The Oxford intelligencer., 1861-02-27
Hon. j. Alexander venfress OF VIII
kinsOn.

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citizens, was in Philadelphia ashort time prior
to the holding of the great Union meeting in
that city on the 18th of December, and was re-
quested by the Mayor to lay before him an ex-
preston of his opinion as to the sentiments OF
the people of Mississippi upon the questions then
agitating the public mind In response to that
call Mr.. Ventfess, on the 9Th Of December, adj
dressed to Mayor Henry. very able letter,
which appeared, at the time, in the Philadelphia
papers. but which did not fall under our obser-
vation until day or two since, we met with 1t
in the woodyills Republican. Welay before onr
readers the following extract from the letter, pre-
missing that Mr.. Ventress had always been known,
prior to the late Presidential election as an ardent
supporter of the Union, and that the letter itself
was evidently written under the hope that the
North would make such concessions as to render
the continuance of the Union compatible with the
rights and honor of the South. The portion Of
the letter which we have not reproduced sets
forth the constitutional amendments, which, in
the opinion of the writer, at that time, would
have sufHced for the preservation of the Union.
Subsequent events, however, having demonstra-
ted the mpossibility of procuring any reasonable
amendments, we take it for granted that Mr..
Ventress no longer looks to the reconstruction of
the old Union, but, rather, to the establishment,
upon permanent basis, of the new Confedera-
ton l-EDs Int. \
It is now made apparentto every sensible per-
son in the Union, that the present great Crisis
has been brought about by the continuous and
ever increasing anti-slayery doctrines OF the
North and Northwest-doctrine that have been
for years preached from the pulpit, preached
from the hustings and preached in the legisla-
lures, by men wholly regardless of the rights oil
the people of the South, and Of their own oaths
to support the Constitution of their country
Thus has this politico-religious preaching from
the pulpit infused the doctrines of anti-slavery,
and the higher law doctrine into religion, and me-
cessarIy into the ever too credulous minds OF
their congregations. Aided by the Abolitionists,
and other politco-religionists, the Republican
party has borne through the canvass triumphant
ly the flag with the inscription on it of Freedom
in the Territories, Ilomes for the homeless; thus
inaugurating the doctrine lately promulgated by
Mr. Sumner, that the election of Mr.. Lincoln
had made all the Territories free and the proper
ty of the free States.
Fearful, sir, that might be led to use epthets,
though most appropriate yet not very refined,
10 characterize the people of the eight States in
which the Personal Liberty laws exist, | shall
only say that they are either TO be much pitied
for their ignorance, despised for their baseness
This much promised it must be easy, sir, to per-
eeive why the people of the South are arming in
defense of their lives. They are aware of the
fact that the abstract doctrine OF Anti-savery
brought about the unconstitutional Missouri
compromise-that the crushing tariff Of the
I 10 ba fba INV pr
and the North the payce, brought about the
crisis Of 1S32-that their anti-slavery doctrines
and the itching palm of the North, for territorial
agrandizement brought about the greater crisis
of 1850 and they noW knOoc full well that the
Anti-slavery doctrines, conjoined with spirit OF
rapinc, have prccipitaed this last great crisis up
on the country
The people Of the South knowing all these
things, and feeling most sensibly how they have
been oppressed and insutod for years by the
North, and firmly believing that their enemies,
(the term, sir, is not too strong) are determined
to rob them of their rights, their property, and
possibly their lives, by fastening on them SER
vile war have resolved and rightly resolved to
be oppressed no more. Thus has the cry to
arms spread with lightning speed throughout the
land. And il is for this the South now proclaims
as her last motto, Equality in the Union or
Independence out Of it," Such, sir, are the
great grievances of which the South complains.
Now, let the North state the grievances she
has against the South. IL the South have given
the North one single cause Of grievance know
il not | do remember WELL however. the North
charged home upon South Carolina because she
threatened to nullify amost oppressive and unjust
tariff law whereby she was TO pay the North
something for nothing. South Carolina did not
nullify, yet this move on her part according to
4 - o,gL l., L.. IL
of these States not only nulliied an act of Con-
gress, but defied and threatened with contempt,
a solemn decision of the Supreme Federal Court;
infTacted the Constitution and trampled upon the
| Constitutional rights Of sovereign Statesl And
forsooth this damhing deed this robber act has
been Landed by the priests, politicians, and the
people of the North.
The South, here, is charged with being too
preciptate at this junct,re. If she be so, she
has good excuse for being so-she has been
most deeply injured. But who charges the
North with hardness? And yet she is tardy,
and therefore greatly to be blamed, as she has
violated the Constitution, and trampled on the
rights of the South. Some persons maintain
that the South should come to the North for
compromise. This will never be. The North
inflicted the wounds upon the South, and must
atone for them quickly, or the South will pass
l out of the Union.
That State has the right to peaceable seces-
sion, have no doubt-for secession is nothing
else than revolution, which right no one gain
saws. The distinction attempted to be drawn
between revolution and secession, originates, ]
apprehend, in installing or restricting the signi-
fication Of the word revolution.
A revolution may be bloody, or it may be
bleodless; it may be of physical and civil
character, or it may be of purely civil eharac-
n IL = =