Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-02-14
10 THE PEOPLE OF ALABAmA.

feel 1t their duty to themselves, to their con-
stituents, and 10 the people OF the State al
large. to make public the reasons that setustI
them in Withholding their signatures from the
ordinance Of secession by which the people Of
Alabama resumed, on the nth day Of Janua-
~, 1851, the powers previously delegated 70
and exercised BY the Federal Government.
This duty Is the more Imperative as designing
persons have mIsrepresented and will continue
to misconstrue their refusal to participate In a
mere form OF sttestati0n; into opposition and
/ hostility to a solemn act Of the State. This
| act is binding on an citizens alike, and non,
/ are more ready than the undersigned, to yie'd
a cheerful obedisnce to the will OF their State.
to which they owe their first and paramount
allegiance, and none will be more faithful in
UNFOLDING and sustaining at any price, and at
any sacrifice, her interes. and Der honor, ia
the attitude she has assumed by this act. IT,
I therefore, the enemies Of the State derive com
fort from the refusal Of the undersigned to
sign the ordinance, the fault and responsibility
will lie with those who misrepresent their mo-
tives OF impugn their patriotism and loyalty "a
their State.
The ordinance derives no additional validity
from the signatures Of the iDviYidual delegates
composing the convention. The aiixing these
signatures is a mere form Of attestaIion, aBd
| might Be, and most likely would be regarded,
| al a voluntary hbnNAunuaEuL ana EENLAEEAQA OF
those principles and views Of public policy,
advocated By the undersigned before the peo-
pie, and which caused them 20 oppose the pas
sage Of the ordinance Of secession Gin it,
present form.) While the undersigned con-
sent to have even the appearance Of modify
Ing or relinquishing these views and princi-
pies, they DO sincerely disclalm all Intention to
perpetuste the Bitterness and snimosities Of
former party divisions or to encourage new
/ divisions between those who favored and those
who opposed Hepsrafe state action, and they
solemnly pledge themselves to a faithful and
Jealous support CT the State in all the conse-
quences that may result from the ordinance Of
secession.
These principles and views OF public poll
I cy, to which they stood pledged to their con-
stituents, and which have governed their &C.
ton in convention, are so well known as to re-
auirs only a brief enumeration.
First. The great fundamental principle
that all representative bodies, exercising a
high and responsible public trust, should sub
init their acts for the approval or condemna-
tion Of those by whom the trust was eonfded;
especially when in the discharge Of such trust
is involved e radical change in the existing
Government, affecting alike the highest and
the lowest in the land, and upon which de-
pends the welfare and happiness Of not only
this generation, but that Of the remotest pos
terity, demanded that tie ordinance Of seces-
zion should have been submitted to the people
Of the State for their ratification OF rejection
at the ballot-b0X. This principle is the foun-
dation Of the whole theory Of popular govern
ment, aud is the only safeguard to the abuses
Of trust and the usurpations o. power.
Secondly. Not only comfy but the interest
Of all concerned, and Of none more than Ala
bama, dictated the policy Of respectfully con-
sulting with all the States whose identity Of
! interest makes their ultimate destiny insePa-
rable from ours, and who are affected almost
as much as ourselves by any action on our
part, Of devising with them, or al least such Of
them az would Join Us in a plan of harmonious
and simultaneous action, thus presenting in ali
our dealings with the Federal Government, for
eign nations, or hostile States, a united
strength, a moral power, and a national digai-
ty, which no single State could hope to presen';
Of establishing a new ConfederacY OF all the
States engaged in a common cause before f.
nally severing ali connection with the Fe ieral
Government, and thus avoiding to the indiTld-
ual States the burdens and dangers Of an inde-
pendent and separate national existence, pisc-
ing the formation Of a new Confsderacy be-
yond the risks and hazards to which it wonld
be subjected By the conflicting interests and
views OF digunited States, each acting for it.
SELF, without concert one with another, and
leaving no interregnum during which mems
minds could be unsettled, and all material in
terests ieoparded BY the uncertainties Of the
future. These views Of policy the undersigned
are convinced are the Only ones consonaBi
with prudence and a wise discretion, and the
only ines that can lead to a peaceful and sue
cessful termination Of present difficulties. It
is not yet too late to apply them at least in
part to the management Of public affairs, and
as we see With pleasure the cheering indiea-
lions Of their being more generally recognised
and adopted than during the itst sasTvessence
Of popular excitement, At the accumulated
wrongs and insults Of hostile aud sectional
factions, eliminating in the election OF a sec
tional President.
It will not be necessary TO add in eoucIu-
sion, that in refusing to sign the ordinance of
secession, the undersigned are sctua'ed BY no
desire TO avoid the respon sibilities that now
attach or may hereafter attach to the act by
which the S.ate withdrew from the Federal
Union Not only will they share these re-
sponsibilities alike with those who sign the
ordinance, bat il it should hereafter appear
that the public interest or expediency requires
the afixing their signatures, they viii unhesi-
tstiBgly and chesrfully do so, their object be-
ing in the present statement solely to defend
and maintain the principles and liue Of policy,
the advocacy and support Of which was en-
trusted to them by their constituents, and
which they believed to be Of vital Importance
to the future peace and welfare Of the State.
Wit8this brief exposition Of our ac's, and
the reasons therefore, we are willing to be
Judged by a candid public; the truth and sin
certify Of our declarations aud motives, time
alone can decide; and upon the correctness
and wisdom Of those principles and views Of
public policy, by which we have been govern
ed, "other men and other times" will render a
correct verdict.
R. Jemison, Jr., Wm. o. Winston, John
Greene, ST., S. P. TimbsTlsks, COMMITTEES
NJ. J. Bulger, A Kimbsl, William H. Ed
wards, R. S. Wood, George Forester, H.