The gazette and Democrat. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1860, 1860-09-27
LETTER FROM GOV. JonNsoN.

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LETTER FROM GOV. JOHNSON.
NILLEDGEyILLE, Ga,
Aug. 80, 1851.
Gentlemen: / thank you for your kind
and pressing invitation to barbecue, to
bs given by Col. Robt, McMillen, the
Southern Rights candidate for Congress
in The Eighth District on the first Tues
day in September next. But official en-
gagements forbid me the pleasure OF its
acceptance. Morgan court will be IN ses-
sion at that time.
The contest in which the people of
Georgia, in common with her sister slave
holding Stares, are engaged, ,s one OF vi
tai Importance. II involves the destiny
of the South, and the federative character
/ of our systam of government
THE great issue, Then, repeot, IS The
right of State TO secede from the Union,
and the corIelAtiye absence OF any right,
on the part Of the Federal Government to
force such State back into the Union
IL cannot De evadea by THE SENSELESS
CLAMOR OF UNION THIS GLORl-
Gus UNION! The integrity Of the
Union is not assailed by the Southern
Rights party in Georgia. Us true friends
are those who insist apon maintaining the
riyhts resulting from the sovereignty of The
States. Us real enemies ave those who,
from behind it, as "maSked battery"
leua their destructive artillery against It's
strongea ovtposts Jy counselii"g su6nsiS-
sion 10 aggression, INJUSTICE, ROBBIE
RY because. liks a WOLF IN SHEEP s
CLOTHING" they come under the HYPO.
CRITICAL GARB OF COMPRO-
MISE. Then let vigilant people look
well to the true and only issue involved
in the pending campaign-ths right Of q
St,te 10 .peaceably Seceds from The Union.
]. If the people. shaking off the tIamels Of
party, and spurning the iimid counsels OF
TEMPORISING SUBMISSIONlSTS
and se6sb TRADESMEN in the great
mar. Of political bearing will obey The
honest impulses of TRUE SOUTHERN
SENTIMENT, they will require no argu-
men! to arrsy them on the side OF truth,
their hearbstones and the Constitution.
TO detlact from tho importance Of the
issue in public estimation. it is insisted
that it is mere abstraction - that it will
be time enough for Georgia to determine
Iit. when sho shall be called upon to exer'
else the right of secession, This is bu
one Of the hundred subterfuges of those
who man the "masked battery" The
issue is vital. 1t has not been made by
the State of Georgia, nor by the South
ern States. 1t has been forced upon "
by Federal aggression.
Through Mr.. Webster, the Secretary O.
State, it has been rendered by the rotter
dynasty of the Fillmore Administration
For ho has distinctly proclaimed Il pol
icy Of the Cabinet to be coercion. if any
State should attempt secession. This is
. sus. lhon, is upon US. Shall we not NICE
it? Shall aOe inglorioasly shrink from il
decision? 1t is true, that 10 past aggres
sions, Georgia has determined to offer n,
resistance, But the right to resist, ant
TO resist peaceably, without the terror 0
, Federa! bayonets, she cannot yield; ant
now she is called upon to make the decis
= ion. Let her meet IL with frmness an'
uaaninitg, ........
Whoever observes the signs OF the time
canno lail to see thar the right of seces
sion will probably at no distant day, as
: sumo the form and magnitude Of practl
cal importance. The South is in a per
y mancnt minerity in our Federal LegslO
!, turc. Tho tone of Northern fanaticisr
T. abalcs not in lis henzy and insolsnce
Itpresscs Oh rapidly to the cousumma
IS lion of its diabolical designs, And wht
}. check has the South upon its progress
Have we any under tho established rule
Of. parliamentary law? Can We expet
u any Justice at the hands Of the preser
o Free Soil Executive and his Cabinet
J, Can wa effect anything by Argument an
appeals 10 the person of our Northern o.
,r pressors2 Can we obtain shelter undt
" the broad shield of the Constitution? N,
All these ara impotent as pack thread
>, restrain an irresponsible and fanatioal mi
jority. What. then, are We TO do?
a say, lot US bear TO The last point Of endl
rance, but let US never proclaim, throug
he 5alot.boX. that we hare no right TO S
W ceds, and that if we do Secede we are to
regarded as insurgents aud rerOlutioniSt
ID 1t never, never can be true, that our for
fathers, in the struggle of '76, fought OIL
ly to achieve that which is the right
!" seris--the right Of revolution. They hi
}, tEut under tho British Crown. But thc
struggled for more-ior colonial soy
Ia reignly--and they won it.
Did they turn round Immediately al
surrender all they had baltled for into Il
's' power Of an elective consolidation 2
Never, never, Those who maintain'
such position, fasify ali the history
70 our revolution, and bring dishouor up
the master sprils of it's thrilling al
p oventfuI scenes. The right of seceSSi
or must be n,Iintainsd. 1t is the right, t
hu ouly lope of the South, Let us mainIO
it with unsnimity. and We can hold
check the spirit OF abolition and conso
~ dation, But if wo yield it tho whole Il
" ory Of our federstive system is change
Ter aud we are in the power Of those who
mercy is like that Of the wolftO the Ian
ate 1.-Two yield it We not only proclaim in q
IN vance, that we will submit TO usurpati
and aggression, but we do worse, we |
we nit that We have no right to resist, A
ell that Is political vassalage. With sell
meuts of high regard, am, gOntlem,
your obedient servant
I'M. #I.t. 'f HEuecuv, " Jn,y,snN