The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-12-05


and tie rights Of hsrspeoplc from wrongs
doe to them by a siolation- of that Consti-
tution BY a nnmericd power that controls
the govcrnment. hssso the Judgment of the
Censtitution itself iIi iny favor and against
| It's violators, and am 10 III sunionist.
/ But, am not content with my own vim
d dics,io5 That with salieP We sS .faEols-
charged is true Of our accusers. Look back
at the history Of our government, vii mot
eadnlerate thelist Of griesances Of which the
spirit q. the Constitution .eomplaias--and
about which our patriotic Chief Magistrate
spoke 50 clearly tonight, but j win refer for
a moment to the acts Of the now dominant
party upon the fugitive slave law in plain
WORDS The Constitution calls for the en-
actnent of this law in plain terms One Of
the very first acts Of our patriot sires was to
enact a fugitive slave law. The Constitution;
it is well known, could not have been formed,
4 without the provision for the surrender of
| fugitive slaves. The Constitution too, is a
compactpot between the majority and the
minority Of the people of the United States,
but between the sovereign States. 1t was
submitted to Convention of each State for
its adoption or rejection; and was for along
time in operation before two of the original
1 thirteen States concluded to come into the
Union. 1t is then a compact between the
/ States. How has that compact been kept
4 by the Black Republican Statesl Twelve Of
them have passed laws multiplying the fugitive
slave law and provision in the Constitution,
have made it a crime in their citizens to aid
in its execution, furnishing such action by
heavy fine and Imprisonment in the penitch-
tiary. a.aai ap 4F .ai-'.. -..v e@. ti
The compact, then, has been broken-the
Union has beer disokcd-the Constitution
has been violated by this infamous party;
and now, when we, one Of the parties to that
compact, propose to act on the wen cstab
lishcd principle that a compact broken in
part is broken ms whole, If either party
choose to consider it, the wo,atrS-the
breakers of that compact-those who have
themselves disrupted the bonds Of Union, cry
out treason disunion. FeHow-eitizens, We
have long been released from any obligation
to continue in association with these North
em States under this broken INITIATED com
pact Aud now when the real, true disun-
ionists have, nj last, elected i l'rcsidcnt-b
n majority Of electoral votes-by n majority
ofthe popular vote-by purely Sectional
: vote, and propose to "inangdra.c the policy
of the itrcprcssiblc conflict Into tile govern
mcnt-whch is the end Of slavery" Mr..
4 Stewards words. we propose to withdraw
from beneath sutll usurpation and power,
and protect ourselves.
There are other States, each and nh having
similar wrongs to complain Of and similar
rights and institutions to protect. If any of
: those States wish consultation with US and
each other it is our duty to afford fair OPP
portunity for a fu;l, free, fraterual interview.
Shoul,! that take place, I hope, as my FREUD
Mr. Watts xf.c5sel it, that eve may al go
out together"
But there is a point beyond that, In the
contingency TINT consultation shah not pro
duce conccrt-that all will not "act'-or go
out together" What then! Shall we Ike
them lingcr yet within.the dcseerateI portals
of the govcrnment-shall We remain and be
all savGs--slaIl we remain but to share with
them the disgrace Of inequality and dishoror +!
God forbid Let us act in that event for
ourselves. have good reason to believe
that the action Of any State will be peaccable
will not be rcsistc,l-under the present, or
any probable prospective condition Of Federal
affairs. l believe there viii not be power TO
direct gun against a sovereign State. Ger
taiuly there will be no, will to do so during
the present Administration. And ifresisted,
blood shed will appeal to blood throbbing in
Southern bosoms, and our Lretherp from
every Southern State will flock to defend the
soil Of a State which may be threatened by
mercenary bayonets. it is not all Of life to
live, nor all of death to die. -. Il;
To do ones duty, is mans chief aim in
life. Better far TO close oar days by an act
of duty-life's aims fulfilled, than to prolong
them for years-ycars iillel with the corrod-
ing remembrance that we had tarncly yielded
to our case and our fears that noble heritage,
which was transmitted TO us through toll,
suffering, battle and victory, with the condi-
ton that we. likewise should transmit it I'M
impaired to our posterity. As for my self,
rather than live on, subject to goys lament
which breaks the compact at will, and places
me in a position Of inequality-of inferierity
to the Northern free negro-though that life
might be illustrated by gilded ehains--by
luxury and by case, would in the cause of
my State gather around me some brave
spirits, who, however few in number, would
find grave, which my eountrymen-ztbe
world and all future ages, should recognizoas
a modern Tbcrmopyla ..a, p ~ So