The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-05-30


ercised so as to preserve lnyio7ate every Drigs
ciple Of the Constitution
This is precisely in accordance with the
principles declared BY Chief Justice fancy in
his opinion in the bred Scott case. Judge
Sharkey is entitled TO the credit-and we
freely award it to him-of having, on the
lst of October 1849, announced in the pre-
sence ola Convention of the people of Misss-
sippi, the doctrines which seven years after
wards were enunciated By the Supreme Court
of the United States
At the conclusion of Judge Sharkey's adj
dress. "Iion. T.. c. Wilkinson of Yazoo, gave
notice that on to. morrow he would introduce
a resolution to appoint Committee o.
members of whom the President Of this Com
vention Judge Sharkey) shall be one, to pre-
pare and report such resolutions and address
as they may deem expedient." The resolu-
ton was accordingly introduced and passed
and the members Of the Convention below
named were appointed under it. We make
the following extract from the proceedings OF
this meeting that our readers may know who
composed it, and who were the prominent
actors in the drama
The president announced the names oil the
following gentlemen, as constituting the com
mittee, under the first clause ofthe resolution
introduced by f. c. Wilkinson, to-wit
FIRST Dist1Tf-EIis Excellency, Gov. Mat
thews, Hon. John [. Guion, Hon. Thos. IL.
Williams and w. II. Smith.
sSeooi,d DiStriet-Gen. T. n. Waul, G. y.
Gordon, f. r. Burt and A. G. Bsine.
Third Dtstrict.-lIon Il. G. Wilkinson, J.
~ Chiffon, A. Hutchinson and Thomas 4,
Dabney.
Faurth Dist,f,9-Iion Geo. Winchester,
t. T. Archer, S H. johnson and Gen. D. r.
Cooper
T. n. Waul moved that in addition to four
members from each Congressional District,
that four members from the State at large, be
added to the committee, which was adopted.
Gen. Patriot Henry moved a reconsidcIa-
ton Of the vote Jast taken, which was lost.
The President announced the following
named gentlemen as appointed for the State
at large on the committee, 10 wit :-lohn j.
Smith, J. c. McAlpin, N, Blalack and II. e,
Chambers.
Turning anxiously to the Report, enema
tiny from Committee embodying so much Of
the prominence and the talents of both tile
political parties in Mississippi. at the time it
was produced, we find the doctrine of protec
ton distinctly and unequiyocaIly announced
in these words
We assert that the territories acquired by
the late war with Mexico, are the common pr
perty Of the United States that the people Of
the States have right to move to it, and en-
jov it; to take with them their property, their
religion and their liberty. Congress lid nut
create property in slaves, nor can il say they
shall cease to be property. To abolish slavery
in the territories, is to diminish their value,
and limit their usefulness in the States. 1t
| is apr ppriating the whole Of the Territory to
the use of one portion OF the people fthe Uni
ted States, to the exclusion Of another. The
power of Congress to IegisIate for the terrific
rieS is p0trer b. protect tbs citt-sR and h&S
property, not to declare what is property.
But the Convention did not stop here. 1t
appointed Committee to prepare an Address
to the Southern States, in behalf OF MiSsis-
sippi.
The Committee appointed to perform this
important duty, was composed as follows -
w l.. Sfakcy, c. l.. Clifton, John t.
Guion, f. C. Wilkinson, A Hutchinson, Geo
Winchester, W. r. Hill
Like the other documents which were IS
sued under the auspices Of this memorable
Convention, the address was mastery and
irrefutable in It's premises and its conclusions.
The whole subject OF slavery in its Inoral,
social and physical aspects, was discussed
the relations Of the Northern and Southern
members Of the Contederacy, were explained;
and the rights Of the South to the joint occa-
pancy aud equal enjoyment of the common
territories, with the North, were conclusiveTy
demonstrated. We must content ourselves
with the reproduction Of an extract from tbs
document, bearing directly upon the question
now under review:
But it has been asserted, that the c0usti-
tuition OF the United States does not extend 10
the territories; and an argument in support of
this strange assertion is founded upon the
fact that the judiciary, created by an act Of
Congress, is not extended over the territories.
But all the legislative and executive powers
Of the federal government, within or without
the limits of the United States, over property
or citizens Of the United States such powers
extend or can be exercised, exist wholly by
the constitution and the constitution necessa-
rily extends, as delegation of pewers, wher-
ever the powers delegated extend or can reach,
to secure rights pf0teete4 BY tie constitution,
throughout the world.
These were the authoritative uttera- ces Of
both parties in Mississippi ten years age.
II is foreign from our present purpose to
review the course of the Opposition in the
State since that time. 1t is rot pertinent to
our aim, to discuss their consisten y or to
show where they now arc-if indeed they are
anyicAerc but we believe it will be doing them
no injustice to say that they have generally /
kept straight their record on the question of
Squatter Sovereignty. Whether they are /
prepared now to adhere to the doctrine of /
protection so forcibly and clearly and cousti- /
tutionally presented by Judge Sharkcy ,inl6l9, |
we are not fully prepared to say. Probably I
their views will be developed in the pending
and then we may have occasion to /
refer to the subject again.
From that time to the present moment,
the Mississippi Democracy have adhered
without varabeness or shadow of turning, to
the position then assumed. They have avow-
ed it openly and frankly, whenever necessary,
in their popular assemblages, in the halls of
Congress, through their Senators and Repre-
scntatives, and their delegates would have
been worse than traitors if they had abandon
ed it at Charleston. Let the miserable rep
tile-the despicable demagogue--wh leads
Lhe Squatter Sovereignty democracy Of the
\ orth, but who is spurned as an adder 10y the
sound Democracy of the North Of well as Of
he South-turn again TO the record OF the
Mississippi Democracy. The viper will find
hat hp IS kuawinr n file