The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-11-28
Letter from the Governor of Alabama

We find in our exchanges letter from
Gov Moore of that State to Committee Of
citizens, which indicates the policy which he
intends pursuing in the present critical emer-
gency, and which sets forth his views touch
ing the present posture of our federal relations.
After stating that obeying the act of the
Legislature of Alabama, he will appoint Mon
day the oath of December as the day for the
election of delegates to State Convention,
and that the said Convention will meet on
| Monday the 7tff Of January next-he pro-
ceeds to say:
/ Who is Mr. Lincoln, whose election is now
| beyond question? He is the head of great
sectional party, calling itself Republican a
party whose leading object is the destruction
of the institution Of slavery as it exists in the
slaveholding States. Their most distinguished
leaders, in and cat of Congress- have publicly
and boldly proclaimed this to be their lnten-
ton and unalterable determination. Their
newspapers are filed With similar declarations.
Are they IN earnest Let their past acts
speak for them.
Nearly every one of the -slavetnIding
States have been for years under the control
of the Black Republicans. - large majority
Of these States have nullifed the Fugitive
slave law, and have successfully resisted its
execution. They have enacted penal statutes,
Furnishing, by fine and Imprisonment in the
penitcntiary, persons who may pursue and
arrest fugitive slaves in said States. They
have by law, under heavy penalties, prohibited
any person from aiding the owner to arrest
his fugitive slave, and have denied US the use
oftheir prisons to secure our slaves until they
can be removed from the State. They have
robbed the South Of slaves worth millions OF
dollars, and have rendered utterly Intellectual
the only law passed by Congress to protect
this species of property. They have invaded
the State Of Virginia, armed her slaves with
deadly weapons, murdered her citizens, and
seized the United States Armory at harpeI's
Ferry. They have sent emissaries into the
State Of Texas, who burned many towns and
furnished the slaves with deadly poisons for
the purpose of destroying their owners.
All these things have been effected, either
by the unconstitutional legislation Of free
States, or by combinations of individuals
These facts prove that they are not only in
earnest and intent upon accomplishing their
legislation and individual efforts could effect |
Knowing that their efforts could only be |
partially successful without the aid Of the
Federal Government, they for years have |
struggled to get control OF the Legislative and |
Executive departments thereof. They have |
now succeeded, by large maiorities in all the !
nen-slaveholding States, except New Jersey, |
andS perhaps, California and Oregon, in electing
Mr. Lincoln, who is pledged to carry cut the !
principles of the party that elected him. The /.
course of events shows clearly that this party !
will, in short time, have a majority in both /
branches of Congress. 1t will then be in their |
power to change the complexion of the Su- I
preme Court, so as to make it harmonic with !
Congress and the President When that |
party gets possession of all the departments |
of the Government, with the purse and the |
sword, he must be blind indeed who does not |
see that slavery will be abolished in the Dis |
trict of Columbia, in the dockyards and az
senals, and wherever the Federal Govern |
ment has jurisdiction.
1t will be excluded from the Territories,
and other free States will in hot haste be ad- +
mitted into the Union, until they have a |
majority sufficient TO alter the Constitution /
Then slavery will be abolished by law in the |
States, and the "Irrepressible ConhicG' will |
end fol We are notified that it will never
cease until "the foot of slave shall cease to |
press the soil of the United States" The |
state OF society thai must exist in the South /
ern States, with four millions Of free negroes
and their increase, turned loose upon them, /
will not discuss-it is too horrible to contem-
plate.
have only naticed such Of the acts of the |
Black Republican party as deemed necessary |
to show that they are in earnest and deter
mined to carry out their publicly avowed |
intentions-and to show that their success has |
been such rs should not fail to create the |
deepest concern for the honor and safety of |
the southern States. Now. in view Of the |
past and our prospects tor the future, what |
ought we to do What do wisdom and pru-
dence dictate What do honor and safety
require at our hands
! know that the answer that / shall give
to these questions may subject me to severe
criticism by those who do net view these
matters as do but feeling conscious of the
correctness of my conclusions, and of the
purity of my motive, / will not shrink from
the emergency which now
presents ITSELF 1t would be criminal in those
entrusted with State sovereignty not to speak
out and warn the people Of the encroachments
that have been made, and are about to be made
upon them, with the consequences that must
follow.
In full view, and trust just appreciation
of all my obligations and responsibilities offic-
tally and personally, to my God, my State,
and the Federal Government, l solemnly de-
clare it to be my opinion that the only hone
of future security for Alabama and the other
slaveholding States is in secession from the
Union. deplore the necessity for coming
to such conclusion. 1t has been forced up
on me, and those who agree with ME, by a
wicked and perverse party, fatally bent upon
the destruction of an institution vital to the /
Southern States party whose constitutional /
rights we have never disturbed, and who
should be our friends; yet they hate us with
out cause.
Should Alabama secedo from the Mon, /
as think she ought, the responsibility, in |
the eyes of all just men, viii not rest upon
her, but upon those who have driven her, in I
seli-dciense, to assume that position.
Has Alabama the right peaceably to with /
draw from the Union, without subjcctipg her
self to any rightful authority OF the Federal /
Government to coerce her into the Union |
OF her right to do so l have no doubt. She,is !
4 sovereign State, and retains every right and |
power not delegated to the Federal Govern
ment in the written Constitution. That Gov
ernment has no powers except such as are
delegated in the Constitution, or such IS are
necessary to carry those powers into eXecu-
ton. The Federal Government was estab-
lshed for the protection, and not for the de
struction or injury, Of constitutional rights,
A sovereign State has tho right to Judge OF tfS
wrongs or injuries that may be done her, and
to determine upon the modes and meas
ures of redress. The Black Republican
party has for years continued to make aggres-
Sions upon the slave holding States, under the
forms of law, and in every manner that tanat-
icism could devise, and have now gained a
strength and position which threaten not only
the destruction Of the institution of slavery,
but must degrade and ruin the slave holding
States if not resisted. May not these States
turn aside from the impending danger, with
out criminality? If they have not this right,
thOn we arc the slaves Of our worst enemies
"The wise man foreseeth the evil and turneth
aside" A wise State should not do less.
If Alabama should withdraw from the
Union, she would not be guilty OF treason,
even if a sovereign State could commit trea-
son. The Constitution says: Treason against
the United States shall consist only in levy
ing war against them, OF in adhering to her
enemies, giving them aid and comfort" The
Federal Government has the right to use its
military power ito execute the laws OF the
Union, suppress instructions and repel in-
| vasions" Fl State withdraws from the
| Union. the Federal Government has no power
under the Constitution, to use the military
force agains. hea, for there is no Law to enforce
I