Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-04-03
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Letter from Mississippi.


The following letter has been received by
distinguished member Of the Virginia Con-
yention, and is from reliable source. 1t is
furnished for publication, to show what some
OF the people in the Cotton St:tes think, and
what they say to their friends
F1cKsEURC, Miss, March 25, l8Gl-Dcur
SW:-lOu will pardon me for intruding
upon you, when you are SO much engaged :;
but um anxious that you should know the
true state of affairs down here, and you can
not gain the truth from the Secession papers
in the South. They, in order to keep up the
excitement, and to deceive the other Slave
holding States which still remain in the
Union, ure continually misstating and mis-
representing facts.
The people of the Cotton States elected
Conventions for the purpose of dissolving
the connection between those States and the
Union. This the Conventions did, and they,
also, did more than this. Usurplng powers
that were notdelegated to them by the people,
they elected delegates to Congress at Mont
gomery, and this Congress has deprived the
people oi their entire sovereignty. Now that
!: Congress has formed permanent Consttu
ton Tor the new Government thus Illegally
formed, and has submitted it TO the State
Conventions for ratification. Two of these
Conventions have refused 10 submit this
Constitution to the people. The action of
the Confederate States has not given univer-
sal satisfaction among the people. A large
portion Of them are disappointed and dissat-
isfied. They see they have been cheated
nd ,inl tha ,t,,f,
could be Submitted to them, they would vote
against it. This is why the Conventions will
not submit their action to them. They are
afraid they will refuse to ratify it. The
taxes are another. source OF com plant. A
heavy additional tax has been laid upon
slaves; II heavy export tax has been laid
upon cotton, and the planters in this State
say that after paying their taxes, they can
not pay their debts The new tariff rs q
matter Of course, has put up the price of
every thing, and this is also causing great
dissatisfaction.
In the Northern portion of this State. the
people are forced to go to Illinois for corn, to
keep them alive. They tried to get it in
this State, but failed. In Louisiana and in
North Alabama, tie people are almost ready
w llsC up III lCUCllN)li ttSdIHou llOSC WIN
have made themselves their masters. Every
one here can plainly see that q reaction is
gradually y, but surely coming on. 1t is
clearly seen at Montgomery, where it is
feared and dreaded. The policy Of the Con
!ede:;tte States is 10 provoke a quarrel with
the United States in the hope OF dragging
in the Border States. The affair will be
>kiifuliv managed, 50 ~ to make the people
believe tat the United States Government is
attempting coercion. All that the leaders
of the Secession movement want with the
Border States. is to get money and soldiers
from them. /! you are wise, you will be-
ware Of this Confcderacy. You will only
hc drawn out of the Union to suffer the evils
Of the counter revolution which must come
here delay it and avert it as the Secession
lists may try. The people are reused, and
it is only in the hope of ayerting, for a time,
their just wrath, that the Secession leaders
wish to bring on a fight.
If you are true to yourselves, you will not
ruin your fortunes and interests by linking
them with this new Confederacy. If you
cannot stay in the Union, do not come with
the Cotton States. You will only subject
yourselves to the dangers and inconvenien-
ces Of another revolution, and you will tiud
that you have been sold by parcel of base
and designing traitors. Missouri, by her
ordinance of 1920. uniting the State with the
Union, forever rendered the act irrevocable,
save by the consent Of the United States
Thus you see she cannot secede without vio-
Iasing her plighEcd homer. She is L Border
State. Wi! Virginia desert her, after she
has announced her determination to stand
by her:
The Secession feeling is rapidly declining
in the South The refusal OF Arkansas to
scccAe. is a conclusive proof of this. Every
one was certain that Arkansas would refuse
to remain iii the Union, and her action has
created Il powerful sensation in the South.
SecsssoniSts, | know, will contradict my
c;atements but no one who has been down
here, and has seen for himself, will do so.
know yuu TO be friend to the Union,
and ! want To give You Il true statement of
affairs, in order that you may contradict
Seeas>oniSts, when they tell you of united
people i'll the Cotton States. Keep Virginia
firm, and ali will 20 well. Is it possible
that the people oi Virginia are so dead to
al State pride, that they have lifted tho
fuimeiio over tue glorious old ".Sic Smper
TYramnis.' Very respectfully, -