The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-02-15
NUMBER 8.
Gen. Starke's Speech.

The Resolutions on State and Federal af.
lai's elected very able, eloquent and patriot.
nc speech-full of stubborn truths and strons
points-from Gen. Starke on Monday last
tie proceeded to reply IN a manner c!barac.
ter'zed by conservative and positive b6ldnese
which did equal credit to his head and heart
and the suppressed manifestations Of annt.,,y =
repeatedly gave evidence of low cordially tbe
pulse OF the people beatsEi response to his pa.
triotic declarations. 1t was an unnistakaFIe il.
dicatlon that the masses are in advance of tbo
leaders upon the great.question aeitating ,ba
nations citadel from dome to base from cen-
tire to circumference.
lie regretted that Mr. Buck had been com.
pelied, in the discharge of his duties &, assert
or aiiude in terms such as to charge uf.on The
South the responsbJitv for the rrexe-se .-,.,.
happy condition Of the cogsntry. isanstFar
was crushing anu overwnernTnr- and ms yin
dlcatlon OF the Constitution from anv y;oIat;o,,
growing out of the action of the Representa-
tlVes OF the South in Congress, was plain. spc-
clnct and indisputable; and IN a style tett,ner->
cd by unusual moderation, he enumerated tbe
oit-repeated aggressions of the North, the fie-
quent intractions of the constitution on their
paft-the outrages perpetrated upon cur citi-
zons by selzlng their property, and denying
them the right to pass through their confines
wath slaves whengoing to Washington CITY to
r1s-1l~
oischarge the trust reposed in them by Their
consetuents-their avowals Of determined
hostility to slavery and the plans SET on foot
70 carry into execution their reasonable pur-
poses-all these facts he presented to The sen
ate In lucid manner, and painted as with a
pencil OF light, the gloom and darkness that
brood over the political deep, and the clouds
OF fanaticism which shroud our social hor;-
zon, and gives the future an ominous and
portentious, if not revolutionary aspeet-
ne Signs of the times, from II $ view. az the
book of fate, seemed to threaten an ;,nbeayin,
OF the worst passions of the nation.
Ihe Union meetings Of the North, whilst
intending good 10 the interest Of all sections
but illustrated the feebIeness of the conserv,.
tive and constitutional eleIaent of that section
Taken as an index Of popular opinion they
even rendered eur position more dreadfl, than
the followers of the Senator from Warren
were willing to admit; for the conservative
men could carry no election at the North, and
without numerical strength, theiraid, although
apparently well intended could do no good in
the legislation Of the eonfederaey.
From considerations of public policy, such
as was indicated in the exortliurn which pre-
laced his remarks, he quoted from the speech
es Of various men Of the North to show that
the storm was becoming more and more
threatening. lie read copious extracts from
the speeches Of Mr. Va,landingham Of Ohio.
Mr.. Larrabee of Wisconsin, and Col. Wall OF
New Jersey, setting forth the plans and in
tentions of the Migls' 7asg'' party. He even
quoted from speech of Hon. John Bell o.
tennessee, who admitted, with his known
conservatism, that no more threatening cloud
could darken the political horizon, than that
which must cyentuate in the success of the
party of Gov. Seward.
He presented a record Of the slavery aqita-
ton in the form Of expressions corisnc direct |
ly from the lips Of the exponents of that faith,
and triumphantly asked Mr. Buck, if he saw
IN these extraordinary avowals-replete and
instinct with revolutionary and sanguinary
threats-no cause for apprehension and action.
Mr.. Starke reviewed the political condition
OF the country with great tact and riyeted'
conviction upon the minds of all that a crisis
Is impending and bold action necessary to meet
the emergency. = @ |
We would gladly present fuller synopsis
of this speech, but the various documents |
from which he substantiated his position,
would swell it to dimensions too yoluminous
In conclusion he deprecated and denounced
the idea of the formation Of a "Union Party,
in the present condition Of the country. lie
for one would not upholothe Union, wher
the compact, the Constitution, and all that
guarantee equal rights to all sections, were
lost. He loved the Uuion much, but the
liberties of his State more.