Edgefield advertiser. (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, June 11, 1856, Image 1
* Demstrafic 3isurn1a, D~veuse t fIye OSumd an $sullern- aig!ts, sdiies, %faht 3Tews, Cihtrature, filrdittj, ~emperanee, : ictuxue, &
"We will cling to the Pillars of the Templeff our Liberties, and if it umst fall, we will Perish amidst the Ruins."
W. F. DUIRJSOE & SON, Proprietors. EDG-EFIELD, S. U., JUJNE 11, 1856. VOL XXr.-I.3i
t
From the Ohio State Journal.
TO MY MOTHEE.
The following lines, written by a convict in the
Ohio Penitentiary, aro touchingly beautiful. We I
have seen nothing of late that has so moved our m
sympathy. The man who can write such poetry, c<
who has such thoughts, cannot be utterly depraved. o
The curse of intemperance, with its attending down- n
ward influence, has here done his W'ork, and a spirit at
noble and generous that might and should be the i
pride and ornament of the social circle, is now the to
degraded convict in the walls of the Penitentiary- J(
How will that fond mother's heart bleed if she shall d
hear of her darling boy, the inmate of a prison in it.
a foreign land: at
I've wandered far from thee, mother, to
Far from my happy home; th
I've left the land that gave me birth, de
In other climes to roam ;f
And time, since then, have rolled its years
And marked them on my brow;
Yet I have often thought of thee- at
I'm thinking of thee now. tl
so
I'm thinking on the day, mother, su
When at my tender side, th
You watched the dawning of my youth, na
And kissed me in your pride; pr
Then brightly was my heart lit up mni(
With hopes of future joy, -i
While your bright fancy honors wove
To deck your darling boy.
Cr:
I'm thinking of the day, mother, roe
When, with anxious care, ist.
You lifted up your heart to heaven- the
Your hope, your trust was there ; utt
Fond memory brings your parting word, of
While tears roll'd down your check ;
Thy long, last, loving look told more un
Than ever words could speak. ma
w bi
I'm far away from thee, mother, 0 tria
No friends is t:car me now, 31 r.
To scothe me with a tender word, Fei
Or cool my burning brow; adu
ad
The dearest ties affection wove, and
Are all now torn from me; str
They left me when the trouble came; ptn
They did not love like thee. bee
Ad&
I'm lonely and forsalen now, Son
Unpitied and unblest; fort
Yet still I would not have thee know text
How sorely I'm distrcss'd ; eiih
I know you would not chide mother, not
You would not g've me blame ; naI
But soothe me with your tender words, "1l t
And bid me hope again. plae
- Rep
I would not have thee know, mother, ford
Tho tC=3r with his baleful cup Lion
HInd dashed them all away;
And shame has liet its venom sting deft
To rack with angis't wild
Yet still I would not have thee know' nut
The sorrows of thy child. dil
by
. Oh, I have wandered far, mother, au
Since I deserted thee, und
And left thy thrusting heart to break,
- Beyond the deep blue sea, due
Oh ! mother still I love thee well, of I
And long to hear thee speak,
And feel again thy balny brcath Rt1
Upon my care-worn cheek. IV
But, ah! there is-a thought, mother, see
-.Prevades my bleeding breast,I
That thy freed spirit may have flown staL
To its eternal rest; m
And while I wipe the tear away, - tra
There whispers in my.cear o
A voice that speaks of heaven and thee, G
And bids mec seek thee there.
Se.
- - cot
SPEECH OF THlE by
HO0N. F. WP1ICiKE N ,th
Ddirered at the Democratic State Convention of ~
South Carol ina, in Columnbias, Mayi 5, 18$5(. de
- GENTLE.1VF. OF THlE CoNvENTION :--I returnl exi
you my thanks for the very kind manner in j
which you are pleased to receive me. I would tot
have declined the position you have called me of
to assume as your presiding ofhecer, for I desire car
no notoriety whmateven in public affairs, but for Ca
one cotnsideration, and that is, that I know there.I Jai
is consideratble opposition to the purposes of mc~
this Convention in many sections of our State, hni
and it is accompanied with tmuch bitterness. Un- o
der these circumstances, I do not wvih to appear (p.
even to avoid all proper responstbility, or to th<
dread any share of vituperation. It tins been or
the habit'of my life to meet every responsibility op
imposed on tme by th~ose whom I esteem as my w:
friends, aind I have aiways had to encounter ray ot:
full share of denun~ciaition. On this occasion, G<
white I shall not avoid the one, I shall defy theta
If 1rI am corrcetly informed, thme sole object of S.
this Convention is to send Delegates to repre- ne
sent the people' of~ this Stale in the Cincinati fa
io ienition, which meets to nominate, for the s
Dem era1tie pa rtv. c.adid~ates for P resident and c
Vice-P'resdien of the United States. T1hc ob- en
je~etions to this are--first, that it mhas not been J:
the usual etistoml of Souuth Garotina to do so;
rand s.eond, that it leads us into a corrupt stog- rt
gle and contest fo'r the enhiees of the Federal to
Government. First, as to custom, I trust you n
will bear with me while I look back brielly into a
this matter. As the issue has been mande in at
South Carolion, it is imnportamnt thant we should w
understand the history of it, or at least sonme :m
points bearing upon it. It
*In that elause of thme Constitution, viih ti
creates an electoral college, it, wazs origimally er
intended by Mr. Madison, and others, that the p
election of President att:d Vice-President should at
be removed from the people, and beyond the A
reach of popular excitenment ; and it was imien- s
ded that the electoraleollege should choose who- ti
ever they thought proper, without reference to a
rn ie']ious iicaL~tion<. Uut, in the prog ress f
of events the theory was entirely cebanged, and
the elect ion of~ eeeters w::5, in fact, the election
of President. fir the body wais pledged in ad-v
vance to one candidate or another. ITbe clausen
in the Constitutic,ni, as it originally stood, only
provided thiat they should vote for two n-umnes,
without desgnatinig who wams to be P'resident,
and who Vie-Presiidenit, but the highest .shonid
lbe P'resident. In 1800. the contest between the.
Federal and Republican party was bitter and
excited. Jeterson and Burr wecre run by the t
latter, and it fell into thme Hlouse-they both
aving an equal number of votes. Burr '
oted for as President, but only intended
!e Repablicans in the electoral college to
ice-President; and yct the Federalists, taki
Ivantage of the technical flaw in the Consti
on, which pwohibited them from designati
ho was for President, and who for Vice-Pre
!nt, actually rallied on Burr for President
-der to defeat Mr. Jefferson, who was t
ost odious of all men to them. The balloti
intinued by StatPs in the House for a leng
time, until the Government approached w<
-ar to a bitter rupture; so much so, that JI
rson himself said, if continued, Virginia woa
m. By a member or two from South Cai
ia, who were voting for Burr, at last declinii
vote at all, the election was made in favor
frerson, amid intense excitement, and gre
nger to the permanence of the Governme
;elf The feeling of danger was so wid
read, that the Constitution was immediate
onded, so as to make it the duty of the ek
ral college to designate on their ballots who
ey intended as President, and as Vice-Pre:
nt. The country also saw the great dang
corruption, and a rupture of the Governmer
the election falling into the House of Re
sentatives; and to prevent its recurrence, ar
king with abhorrence upon the disgracef
.empt in the Federal party to force Burr upc
country, the Republican party resorted i
me mode by which it was to be prevented j
ure. Hence the Congressional caucuses i
Republican party. to concentrate, by nom
ion, the whole strength of the party, and t
vent, divieiun, by which the electoral colleg
fht fail to elect, and throw it again into th
use ofRepresentatives. So at the end c
. Jefferson's second term, Madison was nom
ed over Monroe ; and so at the end of Mad
's second term, Monroe was nominated ove
wford, and others. Then during Mr. Mon
s administration, after the war, the Federal
, with the odium of opposing the war, an,
odium of their intrigues under Burr, becani
rly powerless. Mr. J. Q. Adams, the soi
the great leader of that party, had betravei
m and made a merit of disclosing their se
ts to Mr. Jefyerson, and he had accepted offie<
ler him and Mr. Madison. He now wa
le Secretary of State under Mfr. Monroe
ch consummated his reward. Under his in
ues we fully, for the first time, realized wha
Jefferson had declared-that wo were al
eralistt-all Rlepubhlicanis. Mr. Monroe'i
inistration was consolidating in its tendency
seemed to be imbued with the great maxin
Iamilton, which was to make up by con
ction what was wanting in specific grants o
er. What was called the Republican part)
tie divided between Mr. Crawford, Mr
ins, Mr. Clay, Mr. Calhoun and Gen. Jack.
The Federali.sts, as a party, not p "1ttin
h any candidate,-there was no plausible pre
or necessity for a congressional caucus, ax.
r if elected would sti;l be Repub!ican. But,
vithstanding this, towards the close of Mr.
iroe's term, Mr. Crawford received the nomi.
n of a Congressionai caucus, and of coursec
lie others denounced it. The eleelion toox
e, and of course it fell into the llouse of
resentatives in 1824-Mr. Adams, Mr. C-aw
and Gen. JacksoC.r
ito li e enius and spirit of our istitu
, following the poiular will, he ought to
been elected, but by combination he was
ated. There was an i:djourned case-of.ve.
v between Mr. Clay and Mr. Adams, and
s'ittanding this and their previous decided
rence on many points, yet he voted for and,
his intlence in the House, elected Mr. Ad.
. and immediately accepted the chief office
er him declaring that it had been usual tc
t the Secretary of State Chief Magistrate
that le thought it a safpreceder.t. It pro
ed a burst of *imdignation and a universal cr)
bargain, intrigue and corruption. Tile dan
of the election filing into the House o
hresentatives. and its dreadful and pro
Ite effects upon all the foIuntains o
r were deeily felt Iv n'I classes. Thi
.es that then o'eeurred and the danger t(
Repubhe were painted in glowing colors bi
of~ our mos beloved and distinguishei
esmen-a sttesmani, the purity of wvhos
tives in public, were only equalled by th
tcendant and georgeous bursts of his pai
tte eloqunence. I can mean no other thal
arge McDufrde, for in fiery eloquence lie stand
bout a rival in South Carolina. lie was
iber of Congress at the titme, atnd in depici
the dangers, exclaimed, if this election is t
ito the House of Rep)resentatives, and
repeated, "you corrupt liberty in this th
t of her vitality." And in this Mr. Calhoui
eurred, for albhough elected Vice-Presiden
the college, having beeti voted for by bot
friends of Adams tand Jackson, yet he thrc
wole weight of his influence in favorc
kson afterwards, upon the open grounds
eating a precedent fatal to liberty and th
stenee of the Government, if repeated.
t was his friend~s-Mcllie, H~ayne, Hlami
and others-who fought the battle in far
Gen. Jackson, on these grounds, and in 182
red the election by atcclamation, and M
Ihoun was elected again Vice-President co
-kson's ticket. No Siate in this Unioni ton
r intere4t in the elction t hana South Car
i, or wvent into it with more zeal. TI
trage hnd beeni so great by the House
presentatives, in electing Mr. Adams, th~
:re was no need of a Congressional cauet
nominating Convention to concentrate publ
inion, for thero was no divibion, and Jackcsc
s elected by acclamation to wipe out tI
trage. In the previous contest the frienids
:neral Jackson, as well as Mir. Calhoun h:
n decided ground tagainst Congression
unsses, because Mr. Craw ford had beeti non
ted in one, antd the others had run against i
miation. Therefore, the~y could never aft
11 bhaek to thaut cour-e ; but when real divisi
ratg up again, they resoirted to Natior
oventions as a substitute. I his was
se in 1832. as to the~ Vice-President; a
ckson was the unanimous choice as to
~eident, although he had said he would n
n a secondl time. The only division was
thec Vice.P'residetnt, and Sir. Van !!ureni
iminated, while Jachson was re.noat
ithot divisioni. In the mieantime, during
Iiminitrationi of Mr. Adams, his friends form
hat was called the National Recpublicani par
d claimied to be a sub-division of the C
epubican party, but they in reality drew
a great extent, the remnanit, of the Old F~
-al party, and bay their duetrines soon mnada
atformi so national, th~at any Federalist co
and upon01 it. The first great issue that3
dams and Clay made was on the Paniama in
on, and the prInciple.; assu med made the c
ntiVe divi-iotn of~ parties. Thle States Rig
mt Radical school, as thety wer~e then call
dh ii ito oppos.ition1 in t hat grea:t debate in
enae. The next great issue maide by
ntional Rtepublicans, un tder Adaims and Cl
ms a taril' tuor distinert protection, per se, e
eted with an etnr'ed systemi of iter
uiprovements. 'IThe State flights Repubbec
ook ground in opposition, and betnee arose t
reat debaute on Fort's resolutiotns, when all
rieds of Gen. Jackson, wilt Mr. Grundy, ft
'entessee, at their head. opened up the piri
des fi State interpositioni, and even nutllifi
ion, as embraced in the Virgintia resolutiout
9.-nt wTs nonn this noccnion that Gen. la3
rus distinguished for his lofty and elevated clhgc
by ter, adorned as it was by pure patriotism ani
be glowing eloquence, made his great speech it
ng reply to Mr. Webster, which Gen. Jacksor
tu- wrote him he had printed on satin, and placed
ng in his library, as containing the true theory o
si. the Constitution. Soon after his election, how
in ever, a rupture took place belween him and Mr
he Calhoun, and involved personal feelings. I
ag grew out of what Gen. Jackson had supposed
th to be Mr. Calhoun's course in Mr. Monroe's
11 cabinet, in relation to the Seminole campaign,
f- and the taking of Pensacola and the Barancas,
id It is sufficient to say that it produced a violent
o- rupture. In this rupture Mr. Calhoun-fell into
Ig a minority in the great party that had succeed
of .ed so triumphantly in overthrowing the Adams
t administration. Then soon after too, sprang up
t issues which involved the general principles up.
e- on which the canvass had been discussed; and
ly the administration took up what Gen. Jackson
c- called a judicious tariff, embracing protection.
m Mr. Calhoun and his friends fell back upon free
i- trade, and its great and vital principles, involvidg
er ultimately in the last resort, the right of State
t, interposition, taking the identical grounds taken
p- in common with Gen. Jackson's friends on the
d " Woollens Bill," and tariff of 1828, before the
11 election. In this great rupture, and in these
n great issues, it was natural for South Carolina
o to take sides with her distinguished son. He
n had been the pride and ornament of his State,
>f and had illustrated the spirit of her institutions
i- with a noble intellect and fervent patriotism, on
0 the most trying occasion, in fact, his brilliant
e genius had illuminated the remotest confines of
e our State, and each and every one of hers de.
f lighted to bask and to revel in its soft and glow
ing rays, even as man delights irthe genial sun
ofearly spring, as he flings his morning light
r over the vallies and green hills of the land, all
- leaping with joy under the plastic hand of a
- beneficent God
Yes, it was perfectly natural to take sides
with such a man and to stand by him although
he might fall into a minority. The issues be
came more violent and decided, until it enden
in thesTariff of 1832; and this State pursuing
the path 'of her professed principles interposed
her sovereign authority under the most intense
excitement. This produced universal public
discussion of the principles involved, through
out the Confederacy, and just a few weeks be.
fore the act was to be put into operation, which
the State in Convention assembled had declared
should be null and avoid, as Virginia had done
in the alien and sedition laws, " the Compromise"
was introduced in the Senate by Mr Clay, and
hurried through the House, so that in flact the
Government repealed its own act, before the
day arrived on which it was to commence its
operation. This was State interposition. All
these events produced the most intense excite.
ment, and of course threw us for years out of
the party movements of the general Republican
party o' ihe Union then lead by Gen. Jackson,
and of' course in general nominations we took
little or no interest. Those who were with us
were called the strict State Rights school. Mr.
Calhoun, in the mean time. had resigned his
Vie-Presidency and gone into tie Senate to
Bank, Gen. Jackson, for the first tie ]n
public affairs, hard in his messages, appealed to
the people of the nation as a whole, as contra
distinguished fiom the people of tie States of
the Confederacy. And hence the great majonty
of the party assumed the name of the Demo
ratie party, as contradistinguished from the
Whig party, a generic rarc, that had sprung
up and was assumed by tIhe old National Re
publicans under Mr. Clay. Our party retained
the name of State Righrts Republicans, and
stood oil many measures between the two. So
murch so, that in February, 1S35. the Democratic
party, under tire lead of Mr. Polk, in the House,
introduced tihe famnous bill organizing what was
called tle Pet Bank system, or State Banks as
depositorieS of public monics; and the Vhige,
under the lead of Mr. Binney, went for mainking
the United States Bank ngrain tire depository of
public monies, and tire State Right.4 party un1
der the lead of Ge . Gordon, of Virgia, in
troduced what is now called the Independent
Treasury, to save thiemselves5 from being absorb
ed by either as to a great principle. I wvas then
a very young member otf tire IHouse, for tire
Sfirst time, and voted with tirty-two others for
1it, in the shaprte of three resolutions, embracing
tire idenrtical prjeiples of tire present indepen
dent Treasury of the General Governmenlt. Inl
1836, thre National Convenitionl nomuinated Mr.
Van Buren, anrd from orur peculiar position at
that period, it was natural for South Carolina
tto feel no interest in tile general movements of
tire more national branch of tire party.. It was
not so muchl becausee sire opposed threir policy
f of organilzationr, but because she was indifferent,
f having been alienated from the general party
by her course on many exciting poirts. Thring~s
ethus stood until tire spring of 1837, whren uni
.versal suspension of the B~anks took place, and
with that, whiat was called tire Pet Banlk system
r blew up. Mr. Van Buren callkd an extra session
of Congress, anid was forced to recommend an
r Independent Treasury. Tihe Jackson branch of
c the Democratic party hlad wared uponl a Nationarl
Bank, and properly warred upon it, for I never
was at an~y period of my life, and I commenced
e pulie ifeat tihe early age of twenty-three, a
UntdSatesBanlk man. Mr. Van Buren could
not recommend that, and tihe favorite antagdhist
s rneasure of tire State Blanks had blown up. So
e there wvas no alternative but tire Independent
n Treasury, tihe very identical measure thrat had
been irntroduced, February, 1835, by Gen. Gor
don, and for whlich thirty-thrce of us then voted.
This position of the President, tiren the head of
the great, Demlocratie party, of course involved
Sall those great principles connected with tire
crfiscal action of the Governlmenlt, whichr lie at tire
efoundation of our peculiar system. At the ex
altra session of 1837, 1 was appointed by the
aDemoeratire party to call up and take charge of
the Sub-Treasury bill, in the Committee of tire
Wole; 1 did so, and after discussion, a motion
twas marde to report it, and thlen lay it..on tire
table. It wans carried by a small majority and
I was thre only member from South Carolina
dwho voted for the measuiro4hat session. I was
11egnsured severely for it in differenrt parts of thle
dState, na it, was supposed at that times, to savor
too much of support to tire general Democratih
r arty and Van Bureni for Lire politics of this
d State. But as soon as Mr. Calhoun took hai
d:stand for it, public sentiment changed. Huli
great speechres on that subrject soon brought tile
dState to acet cordially one more with tile na
I.tionat party, from whom we had been pnstially
-alienated "for seaveral yaars. We then wont
8-it h ampaign wihthem, arnd M.Calhour
b ecamne reconreiied to Mr. Van Buren, even s<
mj nhci so, that hre dined wvith lumr~, ;md it was
epublicly announed thrrough tire Richmond En
re q uirer. We arfterwards4 went mto caucu.s with
them on all imnportat questions;i and in thi
-greart conltest of 1840, Gov. Thomas of Mary
tld anid myself, wrot" the addresa and resoiu
a tons of thre Democratic party, upon which th
cante~rvass was conducted, or rather in caucus tii
re eport was matde by Mr'. Grurndy, and on thl
he rinotionl of Mr. Polk it was referred brick to
.sub.committee of Gov. Thomas and myself, an
a- e remodeled it. South Carolina werrt hreartil
of into tile contest, and the nomination of Va
Bureni was a mere nominal matter, as there wa
no division.' s.avere beaten, because the reso
i tions and re ad two much strict principle
for the times,. -d our opponets under Harrison
cirried it witlolut principles or rather fighting
for a NationalJnk in some sections and against
it in others; , so of all the other great issues.
At the extra s'"'ton of'1842 they endeavored
to carry every.tbing in the rhapo of a National
Bank in sbmb form, but were defeated in all.
They suceeled in the Tariff of 1842. The
conpromise of 1833 made a biennial reduction
of ten per ceqt!.to run for ten years, and at the
end of that tii'6-o be reduced to the wants of
an economica' Government. They got the
first years of -Dhe protection afforded, and before
its latter yeadfulfilled its final operation, so as
to give us the bpnefit, it, in shameless disrezard
of all faith, wigr.epealed by the Tariff of 1842,
introduced by ithe same man who had introduc
ed the compronise of 1833. This was carried
against the opposition of the Democratic party,
except two disinguished Senators, Mr. Wright,
of Now York ud Mr. Buchanan, of Pennsyl
vania.
It was these , reat questions that brought
South Carolina uto full communion with the
Democratic p" of the Union, so that in 1843
we called a Convention of Delegates exactly
similar to the assembly here now. Mr. Calhoun
had made a gritt impression, and was freely
spoken of for President in all parts of the Union.
South Carolinajook. an active part in national
politics. The Convention of this State met and
nominated him abject to the nomination at the
Baltimore Contention. The Convention also
made an argnment as to the plan of electing and
organizing the General Convention. The prom
inent nominatikhof Mr. Calhoun by this State
immediately drew the fire of the friends of all
the Candidates of the old Jackson Democratic
party. These rete Mr. Van Buren, Mr. Cass,
R. M. Johnson,. and Mr. Buchanan. In the
meantime, towaids fall, Mr. Calhoun published
his argument a p'inst the mode and manner of
organizing the nzimore Convention and its evil
t
tendencies. There had been two Delegates for
the State at largeolected by the State Conven
tion, but under dibs letter of Mr. Calhoun the
Congressional istricts were indifferent to elect
ing any DelegaC as proposed by the State
Convention, an there were none appointed.
Mr. Cslhoun's n e was even taken from the
papers of this Sfbte. But just at this juncture h
there began to .m up another great absorbing
question upon tie public horizon. The lone 9
star of Texas h risen like a fiery meteor from
the bloody field San Jacinto. In 1838 Mr. t
Van Buren and Secretary of State had re- L'
fused to considetf the question or annexation, P
and it had died " ay until 1843. The British b
Government had nterfered to prevent annexa. v
tion, avowing th frh Lord Aberdeen, that her d
object was to pn 'e emancipation throughout a
the world. Thii Xeited the public mind, and A
the able letter o r. Calhoun to Mr. King, our r1
Minister in Fran 'made the whole Southdeep- ti
ly alive to the delkiate and vast interests involved. e
The canvass for ' Presidency had narrowed 0
down pretty mu a contest between *. t
Clay and Mr. V aren. A majority of the P
Dea alrea-aee
P t . '?%xi.j question, and
ake the~elecc wW~ n- .te.old-ssespO i.
which Mr. Van Buren was defeated in 1840.
There had been a great re-action on them and it
was thought lie could now be elected. Mr Clay
was at Raleigh, and Mr. Van Buren near Alba- a
ny, and yet their letters against annexation of (
Texas appeared in the National Intelligencer, at
Wa1shington, if not the very same day-oC neap
peared one day and the other the next. This
looked like collusion, and it was universally be
lieved it was by concert and understanding, and
thence rose tha conflict which ended in the
overthrow of Van Buren. The Democratic par
ty were too sound on principle to follow their c
principal leader, and lie fell. The Whigs, who 0
it is notorious always fought for abstract princi- t
ple-followed their leader, and he lead them to F
defeat. After the appearance of these two let- r
ters from Mr. Clay and Mr. Van Buren against d
annexation the excitement became intense, and y
Mr. Calhoun wrote Mr. Elmoere anid myself to r
go on to thme Baltimore Convention by all means, C
and to have a meeting in Charleston'to get oth- 1:
ers to go with us, as it was important to the I
South, and to the triumph of Texas. I was I
vr~y reluctant to go, under the circumstances,
but we did get a few together at Stewart's Hoe
tel, Charleston, and could get no one to go, ex
cept Mir. Aiken, the present member of Congress. I
We attended the Convention, not however us
regular members, but *'hen Mr~. Polk was nomi
nated we were called on to speak, and we cor-.
dially approved of it. Mr. Polk was fo'r annex
ation of Texas-sound on the Tariff-internal
improvements-Batnk, and all great questions; 4
and as to general politics, occupied the same I
ground with Mr. Calhoun ; and but for Mr. Cal- 1
houn's letter against the organization of the
Convention, in all probability lhe n'ould have re
ceived the nomination instead of Mr. Polk. We i
came home from the Convention and public
meetings were held in the State to ratify the
nomination. It was received with enthusimsm,
and South Carolina once more entered warm
ly into the canvass for President and Vice
President. lie was elected, and appointed Mr.
Buchanan Secretary of State, and the Mexican
war came on. Mr. Calhoun threw himself
against it, and lust the sy mpathmy and control of
the Democratic party in the South. And again
in 1848 South Carolina became indifferent to the
nominating Convention for the Presidency. Gen.
Css was nominated, and many of our members
of Congress were against him and in favor of
Gen. Taylor. The people of the State, howev
er, took very decided ground for his nomination
as against Gen. Taylor, and although Charleston
was carried for Taylor, the rest of the State
went decidedly for the nominee. In 1850 and
'51, sprung up all those angry and exciting ques
tions connected with the admission of Califor
nia. A Southern Convention was called on the
recomtmendation of Mississippi to meet at Nash
ville ; secession enlisted the deepest feelings in
South Carolina. The State was divided into
two very decided and bitter parties. After the
terminalison of the controversy, the whole pub
lic feeling of the State became prostrated amnd
indifferent to general polities. Just at this pe
riod came on the Convention for nointation,
and of course, the State, undrer the heated events
she had but recently passed through at home,
took no Interest whatever In the Convention.
But when Geni. Pierce was nominated, she took
a decided and unanimous part. There was not
division enough amongst us to produce discus
sion. I have thus given a rapid view of the
coursof the State, and of the prnncipal causes
that influenced the course as wvell as I under
stood them. The only great and decided point
made in lier indifference to, or opposition to act
Iing with the Democratic party in their niomina
tingrConventions as was ponnected with Mr.
.Calhoun's publication against the mode and
-manner of organization of thme Baltimore Con
ventioni that met in 1844. Mr. Calhoun was
right as far as lie wepit. Thierp are no doubt
very grave and serious objections to the usual
i manner of constituting such assemblies. And
I Mr. Calhoun's fertile genius,ecould also, no doubt
7 point out serious objections to the tmode and
ri mannier of electing almost any, deliberative as
. sembly if he chose to analyse it. Take for m.
stance our own~Legislatures. He could easi
prove that there had been coiruption and evi
bribery at many of the election boxes-th
there had been fraud and corrupt combinatiot
in many of the Districts. And, even after ti
Legislature was assembled, it could be prove
that there was corrupt management and log-ro
ling, and unjust and unfair Legislation. So to
of Congress, that it was' very often corrupti
constituted and unfairly organized-that it we
partial and unfair in its Legislation. But
this sufficient to abandon them altogether an
abolish them ? All government itself is an ev
and the only reason why we submit to i
is that it is a substitute for a greater evil, whie
is anarchy. In this point of view it is a positiv
blessing. So in this case, there was a great ar
gument beyond the positions Mr. Calhoun as
sumed in his letter or communication, and tha
lay in the evils arising from the election of Pres
ident and Vice-President falling habitually inti
the House of Representatives. Let us look a
it for a moment. According to the Constitution
if any candidates fail to receive a maj6rity o
he whole votes cast in the electoral college, thl
flection goes to the House of Representativei
with the three highest. According to the theo
y of that instrument, also, the powers of gov.
.rnment are divided between the Senate, the
President and the House of Representatives
ind must be kept separate. But if the electior
)f President habitually falls into the House
ben that branch will in time absorb the Execu.
ive, and the President will but be the humble
ool and instrument of those who will make the
>owers of the Republic and destroy the equili.
rium of the three branches, and make in fact
mut two-and where then will be your Senate 1
With the popular branch of the Government
n habitual control of thi election of President
nd Vice-President, there can be no safety for
iberty or the Republic. The Senate would
oon be at their mercy, and we would become a
onsolidated Democracy to a certain extent, with
corrupt oligarchy in the House of Represen
atives, contesting the destiny of empire. Such
as been the catastrophe of all Republics, where
he legislative branch chooses the executive also.
he Constitution expressly reserves the raising
f all revenue bills to the House of Represen.
tives. Here, then, we would have the same
ranch of Congress that holds the purse strings,
aming, too, the executive, and making him the
unble tool of their corrupt and profligate ex
enditures.
You say it is corrupting to have Conventions
> nominate and prevent the election falling in
> the House of Representatives, and yet you
ropose to corrupt permanently the Legislative
ranch of the Republic, and thus poison the
ry fountains of the law-making power, and
bauch them by throwing the purple of empire
their bar every four years for sale and barter.
dmit for argument that the Convention is cor
pt; yet it sinks back again into the mass of
le people, without the power habitually to cov
your statutebooks, with the permanent marks
fraud and corruption. -To give that branch
at holds the revenue in its hands, also the
wer to hold the President, is in'fact to de
a Burr conspiracy of the Federalists, in 1801-'
d then in modern times to Oonventions. True,
icy may be full of evils, and even corruption,
id yet they are a choice of evils, and prevent a
reter evil in all the stupendoug and corrupting
ynsequences of the election habitually falling
to the House of Representatives. This was
ueply felt both in 1801 and 1814, and cam ' r
reducing a convulsioW and, if repeated n,
oes any man who has read history believe that
,s Republic could last ?
Now, a few words as to the time and the pe
aliar state of the country in which we are called
a to act at this juncture in our affairs. Here
wfore there might have been some cause of ap
rehension on the part of South Carolina, for
-ar she may have been betrayed, or unjustly
Salt with in Conventions. The South had for
ears great grievances to complain of, and there
Iight have been danger that the candidates
hosen might lean too much towards what had
en done by Government, rather than to alle
ite our wrongs and grievances. We corn.
laned of the operation of an unconstitutional
ank of the United States, and of a tariff for
rotection connected with it ; and, also, of an
nlarged and systematic system of expenditures
a internal improvements, appropriated on canals
d great national roads. Thbe-e were all branches
f the same system; and during the operation
f the Unitcd States Bank from 1816 to 1836,
round numbers about $4l00,000,000 of money
vus collected in the shape of revenue, $300,
o00.000 of wvhich was practically paid South of
ie ['otomuae, and out of the $400,000,000 dis
ursed by Government during that period, at
ast $300,000,000, were disbursed North of the
?otomae; and as they received $200,000,000
nro than they actually paid, and we received
niy $100,000,000 in disbursement, and of
~ourse lost $200,000,000. There is no question
pon earth but that the fiscal action of the Gov.
~rnment, during that period, affected the distri.
ution of wealth to that amount in this Confede.
*acy. We felt it deeply. The conflicts thai
bee things produced created alienation and
oubt, and forced us to look rather to local or.
manization for protection, than to national com.
>inations as to the chief offices.
An issue was produced in these violent con
[oets, and State interposition forced the Govern
ment to repeail an odious tariff act a few weeko
before the day it was fixed for it to go into ope.
ration in 1833. This commenced to stop tha
partial and unjust sources of supply for a cor
rupt and unjust bank to operate itpon in its fis
tal action, and then Gen. Jackson nobly and glo
riously destroyed the bank itself. T'his Stata
pisoduced an issue that caused the Governmen
to pause, and forced a full discussion of the un
just measure in the public mind, which ended ta
a certain extent in its overthrow; and Gon
Jackson destroyed the other corrupt branch o
the system, and gave a decided shock to loca
and partial internal improvements. Then imme
diately afterwards, in 1836, sprung up thos
other movements upon our local institutiona
They took the place in public excltement-or th
tariff, bank and internal improvements. Th
North had used them to govern the South, an'
now use Abolition for the same purposes. Thi
unholy and unhallowed oombination betwee
base ambition and foul fanaticism, the designin
and unprincipled use for the purpose of creatin
a majority to rule the South. It is more a quet
tion of power with them than of conscience
In this contest we labored under great disat
vantages. One of the leading Southern State
committed a stupendous blunder in the ordinanc
of 1781, and then we had forced on us the Mir
souri Compromise of 1820. ThIs gave t~
North the right to acquire States, and colonii
South of Stio 30' latitude, but prohibited
from going North of that line. South of it wv'
left to the settlers to ohoose slavery or not, ar
lorth we had no choice. It was an infamou
and degradin~g distinction. It was substitutir
a single law passed by a majority in Congre
for the Constitution, and attemptIng to give
all the solemnity of an amendment to the Fed
rl compact. And if they could thus add to
nmnd the instrument in one instance, they c0n
ly in another, and thus the compact itself woulk
n be in the hands of a simple majority in Con,
it gress, instead of in the hands of the States whc
is made it. The organic law of this Confederao3
e was made by three-fourths of the States, and
d they alone can add to or take from it. There is
I. no human tribunal can do it but them; and the
o country will sink down into the imltecility of
y slaves, if they submit to anything short of that.
s These were our difficulties. And that part of
s the Constitution which enjoins the rendition of
I fugitives from labor, had become obsolete. Ken.
I tucky, Virginia and Maryland felt the grievance
:, too heavy to be borne. Now, how stand the
i great issues? True, we have been wronged
3 deeply wronged in the past history of an unne
cessary amount of revenue too heavy. But a
tariff, embracing the principles of free trade, or
t at least abolishing specifies and minimums, has
been put into operation by the Government.
The Democratic party, .in its triumph, broke
down the infamous tariff of 1842, with its spe.
cific and minimum duties, enpressly for protec
r tion, and passed the tariff of 1846, with its ad
ralorem as a substitute. True, the ad valorem
is entirely too high, and the revenue beyond all
that is necessary, and the heavy disbursements,
are corrupting, and ought to be reduced. But
tie vital principle of protection, specifies and
minimus, is destroyed. They grew up from the
Tariff of 1816 and bacame the centre of exis
tence to a protective tariff-another corrupt
branch of the system a Bank, is destroyed, and
the Cumberland road, with canals, was the cen
tre of the corrupt system of internal improve
ments. It is now abandoned, and there has
been no appropriation for it since 1837. The
great issues are now changed. A Southern
Senator, Mr. Mason, from Virginia, penned the
fugitive slave law to enforce the Constitution on
that point. A north-western Senator from a
non-slaveholding State introduced and carried
triumphantly by the force of his genius the re
peal of the Missouri restriction. The North
now complains of grievances. They demand
the restoration of this Missouri line-the repeal
of the fugitive slave law. They demand the
abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia
-and the regulation of the slave trade betiveen
the States, and that no new State with slavery
shall hereafter be admitted. These are all posi.
tive measures. They require action-offensive
moves. We stand on the defensive. The Gov
ernment, at last, for the first time in twenty-five
years, has made a platform we can stand upon.
We sustain it. The North wages war upon it.
Heretofore, when we complained of grievances,
if any portion of the South made a specific
movement for redress, other portions would op
pose it, and we were divided. Now the North
has to move, and when they propose specific
action they in turn will be divided, and must be
from the very nature of things, and with the
South united and the North divided, we can con
trol this Union, if we but have wisdom and pa
triotism to perceive what is right, and to do it
manfully and truthfully.
It is provincial statesmanship not to under
stand the issues and comprehend the great
changes in the country. We need no platform
-the Government has al~nn -made the lat
LlieJzoveinmen :L 4"V,. A
Piisident at its hed,-an6. it is strong enoug
and wide enough foi us to stand upon it boldly,
and if they make a platform below that, they
must fall themselves. The North itself has
been overrun and prostrated by a corrupt and
profligate combination of parties amongst them,
selves, and there is no hope for the honest and
true there, but in the Constitution and the whole
Constitution. We go for that Constitution as
broad enough for us all. As long as we are in
the Union I am for discharging ali-hour duties,
faithfully, and fully, under that Union. I scorn
and despise to affect one thing and to feel anoth
er. If we are going for secession that is another
thing. But as long as we arE part of this con
federacy let us do our duty, manfully and faith
fully, to the eountry, the whole country-and noth
Uig but the country. These are my sentiments.
A Senator from a non-slaveholding State in
the north-west introduced a repeal of the Mis
souri compromise, and by his ability and energy
carried it through triumphantly by the assisjane
of northierw vo'tes. And I here pay my tribute
to a brave and talented man-here, in the very
centre and heart of South Carolina, I take pride
in tendering my cordial approbation to a very
intellectual and intrepid statesman. And shall
we refuse to stand by those who have planted
themselves in the breach made by the fanatical
and the factious in the institutions of our coun
try,--who stand with Douglass on the very out
er w all, and wave the fiag of constitutional
equality? No! no! Render justice to whom
justice is due.
Shall vie turn our backs with indifference up
on the President, who nobly stands in the very
portals that lead to the Temple of our common
liberties-bearing, as he does. aloft in one hand,
the sword of Justice, and in the ether the agis
of the Constitution ? Shall we refuse to nerve
his patriotic arm? Shall we refuse to stand by
him? No! no!--every feeling of my nature re
volts at it-every impulse of my heart warms
me to the contest.
But it is said, that to stand by our friends in
every emergency is to endanger the virtue of
oar men -is to bring them into contact with cor
ruption!! And has it come to this-that South
Carolina has sunk so low that she has no sons
who can be trusted in the common councils of
our sister States? If we are thus prostrate,
poor indeed we must be,-nnd in truth it is time
that our guardians should be appointed. But
there is danger of our becoming corrupted with
federal oficees, if we go for choosing a sound
and true President !!! We have no mo
motive exegpt to engage in a scramble for
federal oflices!!l! Ah! I have a right to say
that there are men here, who can trample the
livery and trapping of federal honors beneath
their feet in the dust of the earth, if incompati
ble with the honor and rights of South Carolina.
I tell ge*ntlemen, that there are those here, who
F disdain
I " To crook the pregnant hinges of the knee,
.Where thrift may follow fawning."
SI throw back the insinuation in pity and con
.tempt. If there be any son of South Carolina,
Swho, on account of his character and devotion
ato the Constitution, may be thought worthy of
i Federal power, why may he not wear the badge
* withi honor ? There is nothing at present in the
i attitude of the State to forbid it. No-let us
rdo our duty-let us do what is right in forbear
Sing liberality to those who differ with us. Do
. openly and fairly what is right, and my Jife on
,it South Carolina will sustain us.
Low.CoUsmYrWrtEAT.--We have received
sa very fine sample of' heads of WVheat raised on
the plantation of Mr. J. R. AMATTHEWES, on
ePen Pen. They are nearly mature, with a large
e number of full grains to the head. This seems,
eto solve the problem of the possibility of pro.
'S~tably growing Wheat in the Low-Country ol
South Carolina.-Chareton1 Mercury.
s A late exchange says that the ladies of Aurora
g Illinois, in considerat'on of this being Leap yeai
is have, without the sham ow of a dissentient voice
it passed the following resolution:
e- "Resolhed, That if we, young ladies of Au
>r rora, don't get married this year, somebody wil
ld be to blame."
NESSI. BRK AIN D EL -
The correspondent of the New York.
Herald, says about half-past one, after the
Senate adjourned Col. Preston S.,Brooks,
member of Congress, of South Carolina, ap
proached Senator Sumner, who was sitting
in his seat and said:
"I have read your speech carefully and..
with as. much disposition to do you justice
as I could command; ahd I have deliberate.
ly come to the conclusion that you were
guilty of a gross libel upon my State, and
of a wanton insult to my absent and grey
haired relative, Judge Butler, and I feel my.
self under obligations to inflict on you a.:
punishment for this libel and insult." -
Col. Brooks thea struck Senator Sumner
with his cane some dozen blows over the
-head. Mr. Sumner at first showed fight,
but was overpowered. Senator Crittenden
and others interferred and separated them.
Mr. Keitt, of South Carolina, did-not'in
terfere, only to keep persons ofl.
Senator Toombs declared that it was the -
proper place to have chastised Mr. Sumner.
About a dozen Senators and many stran
gers, happened to be in the Chamber at the
moment of the fight. Sumner, I learn, is
badly whipped. . The city is considerably
excited, and crowds everywhere are discus
the last item. Sumner cried, "I'm most
dead! oh, I'm most deadl" After Sumner
fell between two desks his own having been
overturned, he lay bleeding, and cried out,
"I am almost dead-almost dead !"
Mr. Brooks waited at the Porter's-.Lodge
about an hour yesterday, and as long this
morning, hoping to meet Mr. Sumner, with
a view to attack him. Failing in this, he
entered the Senate Chamber to-day, just as
that body adjourned, and seeing several la- .
dies present, seated himself on the opposite
side to Mr. Sumner. Soon all disappeared,.
but one. He then requested a friend t& get
her out, when -he immediately hppioached
Mr. Sumner, and made his remarks in a very
quiet tone.
Mr. Sumner attempted to spring to his
feet, ihowing fight, but whilst in the act was
struck by Col. Brooks a back-handed blow
across the head, with a gutta percha cane'.
near an inch thick, but hollow, and he'con
tinued striking him right and left until the
stick was broken into fragments, and Mr. 5
Sumner was prostrate and bleeding on the
aoor. No one took holdsof Col. B. during
he time, so quick was the operation; but
mmediately afterwards Mr. Crittenden
aught him around the body and arms, when
Col. B. said, "I did not wish to hurt him
nouch, but only whip him."
No one knew of the anticipated attack
V iefnidseaiied hhe' i
his speech, and that if ocoasion required it
he would use his weapons. He was not
armed when attacked by Col. Brooks to
day. It is said also, that Mr. Summer gave
out, before he made his speech, that he
would be responsible for anything he might
say.
The local editor of the Washington Organ
thus describes Mr. Sumner's appearance,
after the assault:
His wounds consisted of two deep gashes.
across the scalp; a heavy bruise, running
from his mouth to his forehead; bruises on
his hands and arms, and also on his legs,
which were caused by his sudden contact
with a desk with such force that he com
pletely unprooted it.
The Doctor partially shaved his head and
put two stitches in- each would at the Capi
tol, and completed the dressing at his rooms.
We have devoted a considerable space
to-day to matters connected with this difi-.
culty. We much regreat that the insolence
of such men as Mr. Sumner, renders such
scenes occasionally necessary. His speech
was a gross outrage upon the character and
dignity of the American Senate; and while
persons may honestly differ as to the pro.
priety of the place, where the punishment was
infieted, tbere are few who will not admit
that he justly deserved a severe guua-pur
chaaing, and he received it.
THE KITCHEN.-We will give to intellect,
to immortality, to religion, and to all virtues,
'the honor that belongs to them. And still it
may be boldly affirmed that economy, taste,
skill and neatness in the kitchen, have a
great deal to do in making life happy and
prosperous.
Nor is it indispensably necessary that a
house should be filled with luxuries. All
the qualifications for good house-keeping
can be displayed as well-on a small scale as
on a large one.
A small house can be more-easily kept
clean than a palace. Economy is most
needed in the absence of abundance.
Skillful cooking is as readily discovered
in a nicely baked potato; or a respectable
johny-cake, as in a nutbrown sirloin or a
brace of canvass-backs.
A dirty kitchen and bad cooking have
driven many a one from home to seek for
comfort and happiness somewhere else.
Dbmestic economy is a science-a theory
of life, which all sensible wvomen ought to
study and practice. None of our excellent
girls are fit to be married until they are the
roughly educated in the deep and profound
mysteries of the kitchen.-Tennessee Far
mer.
THE fact that canal navigation is about to be
resumed, gives much uneasiness to New York
dealers in breadstuffs and provisions, mnore so
from the fact that the prospects now are that
we shall have most abundant crops this ssen.
'rhe New York Express, referring to the down.
ward tendency of the markets, says:
"Upon a reasonable crop, prices, at the close
of water navigation, stood at $9.25 for common
flour and $1.06 for corn, with a foreign market.
promising favorably by reason of the war, which
allowed us to feed armies of men. who, in time.
of peace, passed their lives in growing food foa
Great Britain. Navigation opens upon flour at
86 and corn at 62j cents, with peace in Europe,
and a favorable prospect for crops here. The
decline i beef and perk is not so large, but it
must follow, inasmuch as cheap and abundant.
food for stock must increase and cheapen the:
crop of both."