New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-12-24
Neb 0rleans lailp Crescent,
MONDAY MORNING, DECEMBER "a, 1860.
THE SOUTHERN ADDRESS.
Fhe following is the Address issued by portion

| The following is the Address issued by portion
Of the Southern delegation in Congress-:
| To OUR CONSTITUENTS - Washington, Dec. IA
] ls60.--The argument is exhausted. All hope OF
relief in the Union through the agency Of commit.
tees, congressional legislation or constitutional
/ amendments, is extinguished, and we trust the
South will not be deceived by appearances or the
| pretence OF new guarantees. In our judgment, the
| Republicans are resolute In the purpose to grant
nothing that will or ought to satisfy the South.
| We are satisfied the honor, safety and independ.
ence Of Southern people require the organization
of Southern confederacy-a result to be obtained
only by separate State secession-that the primary
object of each slaveholding State ought to be its
| speedy and absolute separation from Union with
| hostile States.
| This Address is signed by twenty. three members
of the House of Representatives and seven sena-
tors. or the former five are from Alabama, five
from Georgia, one from each of the States of Flor
ida, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, three from
Mississippi two from North Carolina, and four
from South Carolina. The member from Louisiana
who signed the address is Mr. Landrdm. The
seven Senators are Mr. Iverson of Georgia, Mfr.
Davis and Mr.. Brown, of Mississippi, Mr. Sidell
and Mr.. Benjamin Of this State, and Mr.. Wigfali
and Mr.. Hemphill of Texas There would have
been other signatures to the Address bnt for the
absence from Washington of several Senators and
Representatives We regret only that the sigma
ture of every Representative from the South is not
attached to the document.
The Address is brief, but it is full of meaning.
Every word tells. We are told, in plain words, by
those who are upon the ground, that the argu-
ment is exhausted, and there is no hope, even Of
compromise--that nothing will be done by the Re-
publicans to satisfy the South and that the forma-
ton of Southern Confederacy is the only remedy
that is left us. And that the first step must be
separate State secession as the "only" means by
which the object may be accomplished.
This is plain talk but it is sound and sensible
talk. The times require plain talking, and unmis-
takeable language. In the present peril of the
South, we want no ambiguous phrases, no Delphic
utterances, no beating about the bush, no dodging
around corners. The Southern members of Con-
gress, instead of issuing address three columns
in nlength, have shown their good sense by telling
us, in dozen lines, everything that they wished to
tell US, and everything that it was necessary for us
to know.
There were, it is true, some members who de-
clined to sign this document. We look in vain,
and regretfully, for that ought to have been
there, but are not. The great border States are
absent and there are names from even the Gulf
States that we sorry to see missing. But it is
the less friends of the South, perhaps but are only
slower than the others in making up their minds
to accept the issue. The same address, sixty days
from now, will, if presented, receive the sigma
ture of every Southern Representative and Senator
The tide of Southern sentiment, bearing us on to
political independence is irresistible and policy
if not patriotism will dictate the futty of attempt
ing to struggle against it.
Let the Southern States now heed the advice of
their accredited Representatives, and prepare for
the course which is recommended. 1t is a foregone
conclusion that not less thansx States will prompt
ly act upon the suggestion, and by separate State
action, proclaim their speedy and absolute sep
aration from the Union.n The other Southern
States will assuredly follow-but, in such a case
to be prompt and decisive about it is the only safe
and correct policy.