see
how such guarantees can be ELECTED from the
people at the North. 1t can not be disguised
that, almost to q man. they are anti-slavery |
where they are not Abolition. A whole gen.
Grafton has been educated to look upon the
system with adherence as a national blot |
They hope, and look, and pray for its extinc- |
ton within a reasonable time, and can not be |
satisfied unless things are seen drawing to
that conclusion. We, on the contrary, as It's |
constituted guardian, can demand nothing less |
than that it should je left open to. expansion, |
subject to no limitations save those imposed
by God and nature. fear the antagonism is |
too great, and the conscience of both parties |
too deeply implicated to allow such compost
ton Of the strife. Nevertheless, since it is
within the range of possibility in the Proyi-
1enee Oh uod' Wouid not smut OUT the aiter-
native. -.
onouia 1t iai' Wnas remains put that we
say toeaen o1ner' calmly anu hind'y' as aura
ham sa'o 10 Lol het oi,eIe DC no stIue, !.
pray tnee, between me anu ihee, anu oet"een
my herdmen ana .ny neramen; 'or we oe
orethreh. ID no. the fsnole iaiio oeiore .i,ee'
separate tnysel,, pray .hee' I3'n, lue-ll enou
VIII take .ne ieie hana' tneh WI 70 70 Tue
rignl, OF II tnou uepars W tie r'shs 'iani' tiieh
= Will go the ieI. mus IL We can not save
sthe measurable dressings IL ensnrines II we
can not preserve the vase we VIII preserve the
precious li!uor IL contains.
In all TINS, SPEAK lor the Nortn no less
tnan ior the oouth ior on our uh'teu ana oe-
terminea resistance az TINS moment oepenas
the salvation OF Inc Wnoie country-ln saving
ourselves we snah save Inc Norm rom tle
rum sne Is maoly drawing DOWN upon lafroWn
head.
The position OF the South is at tins moment
sublime. Ii she has grace given her to know
her hour she Will save herself, the country,
and the world. Il Will involve, indeed, tenn
porary prostration and distress the dykes oil
Holland must be cut to save her from the
troops of Phillip But l warn my country
men the historic moment once passed, never
returns. If she will arise in her majesty, and
speak now as with the voice OF one man, sne
will roll back for all time, the curse that is
upon her. If she subcumbs now, she trans
mits that curse as an heirloom toposterity.
We may, for generation, enjoy compare
tive ease, gather mp our feet IN our BEDS and
die in peace; but our children will go forth
baggared from the homes Of sheir fathers. -
Fishermen will cast their nets where your
proud commercial navy now rides at anchor,
and dry them upon the shore now covered