The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-19
LETTER OF LUCIUS Q. G. LAMAR, NJ. c.,
OF MISSISSIPPI.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10. 1850.
Ny DEAR SiR;-Your letter Of the 4h Instant request
ing me 20 give you my views TO the best method Of
concentrating the Efforts OF all The friends OF real and
bona Tide resistance Mississippi, and the South 10
black republican rule Il before Apart from my
disposition 10 obiigc esteemed friend, the relations
uh,h exist between the people Miss ssipp and myself
their representatives in the Federal Congress
the Uniform kindness and confidence have experienced
from the portion that form my immediate const uents
and the necessity feel for frank and open hearted
municai!on With them, additional for com
plying with your request.
The result Of the recent Presidential contest has nic
cd dangerous perhaps fatal wound the confidence
o The southern states in the integrity Of The federal gov
eminent.
have supposed that the federal Executive would
always command the support, inspire confidence and
estcn among all the peoples Of the Union The trainers
Of the constitution did not anticipate that should al
ways have a wise, faithful and patriotic President
We may reasonably expect that decisions win often
respect to the worth a nominee for that Office
and that parties and dcmagogues may sometimes succeed
IN dehauchng or misleading the popular judgment IN
favor Of an unworthy candidate There IS in our consti
tuition, important checks upon the Presidential power,
AMI the tenure OF office is long 10 enable vi
cious unasssed, 10 do irreparabe mischief in
the full possession Of that power The people Of the south
uncf fully the nature and functions Of the federal
government They do not need be taught that its L.
CLIMATE structure furnishes them ample and ciicien,
means I" checking the vices of executive administration,
protecting themselves against the hostile and unconstHu.
toua pun poses Of the EXISTING incumbent, and OF
repairing such violations Of the fundamental law may
during hs term vt service, b. beyond their control The
personal character 81 Mr. Lincoln and his political
opn-Is except they represented that armed
doctrine which cnaccs peace aud uas eoatSyei for
deg saton and dishonorl has formed with them
the subject q either inquiry or interest. The stern
protest which has spontaneously lcapci from the
hearts VI the southern people, simultaneously aud vet
without any concert, re- from revolutionary
party rcokcssneSs indicates Thorough knowledge the
real extent and depth Of the grievances inflicted upon
Them and shows political maturity in that people ade-
qpatc to cyolye the proper remedy and firmly to apply it,
Lc US look 1T this event IN its mildcs aspect. diSsoc
at,d from the sectional hoses in which originated
and apart from tn purposes which II was designed 10
eomflEh II Is the first step towards the sgbvcrsion Of
Anne rican representative liberty.
There H. you know. Northern AMI Southern theory
OF the conituiion the latter regarding the United
Confcderaoy " states, sovereign independent and
equal the former regarding ~ political communi
ya consolidated republic. In which a majority OF the
people govern under the Of the constitution Either
thery may h. adopted the purpose ~ my argument
Let az for the sake Of argument adopt the latter II :
Dta condition 81 representative liberty that the
powers uf Government (of which the choice Of rulers
not the least importantly be distributed through thcentire
oi thu nation This Is the point from which all
preventative liberty starts, aud to which return
That the central authority derive its nurinent and
draw it, force from nil the parts " the entire body ol
secretly % that by their reciprocal independence they
counicfact the tendency OF any part usurp
the sovereignty q the whole required that all the
parts should seek and contr bute to leg innate rule in
common and II part whatever De their number, in
sulaed from the rect assumes the common government
The others by virtue " prer,gatvc which
arr gates itself exclusive possession the
result not liberty u II tyranny unmixci Test the
recent Presidential election by this principle The North
.rn sta;er YOU prefer the oxpr.ss,on The Northern
pc,pc-have usurpcd entire branch If the govern
mert 10 the exclusion ~ the southern pep. do moi
with to be understood aging that the southern people
have been deprived of The privilege of dspstng their
tao,s and having them counted with an the formsties
law. Ny proposition r., that the principle not the
form u representative government, has been violated
The Policy ~ congucfing Power has ever been TO dts
g8ise ts grasp upon Tho liberties &c people under the
q external forms NJ, & ,artlc the people by
any striking alterations, but cheat them BY respect
their usages and customs into acqucc-ncc tn the control
whch u coyertly assumes their public affairs
The Greek republics retained all their forms ~ NUM-
ciTai gnvcrnmcnt-the freedom Of legislative aud
judicial proceedings unchauged-whc ali Greece lay at
he fCef Of "a he
ton which the southern people, they quietly submit to
this election. viii suian to the Executive Department Of
the government thc 9th day Of March, 1861, They
VIII live under Chief Magistrate whose power touches
thcu q, every pont pcneaing into their states, their
towns. cities villages and settlements, their business
ransem,nts and family relations Chsf Magistrate
eLr>d IN par Nv them, tet nem, by dss1r
J-7i, W,ig disa's fom thin ~ locality, and sai
,a,i disad in I.iSSis, lrssfio,s, i,srs~s, civil and
domestic institutions. than they in geographical psi.
ton The obligation TO submit aud live under Chief
Magistrate thus elected Residential term. implies
the obligation 10 do under indefinite number of
icrm-iorcver The right " pe North b. Jrcc N, Efs-
o.. Dg ut in ssh ,isioa 10 the Sy,ak.r ,-s Ia
ivs ~ rqh % Jfao, dU N, departments II the vorcramet
"a far rr'ac- But would hist be representative iber-
tyS Liberty does not exist where rights side
armed with vital POWERS people cannot b. free
who do not participate in the ccntrol Of the govern
irresponsible them they cannot contribute e. the
check upun It's operations they not free p,~,ple
but subjects dependent fer their rights and interests
upon no power In themselves upon the moderation
ana Justice Of irresponsible rulers or upon those reyon
tionary remedies which constitute part Of the ma
chincry OF civil society. such will be the condition ~
tie southern people IL they remain IN the Union until
after the 9TH OF March next lon will observe that X *
matter 81 no Importance 20 the people IL the south
whether Mr. Lincoln was elected according 70 the forms
81 the constitution in disregard IL thse forms Had
he been appointed by the Governors % the Northern
nominated BY the crowned heads Of Europe his
selection Chief Magistrate would have been, either
case disregard of the wishes, interests and
feelings ~ the entire South than his election has actually
been when ono of the vital principles of a political
system has been destroyed society, all lts elements
thrown into disorder In this election tho democratic
ctmenld cur sovdnmeni shres the fate Of the repre-