The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-07-16
Defense of Mississippi.
From the Louisiana Pelican. 7

From the Louisiana Pelican.
During the debate in the Constitutional
Convention on the State debt question dele
gate from New Orleans made an attack on the
honor and good name OF the State OF Nis-Is-
-ippi, and Col f. L. Claiborne replied in the
following eloquent terms;
Mr.. PRESIDEST-ln consequence OF physi-
cal suffering had determined to take no part
in the discussion OF the debt question but as
gentlemen, in their devotion 10 the bondhold-
er7, saw proper to travel out OF the record TO
east unmertcd censure on the State Of Missis-
sippi. my native State, ] shall take occasion
60 debate the question now before the Conven-
ton, and AT the same time hurl back the as
pensions So unjustly thrown upon my state.
Mr., President | was born in the State Of
Mississippi, only separated from the State OF
Louisiana by the great artery of commerce
which flows past this city.
To Louisiana i owe all the duty Of an
adopted citizen. | have lived here for ore
than a quarter Of a century. All that | have
is here The ashes of my children have min
2lCd with Iouisiaua's soil. My family made
as many sacrifices during the war as that OF
any other. My own services have been given
to the state; and ii WAS one OF my name, one
OF my family, who was appointed 10y President
Jefferson to receive from France the transfer
of the Province of Louisiana to the United
States OF America. Thus identified with the
State OF Louisiana, l shall defend her honor
and protect the interest OF her people; but
the State uf Mississippi Is my mother, and
she claims my hearts warmcst affections,
The attack upon the fair fame of Aissi-is-
Sippi made 10y delegate from New Or
leans, and it comes with bad grace nom
representative Of this city to say one word de
rogatory To- the character OF Mississippi. That
State Is one of our largest cotton producing
States. and mos1 OF her valuable products
come to New Orleans.
The vast quantity OF produce shipped here
by Mississippi planters curiches your city
beyond calculation, adds to your exports, to
your imports, and faauious amounts to your
Internal trade. Your commercial connection
with the planters OF Mississippi makes and
builds up vour great commercial houses and
gives employment 60 IulIy one -teuth oi your
population. l}ut aside from all this, the ser
wee rendered hy Mi-si--Ppians, I'm the dark
,zt hour OF Louisiauo'4 history, should have
deferred these delegate from Haunting III the
face OF Mississippi the flag of liquidation.
There WIS time when the city OF New Or
Isana called loudly Tor assistance. ihe sol
tlier- of Wellington flushed with thrIr vlctO-
riuus march across the Spanish Peniusular,
landed on LoujSiand's soil, under the leader
shipof Sir Edward Packcnham, and entrenched
themselves in close proximity To your city. In
order to stimulate the valur ot the British sol
di,rs. the watchwori given ont was Beauty
ana Booty" When this was known, fear and
trembling took possession Of every HOUSEHOLD
and mothers pressed their daughters closer to
their bosauls. Gen. Jackson, with three thous-
and undi-cipliued troops alone stood between
the wives and daughters OF New Orleans and
fate that would he worse than death In this
hour of vour extremity the American com
mander called for volunteers, and when the
bugle notes first rang over the hills and val
Ievs OF Mississippi, her gallant sons rallied To
the rescue. The great battle OF the Sth OF
January was fought. The city was saved.
And when General Jackson made his report
to the Secretary OF War, lac used this memo
rable language The valor of the Missis
sippi soldiers, under the leadership OF the
gallant Kinds, was the establishment OF one
army and the admiration of the other Then
let no delegate from New Orleans defamc the
State which Fepudiated debt created in vio-
lation of her constitution. Within the limits
OF the constitution within the limits pre-
scribed bv law. the Legislature may freely
act but whenever the Legislature goes be
yond the limitations fixed by law, its acts are
null and void and of no effect. The Union
Bank bonds were issued in violation OF the
constitution of the State, and Mississippi had
the moral courage to preserve the integrity
OF her constitution. And | venture to assert
that whenever the faith of the State II pledged
strictly in accordance with law, her people
will maintain that faith inviolable. In all
that constitutes devotion to the honor of the
State and of the Union at large, Mississippi Is
the peer Of any other State.
When Gen. Taylor commenced his march
into Mexico, MisSissippiaRs were IN the adj
vance At the storming OF Monterey, LIeuten-
ant-Colonel McClung, OF Mississippi regiment
was the first to mount the ramparts, and he tell
wounded on the enemy's side of the barbados
At Buena Vista, when Gen. Taylor's army,
consisting of only six thousand men, was OPP
posed by twenty thousand Mexicans and by
the abIeSt commander Mexico ever had-when
Gen Tavlor's army expected to be overwhe Inn
ed by force of numbers, and when the Mexican
cavalry made the last charge which threatened
the complete discontinue Of our troops, Jeffer
son Davis threw the Mississippi regiment INTO
that celebrated Y movement which saved our
army. The NIississippians under Jefferson
Davis stood as Gibraltar stands F; they stood rs
the eternal rocks stand; they stood as. the
three hundred stood at Th ermopyl9; they
turned defeat into victory they saved the
American army.
ON the march OF Gen Scott to the city OF
Mexico. the frowning heights OF Chapultapec,
with its mountain top brlstilng with canon,
stood in the way rs 4 formidable barrier to
further progress, and charge upon this nat
ural fertilization was the only course left the
American commander. Gen. Scott called
council of war; and TO 4 Mississippian was as
signed the post of danger. The lamented Cunt
man led the palmets and New York regiments
up the rugged ascent, with shells bursting
around them. With the bullets from Mexican
falling wounded in great numbers by his side,
and his color-bearer struck down, this brave
Mississippian, grasping the Palmetto flag rid
died to pieces and sprinkled all over with
blood. was the first to mount the heights OF
ChapuItepec, and, wdving the Palmetto flag,
cbeered his followers on to a charge on the
aeein.r foe This same Mississippian was the
first At the Belen Gate and this same Missis-
s;nnian was the first American Governor OF the
city OF the Montezumas-
In the war between the North and the South,
M;ssissippians and Louisianians fought side
nv side. Every battlefield in Mississippi,
Alabama. Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, the
caroIinas, Virginia and Maryland is whltened
Nth The bleeching bones OF American soldiers,
snd nv the common verdict OF all the COM
,.,a,dera in the. Confederate army, the MiSsis-
A;,.s.;sns on all these fields, covered them-
selves with glory, -
Ard who. Mr.. President, was made pro-
,;tiafor for your rebellion? WHO Tor YOU
delegates. was consigned 70 teion's cell aAq
issacs to wear = felon'a- chains L was
Mississippianl r. was Jefferson DAVIS 'n1
pa And II siTil life Mississippi has diatin