Year: 1860




Whether the sovereign will of the people OF the South
ern States shall in this crisis be ascerianed by gener.
a. convention Of all the States, hereafter to be called and
all shall together in concert or whether each STATE
shall decide for herself without conference with the 9th
ers questions upon which diversity OF opinion may
exist.


entertain no doubt Of the rights Of each State to de-
eide and act for herself TIE Union Is compact between
the sovereign States of which she Is composed Each
State in the Union is in point OF sovereignty the equal oil
every ether and neither is dependent upon another oT
any Of the attributes Of sovereignty SO long as ali states
abide in good faith by their constitutional engagements
TO each other aud the compact Is not violated no State
withdraw from the Union without being guilty OF Dad
faith to the others. IT, however the compact violated
by the refusal Of part Of the contracting parties 10 abide
by t. and submit its burdens while they receive the
benefits arising from it, the other parties are no longer
bound by il, but may declare it nuly, aud refuse 10
abide by their part IL is an essential part OF the
law Of contracts that both parties bound or neither
ia bound and if one violates the contract the other Is no
longer bound


But may be asked who is to Judge of the violation Of
the cOLtgGcty answer that each sovereign STATE IRON
the very ma OF the case must judge and decide for
herself There is no common stbiter between them
Each being sovereign, Acknowledges no higher power
on Garth The Federal Gevernmsnt il but the limited
agent of all the States and has right 10 assume 70 die
tate to the principals from which it derives all the power
il possesses nor to sit n judgment upon the conduct OF
the creator whose creature IL is and BY whose consent
alone h exists fer a single day. lei not to be presumed
that a State will secede from the Union without ju'l
cause OF the sUlciency of the cause each sovereign
State Judge oT herself When her decision Il mad
no has right 10 reverse the judgment, because no
higher power exists 60 which appeal be taken -
The ght Of Safe pcicealy sccede from the Union,
wheu in the Judgment Of her people, the compacs OF
the Constitution have been violated Ouly be denied
by those who deny the sovereignty Of the States.
AM aNare that some have attempted 10 auaogise the
right OF portion OF the States OF the Union 70 sccedr
for n ruht of the Colonies
10 sccedc FROM the Bdlish Government aud the Colo
mics possessed Ouly the right C revolution, II argued
ta the sovereign Stas Of the Uoion possess 40 other
right Tlere is no just analogy between the two cases
The Colonies prior the Revolution, were not s)yo-
reign They we're subjects Of the British Government,
created by it, and belonging to it, They had never even
claimed TO be the equals Of the British Crown, nor had
that Government ever recognized them as such or form
cd any compact with them sovereign powers When,
therefore they Withdrew from the Government OF Great
Britain it a Of rebellion the part Of the sub
iecis against the power OF the soVeregl--in other
words. il reyoluuon-and upon their success de-
pended their exemption fro the p,nte of ;relson to
the Government subjects loot Cquals they were
till they had established their right Of sovereignty by
force of arms But the States of the Union not tic
subjects of the Federal Government, were created
by it, and DO not belong it. They created IT. from
them t derives its powers, TO them Is responsible and
when 10 abuses the trust repoSed In IT, they equal
veregus have right the powers respectively



doubt that Georgia other State in the Union has


perfect right TO secede from il whenever the people in
their sovereign capacity decide for themselves that the
compact has been violated by the other States. And
either the Federal State Government has any


right to make war upon her for the exercise of this act Of
sovereignty than they have to make upon her for
the exercise Of any other of her sovereign powers
Should Georgia determine, while / exercise the Exccu


i've power TO secede from the Union on account of the
violation of the compact 10y other States should deny
the right of any other State Government to her
20 return 10 IT, in such case the allegiance OF her c
gems would be due 10 her alonc and each would be on
tied to protection of her Tag. This they should have
And il auy other Government should Interfere aud as
sumo jurisdiction them, and take the lives of any
Of them upon charge Of TO its authority, for
following the flag OF Georgia, would retaate promptly,
by stizng and hanging upon the tree OF the
subjects Of such Government for each citizen of Georgia
whose life should be thus illegally taken. need only
add that regard the question OF separate State action,
or OF united action upon the part OF all the Southern
States as a question OF policy and not aS qu5s-
ION OF right As the cause Of the Southern States il
common cause and the aggreSsons upon their rights
are common should think It wise that their action be
common.


If the fifteen Southern States of the Union should meet
in convention, and determine 10 secedc from it, there
would be no war no blooished So many Of our North
ern people are dependent upon our cotton aud trade
tor employ meIt and Tor the pece'ssFies well the
Injuries OF ir that they oOuld neither afford to hght
10 St0uu uf anu see OlLtIH 90 Coul0 tue
Government OF Great Britain afford TO witness nvs
sion Of the Southern States. We planters, a large
norton Of the people Of England manufacturers -
We come in competition with none Of their interests -
Our interests and theirs mutual aud reciprocal The
people Of the Northern States the rivals OF the people
Of England in manufacturing and shipping. Both
dependent upon for cotton. Four millions OF the peo
pie OF Great Brian look Tor the of their support
10 the cotton crop of the Southern States OF this Union
An inva,iou Of soil which would cut OIL single
crop OF cotton would shake the pillars Of the Eogsh
throne and the cry OF "brcad blood would
control the action Of the Government the army and navy
OF Great Britain in our favor.


am aware that the opinion is entertained by many
that the Southern States in the event OF dissolution
of the Union, would be in a condition Than they
now are in reference to the rocapture Of their fugitive
slaves as il IS said LARGE numbers would escape aud we
would have no process by which could recoTer them
from any portion OF the Northern Conieteracy. fns is
A great error In case Of a separation OF the two sec
tons and the formation Of governments, the peo-
pie oil the Northern Confederacy would no longer feel
that chez we're connected with slavery in the South any
more than they la Cuba or Brazil Most Of the
Northern States have already enacted Stringent laws
agains. the importation OF free negroes amcng them
They would not desire such population in their midst.
and would lie wiling TO spend nouey 10 rid themselves
Of it. They would need our cotton Go they now do,
and would find our trade still indispensable their pros
peri.y We should then have the poecr regulate our
own .eVeage laws, tariffs g., aud to discriminate
apainst them and in favor Of European States, if
choose TO DO So by imposing export duios on cotton
purchased by them and import duties on Manufactured
articles sold by them TO our people This they could
not endure and prosper The result would be that they
would IL required enter into treaty wi TO bring
back our fugitive slaves and deliver them TO us at tue
line if we would agree to favor ,ble commercial treaty
! with them, by which they could buy our cotton and
sell US .heir goods upon equal terms with oher nations
A similar treaty. for the he Seasos could b. IGjc with
| -, bv which Canada WQu'1
| ger be the harbor OF fugitive slAyes


The sentiment no doubt, prevails in the Northern
States hat Tue people Of the South would be in great
danger from their slaves in We should -,tempt TO
separate from the Northern States and to form an nde-
pendent Government lnsurrecton and revolt are al
ready attempted 10 be held in terror over do not
pretend to deny that Northern sples among p might
be able occasionally TO note small numbers OF slaves in
different localities, 10 revolt and murder families OF in
nOcent women and children; which would oblge US
promptly to execute the slaves who should have departed
from the path Of duty under the deceptive influence OF
abolition ucendaries. These Instances would, however,
be rare Our slaves usually under the eye Of their
masters or overseers Few of them read or write
Ttey are not permitted to travel railroads. OF
other public CONVEYANCE without the written Of
those having the control Of them They have no mail
facilities except such their owners allow them to have
and 40 EeSAs OF SomEgnleatiop With each other at
d stlnce They are entirely unsrmed and lnsklleq 10
the Of arms general revolt would therC fore, be
impossible. But the important fact which Is wei
known In Southern society, is that nine-tenhs Of them
are truly and devo edy attached 10 their masters aud
misreses and would shed in their defence the last DROP
Of their blood They feel and recognize their iueriority
as race, and their dependence upon their owners io
their protection and suppor whose smile oI APPRECIATION
constitutes their highest Enjoyment They have not beer
accustomed to claim or exercise political rights and few
Of them have any ambition beyond their present comfort
and enioyment IN case Of plot or conspiracy the 90
cret could be communicated 10 but few ~ SONG would
learn Of IL who would Immediately oonmunicate it 4