The Van Buren press., 1861-02-01

and more convinced that Slaveho!d-
ing is not sin, but only condition
of high moral responsibility on the
part of the master-and that you
may understand that have no de-
sire to deceive you, | will tell you
taat in view of the present state of
political affairs, l cling to the hope
that all our difficulties may be safe
II met, and overcome m the Union,
with proper efforts and in reasonable
time not by acts of Congress, nor
Of Legislatures (tlle evils are beyond
their reach) but by a General Con-
vontion OF Delegates from all the
States in the Union, or from those
which desire union. AT such a
Convention we will get the express
sion Of the sentiment and feeling, not
Of the Republican leaders and South
ern extremists, but of the PEOPLE of
the North and South. At which
Convention, ardently hope such
amendments of the National Con-
stitut:on can be agreed on, as will be
satisfactory both to the North and
South, and which shall settle forever
that vcxed question of Slavory-so
that our dear children may not have
to shed the tears which we have shed
over t.lc disscnsions of our people.
or to fight again the battle we are
now fighting. Should the delibcra-
ton O, that General Convention fail
to bring about a settlement, satisfac-
tory TO both sections, lei us like
brothers, who canno: dwell together
III the same house, agree to part in
peace, and divide the heritage be-
tween It's and however that parting
be, whether in strife OF in peace, it
vii! be fnaI-we will never dwell un-
der the same roof again.
do not desire. like Webster. to die be-
fore this sal enl is consEmmated. bu. rath-
er | pray God that lie may spare my lie
to see good government established over
my children But these are zey opinions,
nay hopes. an my views. an are not given
10 influence yours. Ny object in this APP
psa is to beg of you to claim and to main
tain your most sacrel rights. Ii we suffer
the Convention now callel or any other
body OF men at any time to promuigate an
ordinance OF secession, or any other or
dlnance whereby our inherent rights are in
vadei, and 10 pat such an ordinance in
force, or to take any revolutionary action.
whatever. III contemplation o: it. before it
has been submitted to The people for appro-
val at the ballct-box, and 10y such su5mis-
sion recognizing tue great underlying pyin
cip!e pi political liberty, then, indeed. Oar
Government is & failure. bscanse it was a
house built on The sand. and when the .ioois
came ana the winds blew. it ieii. how
ever. cannot but bel eve that they who
Juiidel that house We're iJiSe men. " 30
oniit it on a rock, knowing that whe Ie
fooas should come, and the sciads acouid
bto0. tie House woali stani because a DaS
roandcd on eock. Dear as the Union OF
these States has been TO oil Of as, for the
untold blessings which. in times past, It
mas shed Us and closely as some Of as
ye, cling to Ii in :he fond (perhapa .lele-
sHr) Hope that II may YET be reconstructed
/ OH a basis which vii! make it again the glo
y Of every citizen. It's ute: destruction
would be light calamity to Us, to oar
c'iii'?en and TO the woril. compared with
The aoandonlnent OF siat pin :ipe, without
whrc.i there can jg 40 free government, By
tha; principle LEI us iiye-let u. be govern
ell N the future as in the past, (bc our
rulers who they may Jet us cherish it as
the palladium of our liberties. and if it be
a>saict by foes without or foes within-let
Us defend 1t TO the last extremity, sealing
oar devotion to it, if it must be so. with
! ot.r blood. OF the so called seeded States
we Will cherish the hope. that although The
powers OF their Governments have bv the
neglect or the insatuat;oa of their people
"eeh Sndefei 10 pass INTO tn. han Is o.
,'o!ie>, which have usurpci them, that the
SENSE OF justice which shoalI always gov
eIn Ruiers will induce their leaders to weld
to a demand from their people. for the sub.
mission to them of the Secession Oniinan
:es. 1t 'nay be. as some say, that the ma :
loritieS are in favor of them but minori
ties have rights, which ma;orities are bound
| to respect. and if this submission Of the
acts o. Il Convention 10 the people be as
/ some would have us believe "a mere form
that form is the Great Seal, which
autheniicatcs the instrument Il is also to
be hoped. that the self respect OF the people
/ of the Seeding States will impel them to
! demand tia. submission, which is due to
their sovereignty. in order tina: their sister
| States and ali the nations of the Earth. NAV
DC assured that in their desire to vrndicate
some OF their rights, they have not sacriGc-
e,i the great priaciple by which only all
| their rights can be secured.