The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-05-26

Inc pIdu OIIS tuoAiy MAJ hCA Jul tAN'N
s.there should be no party differences,
was scrupulously adhered to in all the
subsequent proceedings connected with
the secession movement. In anticipation
of the election of sectional President by
the North, on the 10th of February 1860,
a lesding Wing member OF the Legisla-
ture, Hon. w. a. Lake, offered the fol-
lowing resolution which was unanimously
adopted as the Late Hon. Fulton Ander-
son stated in his address before the Nir-
GINA Legislature, ''aoith the general aPPro-
baton of her people:
Resolved, That the election of Presi-
dent of the United States by the votes of
one section of the Union only, on the
ground that there exists an irrepressible
conflict between the two sections IN refer
ence to their respective systems of labor
and with an avowed purpose Of hostility
to the institution of slavery, as it exists
in the Southern States, and as recognized
in the compact of Union, would so
threaten a destruction of the ends for
which the Constitution was formed as to
Justify the slaveholding States in taking
counsel together for their separate protec-
ton and safety.
In his address the distinguished Mis-
sissippi Commissioner to Virginia-com-
menting on this resolution, interpreted it
in these glowing words:
Thus was the ground taken, not only
by Mississippi, but by other slaveholdirg
States, in view of the then threatened
purpose of a party, founded upon the
idea of unrelenting and eternal hostility
to the institution of slavery, to take pos
session of the Government and use it to
our destruction. 1t cannot, therefore,
be pretended that the Northern people
did not have ample warming of the disas-
trous and fatal consequences that would
follow the success of that party in the
election, and impartial history will en-
blazon it to future generations, that it
was their folly, their recklessness and
their ambition, not ours, which shattered
into pieces this great confederated gov
eminent, and destroyed this great temple
OF constitutional liberty which their an
cestors and ours erected, in the hope that
their descendants might together worship
beneath its roof as long as time would
last.
But, in defiance of this warning thus
given, and of the evidences accumulated
from a thousand other sources, that the
Southern people would never submit to
the degradation implied in the result of
such an election, that sectional party,
bounded by a geographical line which ex-
Guided it from the possibility of obtaining
a single electoral vote in the Southern
States, avowing for its sentiment implac-
able hatred to us, and for its policy the
destruction of our institutions, appealing
to Northern prejudice, Northern passions,
Northern ambition and Northern hatred
of us, for success, and thus practically
DISTINGUISHING the whole body of the
Southern people, proceeded to the nomi-
nation of a candidate for the Presidency
who, though not the most conspicuous
parsonage in its ranks, was yet the truest
representative of its destructive princi-
pies.
After the election of the sectional can
didate aforesaid, Mr., Anderson proceeded
to say that 'on the Doth ofNovember, 1860,
=" the Legislature of Mississippi, by
" unanimous uote called Convention of
g her people to take into consideration
the existing relations between the fed
g eral government and herself" and cat
" the same time adopted a resolution by
" cote almost amounting to unanin,ity
& declaring that the secession of every
" aggrieved State acas the proper remedy"
This was the attitude assumed by both
parties.
In the election for members of the Con-
vention thus called, the Democratic and
Wing parties were not known in the con-
test. Nor was there any Union party in
the field. All were avowed resisters,
and the only question was whether the
State should declare herself out of the
Union, and take the consequences of sep
arate action; or whether she should secede
on condition of the cooperation of one or
more of the other Southern States This
was the only issue, and Wings and Demo-
Gratis were ranged upon one side or he
other OF it without reference to former
divisions. The separate State actionists
invariably selected one Wing and one
Democrat for their ticket, or equally di-
vided it between the two parties-and
the Co-operationists pursued the same
policy. When only one delegate was to
be selected, he was nominated with ref
erence to his availability, and not to his
political affiliations. And when the
Convention assembled, it was found to be
composed of an equal number of Wings
and Democrats, elected by Wing and
Democratic constituencies, committed to
the plan of immediate secession.
1t is proper to mention that before
passed her ordinance of Sc
cession, other States had led the way, or |
were preparing to do it, so that the con-
1itions on which the Co-operationists
who were composed alike of Wings and
Democrats,) were pledged to secession,
lad been fulfilled and that the State
md all parties in it, occupied, as they
lid in the initial proceeding ten years
before, precisely the same ground, and in
:urred precisely the same responsibility
or the step that was taken.
These are the irrefutable records which
10 Lethean waters can obIiterate
If Democrats have been disposed to
axe back seats and to do penance, and
nut on sackcloth and ashes, and infct
pom themselves many stripes as vicarious
ufierers for line of conduct for which
II parties were equally responsible, they