The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-04-18

President or Vice President, would it be prop
er to select one from the same quarter as one
| Of his Cabinet council, or to represent the ma
ton in foreign country, or, indeed, to collect
| the revenue, or administer the laws of the
| United States If not, what new rule is the
President to adopt in selecting men for office,
that the people themselves discard in selecting
him? These are serious, but practical ques-
tons and in order to appreciate them fully,
it is only necessary to turn the tables. Sup
pose that the South, having majority of the
electoral votes should declare that they would
only have shareholders for President and Vice
President, and should elect such by their ex-
elusive suffrages to rule over us at the North;
do you think we would submit to it No,
not for moment. And do you believe that
your southern brethren are less sensitive on
this subject than you are, or less jealous OF
their rights If you do let ME tell you that
you are mistaken. And, therefore, you must
see that if this sectional party succeeds, it
leads inevitably to the destruction OF this
beautiful fabric, reared by our forefathers, &C.
mented by their blood, and bequeathed to us
as priceless inheritance"
How could Mr.. Seward, or any Black Re
publican enforce the laws in the Southern
States. And as he could not enforce them IN
the Southern States, he would not IN the
| Northern States. No southern man would
so degrade and dshonor himself as to accept
office at the hand Of an Abolition AdmlnlStra-
ton. We were told the other day by the
gentleman from Georgia, Mr.. Hill, that Mr..
Seward, if elected President might be re-
strained by his oath might kick the ladder
| from under him by which he was elevated to
power Does his oath restrain him in the
Senate? Has it ever restrained him? Would
you arm your enemy with the power to strike
and to destroy you! For one, l am not will
ling to give Mr.. Seward the Army, the Ma
w, the Treasury, and all the power and
patronage of the Government to WELD against
US.
But we are menacingly told by the gentle
man from Pennsylvania Mr.. Hickman and
others, that the South will not be permitted
to secede. How do they propose to prevent
it Sir, the army that invades the South to
| subjugate her will never return; their bodies
will enrich southern soil. When the compact
| of the Union, the Constitution, has been vio-
lated, we claim the right. of peaceable seces-
sior ; that was the doctrine of Jefferson aud
| Madison, and of the Virginia and kentucky
resolutions. The right to judge of 'infrac-
| tons Of the Constitution, as well as the mode
and measures of redress" has never been del
egated to the Federal Government. 1t is the
shield of the States against the illegitimate
entertainments of Federal power. We plant
ourselves upon the right of secession; and
there we intend to stand. Nor can our pur-
pose be shaken by the insane threats of the
Abolitionists upon this floor. We know what
our rights are under the Constitution, and
we intend to defend them to the last extrem-
ity. Every pledge the South has made has
been religiously redeemed. There is no blot
no blemish, upon her bright escutcheon. And
we demand nothing to which we are not emit
tied. We claim that We are co-equal part
ners in the Confederacy. We claim the right
to carry our property into the common Terri
tories, and to have it protected while there by
all the departments of the Federal Govern
ment We ask that our fugitive slaves shall
be restored, and that this slavery agitation
shall cease forever.
have never desired dissolution of this
Union, but should the Black Republican par
ty obtain the control Of the Government, l
shall be for disunion. Heretofore its burdens
have been chiefly borne By the South as the
statistics which now have before me will
clearly prove; but we have periodically
submitted to it because of our veneration for
the Union of our fathers For the future, |
would QeInand tnab all the compromises ana
guarantees of the Constitution shall be rigidly
enforced, and would stake the Union upon
the issue. And even in the event of its dis
solution, shall have no fears for the South.
With territory larger than all of Europe
with our cotton now swelling up in value an
nually to more than two hundred million dol
lars with our rice and sugar and tobacco
with people united in feeling, in sentiment,
and in interest, she has within her own Dor
ders all the elements of splendid republic.
IT. then, we are to have no peace if these ag-
gressions are still to be continued; if this sec
| tional warfare is never to cease, the South,
with the strong arms and brave hearts of her
gallant sons, will build up her own eternal
destiny.