The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-02-15

ever sought to demolish it? And can any
man of common sense believe that now, when
mower has been transferred to the North, the
South would seek to break down the barriers
behind which she has stood Reason refutes
II; the history of the Government denies it
common sense in the mind Of any man should
prevent him surprising such q thing. How,
then, can Senator be justified in seeking 70
impress upon those not 30 well informed IS
himssH the idea that we who sit here daily
lsgislating under the Constitution and bound
by our oaths to uphold ii, are meditating how
and when we will destroy the Government OF
which we are q constituent part
The Senator has referred to the language OF
Gen. jackson, though he did not quote it cor
rectly, when, on account Of the multiplying or
diinance Of South Carolina. be said ''the Fed
eral Union must DO preserved" and 1t has
been so common in these denuncations OF
Southern men and Southern acts to peryert
everything, that at the word qualification"
the idea Of South Caroline comes; and yet that
gallant State is one Of the very lew Of the Old
Thirteen which has never nuliified law Of
the United States. Comes it well from Mas
sachusetts that her Senator should here ar
Iaign South Carolina, and point to the procla-
nation as indicating South Carolina's malfea-
sance, because she issued an ordinance for null
lificatiOn, under circumstances which never
arose, of o law which was fraudulently passed
through Congress, whilst Massachusetts, stands
forth boldly multiplying laws, the constitution
atty of which cannot be questioned, and the
direct manner of the passage of which leaves
no p-hole-for an excuse?
have been drawn, Mr.. President by the
course of the Senator's remarks into that sort
of consideration Of the relation of individuals
and sections and States which always prefer
to avoid. | am not to be considered as AZ
raigning Massachusetts,, except in so far that
present her conduct to show how unjust the
arraignment of South Carolina is; no further.
Massachusetts, is sovereign member of the
Union; her ewn policy is within her own
hands, and, as long as she complies with her
obligation to the Constitution, no one has
right to gainsay her decisions. Whenever sha
does not, she owes It to herself to withdraw
from Union, the bond of which she has al
ready broken. When that case arises she
will decide for herself have nothing to say
as to it.
But the Senator assumes something, it
seems to me, which it must be impossible for
him to know. He says the laws of New Mex
leo We're passed at the dictation of the delegate
from that Territory. How is it possible for
any man to know that? Then, again, he
says the delegate acted under the direction of
Mr.. Davis, of Mississippi, of the House of
Representatives. Now, my friend and name
sake, the Representative from Mississippi, no
doubt rejoiced very much in those laws, and
so do L; but hardly think he would have
assumed to direct the legislation of the Terri
tory. If he conversed with the delegate,
have no. doubt he gave him his opinion in f.
yor OF such legislation-just such legislation
as we have right to in every Territory for
the protection of particular property, which
is more liable than any other to be stolen
away; just what honest men would give to
their neighbors anywhere. Suppose there
were no laws, and man comes into your
neighborhood and says, ''here have partic-
ular species of property, for which require
your aid to enable me to keep it - would not
honest men give it to him Would man
deserve the name Of neighbor, in its good
sense, who would not give him whatever aid
was within his power to enable him to keep
whatever kind of property he had That is
nay view Of the Obligation of good neighbor-
hood. The Senator may differ from me about
that He does not answer.
Then, Mr.. President 1 answered to the
Senator in substance, that until he is prepar-
ed to show something in which the South
have aggressed upon the Constitution; until
he is prepared to show that the South or any
portion OF it desires to break up the Govern
ment OF the Constitution, he has no right to
talk OF Southern aggression, no right to talk
OF dlsunion as an offence of the South. So far as
Southern men have asserted their determine
ton to not allow the Government tn 10 nar
yerted to their destruction and humiliation; so
far as they have proclaimed that they would
maintain the rights they have inherited, and
would die as they were born, equals in the
Union, sympathize and concur entirely with
them; but 10 arraign Southern men for say
ing this much, as men who seek to destroy the
Constitution and the Government, is as unfair
as it is unfounded.