The cotton planters' Convention.
This Convention assembled at
Macon, Ga., on the 4th inst., and
Col. James L. Chambers was elected to preside over its deliberations.
The only noticeable feature of the first day's proceedings is the following:
‘
Col. Washington, of
Bibb, stated that the distinguished
Ex-Gov. C. S. Morehead, of
Kentucky, was in the city, and moved that a committee of three be appointed to invite him to a seat in the
Convention.
The motion prevailed, and a committee appointed, who retired, and in a short time returned with the distinguished son of the gallant
State of Kentucky.
He was greeted with rapturous applause upon his entrance, and responded to this demonstration in an eloquent and soul-stirring manner.
Ex-Gov. Morehead is a graceful and interesting speaker.
His
personelle is fine and his appearance majestic.
He gave a glowing description of the condition of
Kentucky, and stand, not withstanding the overwhelming Union majority in that State, that were a vote taken now upon the question whether she should go with the North or South, that 99 out of every 100 would vote to go
South. The stand taken by the intense Union men of that State was that of neutrality.
There is a large number of aged men who fought under the Stars and Stripes in the
Northwest and in the
Mexican war, from
Vera Cruz to the Halls of the Montezumas, whose reverence for the
Union amounts almost to idolatry, and who have a lingering hope that by some miraculous power the
Union will be preserved; but every young man in the
State is heart and soul with the
South.
Kentucky was virtually in the situation of
Missouri and
Maryland.
She had seven hundred miles of border on Abolition States, accessible by means of numerous railroads, but only one railroad from the
South.
A horde of 100,000 Abolitionists could be poured into
Kentucky in ten days time, whilst reinforcements from the
South could only come by one source, and therefore limited.
It therefore behooved
Kentucky to be prudent, as her position was eminently a perilous one.
But the great heart of
Kentucky throbbed in sympathy with the
South.
As for himself, he had been a devoted Union man — was an intense Union man until
Lincoln's proclamation of the 15th April. Then he felt that it was time to draw the sword and throw away the scabbard.
All that he had, or was — his heart and soul, property and all — was dedicated to the cause of Southern independence, and old as he was, he stood ready to shoulder his musket in the ranks of his fellow-countrymen, to vindicate Southern rights and honor upon the battle-field.
Every heart beat in unison with the conviction that our brave soldiers in
Virginia would conquer the proud cohorts of
Lincoln.
But suppose-our brave and gallant brethren shall be driven out of the Old Dominion, shall we yield up our arms and give up the contest ? [Loud cries of No ! No !] No ! the blood of our brave men fallen in such a conflict would rise up as incense to nerve every Southern arm, and invigorate every Southern heart to redoubled efforts in this great cause for liberty and justice.
The speaker was loudly applauded.
Gen. Duff Green, a venerable patriarch of three-score years and ten, delivered a philosophical disquisition upon the relative merits of the free labor of the
North and the slave labor of the
South, and the way to increase the stability of our own Government.
He was listened to with marked and profound attention.
’
On the second day, an interesting discussion took place on the subjects engaging the attention of the
Convention, and a resolution was adopted declaring the willingness of the cotton planters to aid the
Government with their entire crop.
