The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-03-07
'G1tiI'i '. IL t.,
JOHN LETCHER.
II lis Eere7e7rH ,I1tp LetcEey, G1yernor o.

II ms Lf1fst tt'Y ''pdtR I1etc'tfF, GDUef3Or of
t4f Staie q virginia: a+
SiN:-I herewith present to your Excellen-
G. series Of resolutions adopted by the State
Of Mississippi, on a sui ect OF vital interest to
Ii, >'2yehol4ing States particularly, and of no
l.-s importance 10 the lovers of our c0nstitu-
t.9nal mon in the non s.aychoiding States of
this Union
TheLeziS'ature Of Mississippi have been so
explicit IN the declaration of their views on
the important questions which now agitate the
wl"'a paorie of these coEfederated States, dis
to!h their pe}ce, and threaten the very exist
cLco Of the Government itself, that but little
Inolc remains to lie done By her Cammission-
c1. than to ak Your Iixcellency to invite the
serious attention of the Legislature of the
great commonwealth If Virginia to their i'm
port. This is done in the sincere conviction
that lrgluIi sal recognize in these rtsolu-
tioHs no principle, not sanctioned by her great
%tltesIncn III times past and no suggestion,
not warranted ly sovereign States, whose
>,.yty, hot'l present AMI future, is Inenaccd BY
the sn,l'tians ts'chirNs- md fanatic?d aapreg-
. -'r-s. 'l f'r - 4 -t:EE s5Sat -. fs- a-
Atiuan slircry lrs ever been regarded by
those amongst whom it exists, as a question OF
domestic policy; Il question to he dealt with
by the States who have adopted it, according.
to their o"nH Jews Of oXpeIiency, and without
m6'cstati0n. or Interference from ether States,
er cyei, the General Government, except FOR
-- l4o.cr,i,,s, IL provided fsr by the Constitu-
ton of de HjteI States. l. .......-.-
AIs, tt.i$ v,tw, 50 justly maintained by the
slayJao.lug States, was for the past half
century Of the existence Of our Constitutional
Union, recognized and aequiesced in by the
non-slgrch5.jing States. But these States, or
at least very many Of their people. in disre-
gard Of the Obligations Of good neighborhood,
IN contempt Of the Constitution of the United
States, the supreme law OF the land, and in
obedience to the dictates Of what they denom-
mate the 'hiSbcr law, (Which means the
madness Of Hnbridlcl p5wer,) have recently
deU;el he rights cf inl.yidual property, tram
pied uPon the rights of sovereign and indie
pendent States, and in their insolcnce and
wicke4ness have actually shed slateholding
blood upon slaycholding SOL, for the avowed
purpose ot destroying, without their consent,
the relation Of master and slave. -...-t.
Although, SIT, i was not MissiSsippi's soil,
that was thus polluted by the invaders foot,
nor liss:ssippi'S jurisdiction that was thus de-
ljeIanl .@-resscd upon by insoIence and wick
! cdncSS | beg to assure yolr eXccllency and
through You. the people Of Virginia, that they
who's, voice this day speak. were not less in,
/ ljcnaGt, nor less willing 10 aTenge the out
rage, than if it had been perpetrated upon
their own territory. Bat it is consoling to
know, that the same historic page that records
the foul deed wiz also transmit to postefity
the noble manner in which Virginia repelled
the insult, avenged the wrong, and vindicated
her claim to the motto 'sic se5ape, tyranas,,''
which she so proudly and justly wears.
1 L, I I = :
gressjons and outrages than Virginia and the
other border States, feels common interest
in the institution Of African slavery, as it exr
lists in the Southern States of this Union, and
4 common duty to join with them in the adop-
ton of all measures necessary for its protec-
ton and perpetuation. Actuated by this
sense of her obligation, and deeply sensible Of
the value Of her elder sister (Virginia) Tn;coun-
sci, Mississippi unites with South Carolina in
earnestly invoking the cooperation Of Virgi.
MIA in the convention proposed in the third
resolution Of the series already referred TO-
Seeing as Mississippi does, that the North
ern States persist in the denial of our rights
in the common Territories OF the Union, and
continue TO repeat their aggressions with more
and more aggravation-and above all. appre-
hending 'the election of President of the
United States by one section of the Union
only, on the ground that there exists an ire
! concilable conflict between the two sections in
reference TO their respective systems of labor,
and with an avowcd purpose OF hostility to
| the institution Of slavery as it exists in the
Southern States'-shc thinks the time has
surely come when they should consult togeth-
er and recommend what shall be done in an
event bodinr so much mischief and calamity
to their rights and interests. She will deplore
as much as any State in this Union, the ne
ccssitv of disSolving the constitutional ties
which bind them into one common govern
ment, and she hopes and believes that time
lv council with her sister States Of the South,
will devise some remedy consistent with their
| interest and honor in the Union.
If Mississippi had been influenced by a
determination or even desire to withdraw
from this sisterhood Of States, am very sure
that she would have selected another agent to
plead her cause before the State of Virginia.
But il in her sincere desiEe to be enalied to
enjoy all the rights of perfect equality in the
Union, (as she hopes to do BY means OF this
proposed conicrence,) she shall be disappo ut
ed, then | have no hesitation IN saying that
she viii prefer, and will resort to independence
out Of it. zal, n
his W{Olt tjuGSAtoIi ilttS USSh ANNSASAJ
ably and so elaborately discussed by the eml.
nent and distinguished gentleman who pre-
sontcd the resolutions Of South Carolina, that
| feel, to say more, would be an unnecessary
and wanton intrusion.
Twill only add, that the Lesistatursof of Mis-
: sissippi, pursuant to the provisions of the 80
resolution, have elected seven delegates to the
proposed Convention, all Of whom are amorgs
the alaest and most faithful of her citizens
and without regard to existing party organiza
And now, sir, hoping that Virginia, the lant
of INV birth, will yield to the solicitations Q
Mississipp the home of my adoption, AM
, send delegates to the proposed Convention +
be held at Atlanta on the first Monday of mex
June, sds Fl. y p szs*=
, | have the honor to subscribe myself your
,, Excellency's obedient servant,
, P. B. STARKE.
. 1cnn - .fs7s