The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1861-02-06


Government thus controlled by sectional par
ty, whose avowed object is to circumscribe and
destroy slavery in the South, what guarantee n
safety" or domestic tranquility" whether in
the Constitution or elsewhere, could we look to
Of rely upon for protectioni They tell US they
do not intend to interfere with slavery In the
States, because ths Fsderkl Government posses
ses no power; under tie Constituti6h, to todeh
it there-that each State has the exclusive right
to manage the subject in its own way. But in
the same breath they tell us that this Union
cannot exist permanently half slave, and half
free" With this declaration on their lips, to-
gcthsr with the fact that they have openly and
notoriously violated the Constitution in other
important provisions designed for our protec-
ton, merely because they had the power, what
assurances have we that they viii not as soon as
they get ill the departments of the Government
into their hands, break down every barrier
erected by the Constitution, and turn every en-;
gine Of federal power against slavery in the
States; to work Its speedy and efectual over;
throw, regardless of all the terrible consequences
that must follow Thirteen States under the
control Of this party, have cdntemptuously
trampled in the dust the plain provisions Of the
Constitution for the rendition Of fugitive slaves
the executives Of four States, sanctioned by .he
public sentiment in those States, have fatty VI
oated that other provision which requires the
surrender Of fugitNes from justice; merely be-
cause the criminals had committed the ofenses
with which they were charged-theft in two in
stances, and murder and attempted insurrection
in the other two-in the endeavor to give free
dom to negroes; other States have chartered
"Emigrant Aid Societies." for the putpbse of
sending armed bodies of men into the common
territory to shoot down the Southern man who
should dare to 80 with his slave into that COM
mon domain, and rob him and his family OF their
property Northern emssaries have come among
us and. excited insurrection among our slaves,
burnt our towns, poisoned our wells; and des-
troyed the lives Of our people; and wheti SOME
Sf these wfetches met at the hands of the viola.
ted law the punishment due to their crimes,
they have been canonized as martyrs by this
anti-slavery party at the North, and received
the sympathles, If not the appreciation, Of a
great majority of the Northern people. Cali
you this insuring our domestic tranquility "
And can it be doubted, when we remember that
nearly all the States held slaves at the time the
Constitution was framed, that in speaking Of
iIsuring domestic tfanquillty," direct refer
ence was had to the peculiar institution, y
thereby intending that it should BE under the
protection and tie fostering care of the Govern
menti When, therefore, oil the provisions Of
the Constitution which were placed there to Sc
cure and protect our rights in this respect, are
continually ignored and spit upon, not only by
citizens of the Northern States, with the tacit
consent Of The authorities thereof, but by those
States themselves in all the departments Of
their governments has not tie compaet failed ito
insure domestic tranquility" to the Southern
Statess And when the very party that had
thus disturbed and destroyed the tranquility Of
the slave States; had grasped the executive pow.
or of this nation, and showed themselves sufi.
eisntly nuinefots to give them in a short time
complete contfot OF every department of the
Government and proclaimed their purpose to
use all its powers to effect the Anal extinction
Of slavery everywlfefe was not the federal com
pact basely perverted from its original objects
And instead of insuring our domestic tranquil
lity," had It not become an agency for disturb
ihg it, ina On engine for Destroying ouf proper
ty, and, if need be, our lvesi Was this the
bargain we made in entering the Unionf And
II they disregarded and nuliiied the eonstitu
tional guarantees for our protection by Stat,
legislation, wherever they had the power. to dc
50, would they not DO the same thing by fedora
Legislation, whenever the Po&ef To wield that
Legislation should fall into their handsi Would
the Union then ''secure our domestic tranquli
typ Would it not rather utterly annihilate II
and gise us hi It's stead, servile insuTection
fratricidal war and all the accompaniments o.
rapine; arson; and murderi Such is the logica
tendency of the doctrine, and such would havl
been the practical result Of the operations Of ths
party which elected Mr. Lincoln; II the efims,
had not been prevented by the prompt setiofi b
the seeding States: And while eighteen State,
thus tfanple upon ell the guarantees Of thi
Constitution which were designed for the bene6
and protection Of the other fiiteen, aHd with6u
which the latter never would have become mem
bers Of the Union or parties 10 the compact ar
those fifteen States. after being thus deprived b,
fraud of all the advantages secured to them By
the articles Of agreement and which had beer
held out as considerations TO induce them to jolt
the partnership, to be compelled to cling 70 tb'
concern, and to continue TO bear an the burden
and perform all the obligations assumed on thei
part for the benefit of the States which had thu
wronged them This would be contrary to al
justice and to all law, as could abundant,
show BY authority but win not cucumber thi
article with references and extracts to support
proposition on which the authority Of commol
\ sense is sufficient with every unprejsdiced mind
Mr.. Webster, speaking on thus subject uttere.
sound law when he said: "a bargain broken o.
one side is bargain broken on al sides" n
court WIN sd q party who has himself violAie'
his Contract in enforcing the performances Q
that contract BY the other parties to it becaus
! II would enable him % take savsnsags Of hi
! own wrong and no government can rightfaIi
! or Justly attempt 10 do the same thing fs
such would Be the position Of the Federal Coz