Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-02-09

AS part OF the current history OF the &C.
cession movement, we print the suhjoined as
Segment of the reasons which moved Missis-
sippi to the act of secession. II was report
ed to the Convention by Messrs. A. M. CLAY
TON. WARREN P. ANDERSON, D. C. GLENN. L.
@. G.. LAMAR and L. ALCoRN -
A DECLARATION
Of the immediate ,chich induce and Justify
the secession of the State Of Missssippi from the
Federal Union.
In the momentous step which our State
has taken of dissolving it's connection with
the government of which we so long formed
pert, it is but just that we should declare
the prominent reasons which have induced
our course.
Our position is thoroughly identified with
the institution OF slavery-the greatest ma
terial interest of the world. Its labor sup
plies the product which constitute by far the
largest and important portions of the COM
merce of the earth. These products are pc
culiar to the climate verging on the tropical
regions, and by an imperious law oil nature,
none but the black race can bear exposure
to the tropical sun. These products have be-
come necessities of the world, and 3 blow at
slavery ia blow at commerce and civiliza-
ton. That blow has been long aimed at the
institution, aud was at the point of reaching
its contamination. There was no choice left
us but submission to the mandates of aboli-
ton, or dissolution of the Union, whose
principles had been subyerted to work out
our ruin
That we do not overstate the dangers to
our institution, a reference to a few facts will
sufficiently prove.
The hostility to this institution commenced
before the adoption to the Constitution, and
was manifested in the well known Ordinance
of 1887, 10 regard to the Northwestern Terri
tory. The feeling increased, until, in 1919
20, it deprived the South of more than half
the vast Territory acquired from France.
The same hostility dismembered Texas and.
seized upon all the Territory acquired from
Mexico. 1t has grown until it denies the
right of properly in slaves, aud refuses pro-
lection to that right on the nigh sea, in the
Territories, and wherever the Government of
the United States had jurisdiction. 1t re-
fuses the admission OF new slave States into
the Union, aud seeks to extinguisf it by con-
timing it within its present limits, DENYING the
power OF expansion. 1t tramples the original
equality of the South under foot 1t has
nulified the Fugitive Slave Law in almost
every free State in the Union, and has utter
~ broken the compact which our fathers
pledged their faith to maintain. 1t advo-
Gates negro equality, socially and politically,
and promotes insurrection and inceudiarism
in our midst. 1t has enlisted its press, its
pulpit and its schools against us, until the
whole popular mind of the North is excited
and infamed with prejudice. 1t has made
combinations and formed associations to car.
ry out it's schemes of emancipation in the
States and wherever else slavery exists. 1t
seeks not to elevate or to support the slave,
but to destroy his present condition without
providing better. 1t has invaded State
and invested with the honors of martyrdom
the wretch whose purpose was to apply
flames to our dwellings, and the weapons of
destruction to our lives. 1t has given indu-
bitable evidence of its designs to ruin our
agriculture, to PROSTATE our industrial pur-
suits and to destroy our social system. 1t
knows no relenting or hesitation in its pur-
poses; it stops not in its march of aggression,
and leaves US no room to hope for cessation
or for pause. 1t has recently obtained con-
trol of the Government, by the prosecution
of its unhaiiowed schemes, and destroyed
the last expectation of living together in
friendship and brotherhood.
Utter subjugation awaits us in the Union,
five should consent longer TO remain in IL. 1t
is not a matter of choice, bat of necessity.
We must either submit to degradation, and
to the loss of property worth four billions of
money, or we must secede from the Union
framed by our fathers, to secure this as we'll
as every other species of property. For far
less cause than this, our fathers separated
from the Crown of England.
Our decision is made. We follow their
footsteps. We embrace the alternative OF
separation and for tie reasons here stated,
we resolve to maintain our rights with the
full consciousness Of the justice of our course,
and the undoubting belief of eur ability to
maintain it. -