The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-02-08

coafict' staring them in the face Then, sir,
l have no hesitancy in announcing as the con-
viction of my mind produced under ample
testimony, that there is absolutely no hope Of
n peaceable union with the Northern States,
unless we are willing to lie down and remain
under the rule Of this negro-w orshiping par
ty, whose principles and history | have
brought out before you. For one am not
willing to submit. For one believe if we
are ever to refuse submission, the sooner the
better
But if we are to resist at all in the event of
the election of Black Republican, then go
a step farther, and say it is proper and right
to announce what we intend TO do in advance,
and let the North act in the next election with
her eyes open. Let us tell them plainly, if
they are fixed in purpose to drive the war still
further by foiSting upon us a sectional man,
who proclaims hostility to ourrights and eter-
nal hatred to an institution handed down to
us by our fathers, and inseparably interviewer
in the very government they helped us to
make, then they are the disunt0nists and must
incur all the responsibilities involved in a dis
membermcnt Of the government; and that in
this event we are driven to our position as the
last resort, and the only resort in which there
is to be found any honor. We owe this dec
laiaton of our purpose Of future action, upon
u given contingency, to those at the North
who are disposed to act with us in checking,
il possible, the rapid strides Of party which
sc ms determined on the destruction of the
Republic. There are, it is true, some tried
and unii8ching national men at the North
They have battlei rnanfully for our rights and
have sacrificed t.....selyes politically in the
struggle. They are ready for another contest
and ask us to indicate the basis upon which
we desire their cooperation. They want to
know if we are willing to make resistance, in
the event of the election of Black Repub-
can, the issue upon which the battle Of 1860
shall be fought.
1t will be well recollected that in the can
yass of 1856, Mr.. Fillmore, himself an anti
slavery man, and had been all his life, yet
claiming to be a constitutional and national
man, distinctly declared before the Northern
people, that il Mr.. Fremont was elected up
on the basis Of the Black Republican party,
| then 'the southern people would not and
ought not to submit If this distinguished
| Northern statesman held that we ought not
| to submit in 1856, by what rule of logic can
| any Southern man arrive at the conclusion
! that we ought to submit in 1860?
| /, fer one, am not only for separation il this
! thing does take place, but am for saying so
now am willing they should know where
we stand; and my word for it, if each of the
! Southern States will at once boldly march up
| to this position, now in advance of the Presi-
| Dental election and tell this party who have
the power in the free States, if they persist in
| the election of a candidate upon the pro-
posed issue, by that act they dissolve this
Union, it will do more to defeat the pur-
poses Of the party than any measure which
can be adopted. 1t will give courage to the
| true national men at the North and may per-
/ haps be the means of causing even the fanatic
and the political trickster to pause and pom
der upon the results which his policy is work
ing out for this nation. Let it not be said
that Black Republican may be elected in "a
constitutional way" and for this reason We
ought to submit The constitution has the
spirit as well as the letter; but if the spirit is
/ gone, then the whole instrument is dead-no
more account than dead lifeless, inactive
( body, destitute of spirit to give to it life and
animation 1t is enough to know that the
election of such man would be yiolative Of
the spirit of the constitution.
Mr. McLain being asked what his position
was upon the proposition for convention,
/ answered:
am in favor Of a Convention Of the South
ern States upon the contingency I have named,
to consult together in the present emergency.
From indications already given, it is to be
hoped that the South will generally respond
to such a call; and If so, may adopt measures
worthy of prompt execution The effort in
this Southern Convention should be made to
unite on some commons tangible point, around
which q united South may rally. Minor
questions upon which there exists diversity o.
sentiment among ourselves, ought not to be
urged too strongly.
As to General Convention of all the States
for consultation as to remedies needed for ex.
listing evils, whilst personally would have nc
objection, still l doubt the expediency ofsuct
a call. 1t would certainly tend, coming from
the South, to arouse into energetic action the
whole forces of the abolition party; and they
would only meet us in convention, as they
now do in Congress, to tantalize and laugh al
Us for wanting to change the Constitution o
our fathers.
Then, Mr.. Chairman, I repeat, am for thu
resolutions introduced into this body by tht
committee on Federal Relations. In ms
Judgement they are full and explicit, and pre-
sent the right point for action. We are ript
for the action proposed; yea, eve are rot
ing for the want of it.' And if we agree t.
send Commissioner to Virginia, let him car.
y along with him the basis of action indica.
| ted by Mississippi> Let him be able to tel
Virginia what we want and what we are fol
upon a given contingency.