The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-12-19

ion but it has been examined, and we now
zee the mercy-mercy in having our own
minds fortified mercy in calming down the
opposition of the wise and virtuous. And
should we not be thankful for this mercy ?
Should we not this day give thanks to God
or the termination he has given to subject
which at first seemed fraught with nothing
but calamity to our very souls ? Surely,
surely, then, the agitation once thought an
evil is now discovered to have been a blessing.
But this is not all-this is not the only
blessing for which we should feel thankful.
While the truth-seeking, truth loving portion
Of the community are convinced that our po-
sition is one of a character which cannot be
changed, and therefore should not be tamN cred
with, there are others, who, regarding not the
truth, and following nothing but their own
prejudices and interests, have invaded our
them by deceiving an ignor-
ant, but honest portion of our countrymen to
unite themselves for the support of band Of
robbers and assassins to murder and to rob.
They have murdered our people-they have
robbed them-they are yet robbing us--but
what is the result of their combined action ?
This, the slaves themselves have been so de- |
ceived by them as to fear them, and are now,
many of them, unwilling to trust them; and |
the slaves can escape, have so cndeared them |
selves to their Slaves as to make them unwil.
ling to leave their service, which they know, |
for a condition which they know not. Ispeak |
of the border States, and all who live there
know what say to be true.
Now, whatamore alarming than to have
body of thieves let loose among us, pensioned
by some, assisted by others, and encouraged
by their own mistaken views of religion and
philanthropy, to commit such depredations
upon US Yet what have they done Great
injury to be sure, but great good also. And
while should deplore the evil, Should we
not also be thankful for the good
Butwe have another cause for thanhfulness.
You and I thought, few months ago, that the
abolitionists were few compared with the pop
ulation of the North and whenever we ex-
pressed any fears for our condition, we were
answered-"0, the aboltionists are compare
lively few, and by their very numbers aud in
significance utterly powerless." We allowed
ourselves to be lulled into slumbar under this
assurance, forgetting that we were slumbering
on the very crater of volcano. But this cleo
ton has shown their force-has shown not
only their numbers but their power. They
have come upon US like an avalanche, and the
suddenness of their appearance and the num-
Der of their body have awakened us to action
awakened us in full time to check their de-
structive career. And should we not be
thankful? Suppose they had not exhibited
their strength as they have done suppose
they had gone on increasing, and lulling US
all the while by the ia,cied paucity Of their
| numbers, and then have burst upon us when
the whole North had been absorbed by their
views, what would have been our condition
then? Nothing but inglorious submission.
! But what is it now? We have been reused
1 to harmonious action by their formidable ap-
| pearance, at time when we have yet friends
| in the North, but those friends powerless of
themselves, and only waiting action on our
part to take position by our side and is not
| this subject of thankfulnesS to be expressed
on this day to our Heavenly Father? But
! we have yet another cause for thankfulness
| When we consider the treatment we have re-
ceived from the hands of our enemies our
| character they have DETAINED our feelings
they have lacerated /; our rights they have in
vaded our property they have stolen; our
power they have defied our existence they
have threatened; murderers and robbers have
been let loose upon US, stimulated by weak or
designing or infidel preachers, armed by fanat-
les, and sustained by band of assassns, both
political and civil, out of the very wealthwhich
they have accumulated by their connection
with US. Nothing has been left untred
which the deepest and blacklist malice could
invent for our injury OF destruction we have
been prescribed as unworthy members of the
great American Household; we have been
j banished from their very houses of prayer We
have been ridiculed, and tainted, and flouted
as unfit for the sJciety of men, and accursed
of God. And has not all this proved blessing
to US? For what has it not done for us Is
has awakened US to the truth that there can
be no concert Of action between our enemies
and ourselves, and fastened the period of
adopting such measures as are: best calculated
for our interest. And what shall the meas
ures be? Shall we fold our arms ingloriously,
and do nothing but beg like craven towards
that they will not disturb us !? leave this
question for your own hearts to answer.
1t is not for me to show what should be
done 1t is only for me to say what believe
to be the hand Of God, in what has been done
that the recognition of that hand might add
fervor to our thanksgiving and praise.
Then bless the Lord O. my soul, aud for
get not then his benefits. But how shall we
bless God? We should bless him not only
with our lips but in our lives, by giving our
selves up to his service, by walking before him
in holiness and righteousness all our days, by
doing our duty in that state Of life in which n
has pleased him to call us and there is no
| state of life, there is no circumstance,in which
we may not give praise to God-the trades
man in the conduct of his busineSs-the arti-
zan in the practice of his cralt-the parent in
the government OF his household, Or the in
struction Of his child-the domestic in the per-
| formance of her most mental service-the
beggar in receiving Christian charity-the
exhausted and suffering inmate of hospital,
in the endurance Of protracted and agonizing
disease-all may give themselves up to Gods
seryice)-for we do this when we act up
rightly, when we labor diligently, when we
rule mildly, when we obey cheerfully, when
/ we suffer patiently, when VIC submit ourselves
to the will of GOD in the affections and visit
atoms of life, and are only concerned to glorify
Him through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ.
Now, in justice to myself, must be per-
mitted to make a remark before / close. But
few weeks ago, / counseled you, from this
place, to avoid all precipitate action; but at
| the same time to take determined action-such
action only as you felt your could take with
| the conscious support Of reason and religion.
| give that counsel still. But l am one Of
| you. feel as Southerner. Southern hon.
or is my honor-Southern degradation is my
| degradation. Let no man mistake my mean
| ing or call my words idle.
As Southerner, them will speak, and
give it as my firm and unhesitating belief, that
nothing is now left us but secession. do not
like the word, but it is the only one to ex-
press my meaning We do not secede-our
enemies have seeded. We are on the Con-
stitution-our enemies are not on the Consti-
f,,k.< o,,1o lor AZ l.,
will not 60 with us, we willnot go with you.
You may form for yourselves Constitution;
but we will administer among ourselves the
Constitution which our Fathers have left
us. This should be our language and solemn
determination. Such action our honor de-
mands such action will save the Union, if
any thing can. We have yet friends left us in
the North, but they can not act for US till we
have acted for ourselves; and it would be as
puSillanimouS in US to desert our friends as to
cover beforeour enemies. To advance is to
secure our rights; to recede, is to lay our for
tunes, our honor our liberty, under the feet
of our enemies. Iknow that the consequent
ces of such course, unless guided by discre--
ton, are perilous. But, peril our fortunes,
peril our lives, but come what may let us
never peril our liberty and our honor. am
willing, at the call of my honor and my lib
erty to die freeman; but, l'llnever, no never
live a slave and the alternative now presen-
ted by our enemies is secession or Slavery
Let it be liberty or death
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