Year: 1860

TO THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA, = a


The Constitution Of the Southern Rights Asso
citation of the State of Louisiana" unanimously
adopted by the mass meeting held in Odd Fellows
Hail. Friday evening, November %, 1860, made it
the duty OF the Executive Committee appointed in
pursuance Of its provisions, to publish an Address
to the people Of the State.


A brief reference TO the causes which led to the
organization Of this Association and the consruc-
ton Of the committee is necessary. The first meet
ing was held on the 10th of November-four days
after the Presidential election-when it was def
nitely known that the Abolitionsts had triumphed
and that the most odious sectionalist in the land
had been elected to the Chief Magistracy. The
meeting was held in Armory Hail. and was
altogether an impromptu affair. A common
danger obliterated all previous political divisions
common interest animated the whole vast assem-
blage; and common patriotism bound them to-
rether with links which can never be broken.
committee was appointed to report Constitution
to a subsequent meeting. The adjourned meeting
was held thirteen days afterwards, in Odd Fellows'
Hall and the Preamble and Constitution, which are
appended to this address, were unanimously and
| enthusiastically adopted.
| The adjourned meeting was one of the noblest
| ever held in New Orleans or elsewhere. When
| it adopted the Constitution it spoke the voice
| Of the people of the commercial metropolis of
| the South That voice will be heard when the
| time of trial comes and it may be depended
upon. The people of the country will give it
| volume and strength and Louisiana will not be
| found Id the rear of her Southern sisters
| We need not review the history of the slavery
question. 1t is familiar to us all.


The Preamble to the Constitution of the Associ-
alton is so concise and comprehensive, so clear
and incontroverble, that it leaves little for the
! committee to do in the way of making up an in
dictment of grievances against the Northern
people.


/ We have been deprived of our constitutional
rights and robbed of our property when we had
| Presidents willing to WELD the power Of the Ex
| eeutive Department of the Government in our de-
| Tense. What will be our lot when Administra-
ton chosen on basis of bitter hostility to our in
| stitutions assumes the functions Of government
We need not answer this question. A proper re-
ply will at once suggest itself to the minds of all
intelligent men. We will only say, if we would be
free, great and prosperoas-all of which we can
command by jndcious, prompt and united action
/ we must meet the issue forced by the North
brayely and unfinchingly. None but slaves in
soul are ever enslayed in body. The real freeman
hews his own path to enlightened liberty. As it is
with individuals SO it is with nations. -
The cotton States constitute mighty empire
within themselves. We have all the essentials out
of which to create great nation. We have mo-
nopoIy of the product upon which the commerce Of
the world depends. We have 3 soil of unboanded
fertility and climate of surprising salubrity. We
produce, or can produce and manufacture, every
thing needful to sustain ourselves at home and
have two hundred millions dollars surplus to sell
abroad. We have as intelligent and as brave 8
people as the sun ever smiled upon. Give such
people and such country good government, ant
they will speedily become one Of the wealthies
and mightest nations of the earth.


This will be our condition if we go out of the
Union; but vassaage, impoverishment and de
gradation, will be our lot if we remain in thu
Union so truly as the history Of the past is safe
, standard by which to judge the future.


But, the question is asked Can the South with
i, draw from the Uuion rightfully2 Let us examine
The Constitution was adopted to form NOR
: perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common defense, pro
mote the general welfare, and secure the bless
ings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.


The action of the Northern States having null
fed all these pledges and forfeited every promise
express and implied, the Southern people have
right to Judge and act for themselves.


On this particular point it may be we'll to cit
some authorities. Thomas Jefferson, referring t.
the Constitution of the United States, in its relatio
to State Sovereignites, said: :" As in all otha
cases of compact among parties having no con
mon Judge, each party has an equal right to judg
for itself, as we'll as for The attractions, as
the mode and measure Of redress" Dani'





repeat that if the Northern States refuse vii
fully and deliberately to carry into effect that pa
of the Constitution which respects the restorato
ST fugitive slaves, the South would no longer i
= bound to observe the compact A bargain broke
on one side is broken all Sides"


All the Just powers of Government are d
rived from the consent Of the governed; ar
to employ the language Of the Declaration of Il
dependence, whenever any government become
destructive of the ends for which it was forme'


1T is the right of the people to alter or to abels
it, and to institute new government, laying
foundation on such principles, and organizing
powers in such form, as to them shall seem mo
IA likely to effect their safety and happiness


is undeniabe that the Government of the Unit
States has been perverted from its original end
that it has become destructive to our peace, pro
erty and safety: and we claim that it is our rigl
as well as our duty, to alter or abolish it, as '
- shall deem most conducive to our safety al
happiness y and to institute such new governme
as we may think most expedient.


The Legislature of Louisiana will assemble
nd the 10th of December, 1860. Its first act shou
be to order the election of delegates to


Convention. That Convention will embody II


sovereignty of the State, and ought to be called
early as practicable. Other States will be in Go


yention and Louisiana should be in Conventi'
also, in order to be prepared to act as cireur


stances may dictate. Too much care cannot


exercised in the selection of delegates. Weigh
affairs require deliberate consideration Old par


lines should be thoroughly ignored; and none b


men of the highest capacity, patriotism and int


ligenee, should be chosen When the Conventi


moves, it should move with sufficient moral


fuenee to command the undivided appreciation


all the patriotic people of the Commonweal


This can be easily effected, if able, honest, faith


representative men, Southern in feeling, are ele


ed to the Convention. In no other way L


result be accomplished. We call upon all c
citizens to heed this advice.


When the Convention meets, the policy of Q


sister Southern States will be well developed, a