University of South Carolina Libraries
11 TO SOTJTIIERN RTCTIITS, r 8011 1)EMOCI.RACY, 1NEWS, L1TEBATUIIE, oil r Zatfbc Y "., SUIII'1'I;YU.'I'.ILL Y;, S. C., OC'1.'OBIAL 14, 1S 51 n 'no ass cto" o so 'ety. sale our and ibic I1 .1C lC of P Oti. t~ as ulx> lit) A' ally store the good old days of Carolina wisdom and generosity. I have been accustomed to discuss this gjoi: ion practically and intend ed to ;-.ow, but have been lead off int . reflections until I have almor ; i the space I ought to oc cupy. e Secessionists, so far as I have r .t . -m, dwell at length upon the wtrongiq .%hich have been inflicted upon the South, and upon the right of a State to secede. When they have proved these propesitions, they have not much more to say, Now, we who oppose secession, begin ex actly where they leave off. No re arty in South Carolina . the South has been ag. m:0 North, and that we cause to resist the gov K h has oppressed us. 1 outh Carolina denies is the right to secede. - : tho necessity of deba. all admit ? Why in ic mimd by dwelling n t i110t we all feel and feel ply ? These are net the qjuCs ins; but how is this thing to be inedied ? This is the question hich concerns us and concerns our carts. We say by limit ed s'ut/'hern 'etion, which we hope will end in a Southern Confederacy. Our oppo ents say by separate State seces. -ion, and when asked what then ? they say nothing that is definite. I'hey are utterly unable to tell the people what is to be the end (if this ;olitary tooveneit. One man advi ies a scheme of smu ggling, another ulvises perfect Free Trade, anuther ml recui 'nends to the peop'I le any 'lar e:tsure, he is Ibounl to w !s of his sehenme alil Its. If le calnnot ?ud1 wh tiser, a adl HLave the se. .1.he iL luate.0 i. a s an'otlier, the othe: 'uterl n :tes ill not seC us hurt says a bird, I anl ilen k is gravelv smm gest. ! anl ilphoily I roved, that ne'ither hmd or the other Southlern States or will help us if n e persiSt in .x madl CI scheme',e are t hNl wit h uclh fervor, "a br ave eIle take .counIse of thae:r fe'ars." WVe1, is all very wvel inl the stumpj andl hnilg downi a roJund) of appllaulse; e's it satisf'y the indi', and w iH the peLp' eI after thev hia'. 'eeived ilt') the rash step' It s abrave peopile take no c'wu * ir f'ears, but a wise CeUl s look to thet c'onisequencI'les -nenit, andi' int fo'ruming a na. iocrter', wisd'omh is, ati least, as m t as courag.e. The~~ Ic Il ha ht to kno1w lherea they heir Lea ' exlaini the diiediities I h sIe n ationrality pr:esenlts, -red " ' take no' c oun. * IJI~meenary argu have good rease arheing' deei -' eiuse tile blind4 ec too inuria iot ben merporee a o the nigh ,arlaling l n ati s, bji . -- the rest of Iu ewll n.> pe.) II ,~ and 11o of thema to be' subijletedl, * lenlee the State, and a Convention, thu: created, is about to seal our destiny The present election furnishes the on ly probable opportunity, before the meeting of this Converimon, for the people to declare their will. It has been loudly asserted, that a majority of our people are in favor of imine iate Secession from tne Union, and both parties have turned to this etc. tion to ascertain the fact. You wil perceive, then, at once, that if the advocates of Secession elect th< members to the Southern Congress it will confirm this assertion, and ir [ll probability will induce 'them t< carry out their measure as speedily as the Convention can he assembled You are therefore, in falct. toow Je termining the n whether S. L'arolina ::haill at once secede alon from the 1:nion. In deciding this question, it is im portant that all lhrriers should be re noved, which prevent you from lo'k hg directly into its whole imerits. L)ie of the most fornidable of thest carriers, is an i!: pression that the state stantds com:itted by pledges to :akc separate action, which, as tnen Af honor, her citizens are bound to redeem. Let us, therefore, in th< first place, examine the facts. and ice how, and to what extent, the State stands committed. We will go back as far as 18-18 AtlI 'ugh that date is two years ahead Af the Lite action of Congress. At he session of the IAegislature inl De. :erzb'er, :1 518, the following reptort 4144 resubtit ils conan t 11 he action to liich the State was plcdgcd !- trot fromt tIo Inlt a n ~l s e .' .. . ' . ' ',6. { . ( ' ta ltahl t, wh2 Sou41 (.:1,th 'rt'S lina "a' l"n I i sIt ard1 . :1 eth- n.aintttalt d shl.mtid gov ':ni the :Iatio of the 4tates. andl theiaw of C"onigress Ilr Ill all matters atfec ting; the i igilts :nd nter ests 1:of .:y iei.beI otf this 1"'i I,. it I , I ' a"rs :n. I th.! : .. " al. \ 'a b'1 . rei r t i. ti . ' .:it trat r : . ! : ..1 hv s I-t e -n t s ' t0 'a :e :ti 1 . the subj..1 ' t 'n'" b .. -l e : .. . . r by th 4 2: ;. ,t\ .. r-1 r an1 :1ach II us h 1la r y : fr mii s on a ti 'tai nit te : an a 6 no 4tio c ll ~''ed t.&, l4'i:ea)c r I'' Iu " l . .,I. i 4 ..~i a t'' i ii ,.ri IA') at s ' ci V'li 14N I. 42, I .t'~I yotur' in..nnaiS le t, il thlt. coiedi m I~9 Thve It henua'tee'1: ton F'4d'r er ithle (Govern1 r, it reai1 the re W CN as to the nrucez*ityq on the part "f' the Souther pet'(11ople if a -unitel action agaiinst the encroachinents upon their domestic institutions, and their con dition of erpuality in this confederney, by the people of the North and biy the Coigress of the United States; and rejoice with him in the lofty and dignifed position assumed by the people of the State of Mississippi, against any such infractions of the compromises of the Constitution; and the appeal which she has made to the people of her .sister States of the en)11non' agg///ressioin. Thi commit. tee are of the opinion expre!'sed by this Legislatuire, at its last session, that the l.ri.dl of decisive action has at rived, and that the authorities of South Carolina should be prepared, promptly to take such steps, (I the (d4l'r tae -'Sf the S out/h shall re commend, and her own position de inands. The committee, therefore, in conformity with their own opinions, as they believe, with the expressed and uiideistotl wishes of this Iegis lature. a:.d of the people of the whole State, recommend for adoption the followin_ resolutions: esobed, That in the event of the passage i.. Congre:ss of the Wilmot Proviso, or any kindred measures, that his Excellency the G overntor he requested firthiwith to convene the Legislature, in o ider to take such stets, as the rights, interests and honor of this State. ald ""t' t/i tr!' .nSu1fth, shall denand. leilved, 'hat the Senate do agree to the report. Srilere i, Th:c. it be sent to the I l..use of R1epresent:ative;. for cei rI. ~~ '. L.'. byv a ( u' <i ii the cj'tupic 1" .\is5is5i: - . to S,"0 dele;-a:es to meet :at N at hallet, t., , ..; %r in( c,.t~t,re , !]-u t 2 utse il s'g /g? 1, l 'Il (t Ut Fil' tso Anid, :iaJ, s-> niih cf the tes e t t.:i :t l . ! i. t' :~ l i " ' lI t I'th I .d la th : , l ee h r l', I I'.' lie.' bi.* , 'v.: h e ae d ii ' l Iwo' l I ee te. ey tnle .. 1"1I*', I,., I t i i dt.t to'b:n h nec~mi v.e he ai *f th uh:n enerechinnts o theN (rt ,' an e,. n !! ." ' \\ '1 1 e mI e' e ' House of Representatives declares a that 'the people of this State have s pledged themselves, through their f Legislatures, to Co-operate with the c other Southern States, in opposition to all such measures.' b Here, then, are all the pledges of I South Carolina. They are distinct and definite for .Co-operation with t our sister States of the South. Not r one word is there of separate State I Action or Secession. 'The proceedings of the session of e I 50, strengthen this view of the I subject. At this session, no reso- il lutions were adapted, but several i1 leading measures distinctly evince ( the position of the State. The first e of these measures was the act calling a a Convention and Southern Congress. 3 The p:atnble to this act, as well as its provisions, manifestly speak the f views of the Legislature. r The act is entitled, an act to pro. t vide for the appointment of Deputies i, to a Southern Congress, and to call t a Convention of the people of this c State; and here is its p'reatnb: t 'Wherea3, the Convention of the t slavehoilding States, lately assembled t at Nashville, have recommended to I the said States to meet in Congress 1 or Convention, to be held at such time and place as the States desiring, t to be represented may designate, to be composed of double the number of :heir Senators and Representatives r in the ( i.'ngreSs of the United States, f entrusted with full power and au thority to delibeiate with the view to deliberate with the view and intetnti,,n of :rrestinig further ag re iins. auil, ifj ossible,of restoring tit. coisti t . itic ial r.igdts of the Sou th s the l.ns ;::Ad ovrila'..ne t of the C t.i St:ates, Mcd thiereujon, to t:,e care that the c"mTlmoii wealth of I S uth ('arlina shall sufer no det. rileilnt. 13 it in the power of human in gen- l ::. i li ' _tl \'.ctV l' t e r evt lis i I .'..i ~~tjL her Ii ti t?': 1 . t i. l:ubt rnaliuin' it w"l l be e ii by the fact, Iu .-:aturc t. ctcd. at I thet La; n, =iI. i. the d ?le ates who t were t .t t e ":a:e at lar'ze b \at a : t'n, :idh Jh n iii I' I nr' *:0 i of ulirm, at the tm i . u% aii ''eIi i e ''pposed tt ue .I hbef. re uis these - u :aniothier a b-. utieh theire - i *--tlihe 1(0 c iie. tinu doi:.cere inl their~ ..... i.. ::... l...... r. the recal, activea :nI , i iiane Le~t uts test ne u i * . . \ t the last sess in thetc i l..i eure,i tprcica :ueeii anyV form. Th~e first ofI thw uns the rising; of moniey , by ina e f the taxecs: the~ second, the I rath n .f a beard for juidicioutsly ex\ ii ii-In the iiucniey; an~d the third, t!. hibhig .f Steiin I ackets, for :iii himiding the State with armed ;!-anuers. ta aieit im defelinig her u ai tre, of courtse, prepared to ''Ipect thlat these mne-isutes were in'rs duced andl urg~ed by t' ecesson leaets-ub~ at ill be v~ - .'ise< to learn that they were . 'Wi el. catiin tini. and tw. were aicitlly cipposed by seve'u. thle moit c emminenat eccced..n mnen.; .nd if this opposition had been uccessful the third would have ailed, because it depended upon one f the othors. The increase of taxes was proposed y myself, and ir. and out of the louse it was urged as inqumbent on outh-Carolina, where alontthe resis, atice party had possession of the ;ovcrnment, to provido arms and unitions of war, not only for herself, ut for the confederates n-hjgh yg xpected soon to have from the South, t had been urged by the Union party 1 several of our sister States, that n case of conflict with the General overnment, there was not powdo nough in the whole South to supply single Cngagcmenut. Nay, some of Iou may remember that evop in outh-Carolina, the Governor had re, lied to a company, at Walterbo, ough, that he was unaable to supply hem with arms. To moot these ei, gencies, to encourago our fiiends ir ho South, and to exhibit to ou; nemies at the North a spirit of do, ermination, which could not be put own, we urged an increase of tho axes. Let the record speak what allowed. I have copied the fol owing from the Journ , page t21. "Mr. Harrison moved to reduto he tax on lands from 28 to 26 cents, Ir. Memminger moved to lay the mendmont on the table-yeas 74, ays 38. Among the nays are the allowing names-Messrs, Abney, asloy, Evins, Hiorrison, Hluteon, ngram, Lyles, Moormnan,' &c. 'Thoso acquainted with tho nnes ill recognize among the nays the etive legislative leaders of the see, ion partyr. -o is now the Co-operation e idato for the southern Congre roin the Third Congress'oual Vn riet. .A was reported by the .t rittee, of which I have the c a w i e chairman; and wheni it c. rte Ce fuai. the following i:,etccnth clause, and these lotlow. iz, (.which granted the aid of the rate and required the steamers to e so constructed as to bo made vailable for war purposes.)- Yeaa 1, ays . Among the yeas are bie full.iing-Messrs. Abuey, Ilut. oin, Keitt, .Aoornan, Sullivan,' &c. Now when it is considered that becse e' re the practicai mea,. res which elearly exhibited to II the world our determination to rouvide foar our defence, and that lhe establ.hihment of a direct trade iith liurope by steamers was in overy sl)et all cileetiVo meaSuiro of 1'e, erry,*~ of .a . . Laders joining withL him to opposC the ist nucleuis of maritime defence, the irst beginnings of practical resist, meec, w ill surprise you as much it i lid us.' '.\orzi:.--T'he o: hor pract.:al meas&ure, jpurl ng a lioani o (t lrIahane, was in. wKre by.r. T'orre, of Chaarletstona, oneo I Ih ic irmze t ad'v atesi of Co0. (p1iatio I d' oppo. t o Sceesson. T1ho iuna and ;ays not' apainifjg onl thl:s Inasu're in the a i ial, I inaode 1no 11o1 of it, a nd it thus es, apedl tuy attenitionin 01ny spech, I also 'niitited to notnce that I had mysel f iubmilt, edl to thie lI on th l ollowmng resolutions, o inidicate moy view of thie course to ho ar.-ned y the la State. "l the'l louise if liepresentativos, De. embeir in, I -50, .\ r. Miteauinager stiuomeda hc f ollo w inig re solutioins: I. Re'solda , Th'ast the proposal of the ',ashaule Ic('onventioun, that thle slave-hold. lag States shall mecet m ia Sothern Con. 'reesi. is aiccepated bay South Carolina, and hi 'encera I .siimbly will forthwith pro. ade hfr the a ppoiintmeint of LJepaut ies to the ~2. Resodied, Th'lat t w o hutnd red thousand l1oia bae app'ropriated for the purpose of rin g anid defending thie State. 3t. Reso/redei, TJhat a pl . stysteml be 0s. ~ab h edlIa for p~rotect ing ii. m *. ,, und *idi iree, froml the evil dei - -. unssaijriesu andl abohtiona... CoI.aIUJDFD NF.XT WEEK.) 'V .o ie '~Iae sorrow increases, -n~ i..j a. n ho found out eC ias ~.. , ma in the lettn these nations must be maintained in the contemptible condition which they now occupy. They ar nations of sIff'ecrane'. And nhat is this bal ance of power, but the confederative system which obtains in these United States, and which the separate nation ality of South Carolina will destroy in these Southern slavcholding States. Break up these Southern States into separate indenendencies and the in stitution of domestic slavery is doom ed. Separate South Carolina from these Southern sisters and the first Southern soil devoted to abolition will be that of orthodox South Carolina. It must be so. )cstrov this confed crate, this balance of gower system, ;hich keeps togetlic' and preserves )r slave Ulnion, miking it to e g to be injured cith,-"' - --s within, or the .d .. - mte by one th . 6%ill fall read ad policy of South Caroli . iacriiiced, s iring upon nu. )-l ; u n 1o p la in , it , . , l . . . . n u - bolition, or to present so fearful a atastrophe, forces our people to :one back to the protecting circle of hese Southern slaveholding States, u ith ci ushied and broken hearts, a 0uniliated and degraded race. I Or one cannot e.'nscnt to lend inv aid o bring our beloved State into .a po sitioni so fallen. A zd I have a stron: ouitidence, that the I citle "ill not - so blinil to their honor, dignity of :bar acter, intelligen ace a:1l cuura;.; is to je'Iliit tIi~n iselves to le liu rried, ( a N ii s ''r fan.atIS Isil,. 1t4. a lu <:nre hi:U! hen:l ri-a , rnlu(j ', ,:it :115ih the nei na17 1ti (' h / l on117. ins. I i t:n anl I n. I f ). I>'. s ' rir, av l'antl1i5ates . r Ihr, .'.ul!!tiritt i o:,,res. ,11r. J.T Irmini:: r " 1t' -essleI te--..| ;ot.! OSn ia. u hw.ae.n tb e ll uI'e ttedl. I ej u . that'- ti . t i' i ittse h~nve u:.it' I in t' rer an..-. l-t; :%-, _ ntl e !.t . i wi l ni. : I1:, ,y a h fe ..t" 1 n,! ie .: se." :;t. , r ! ,. ;. n th,- 1 ut itg eire :. li ti:e Naity h , : l thir I ;i .at nhit.. It ian1111 t h tilj Uoii liti S '.uI'll l Ii t he l e in I inin*, t h ttat a h. ' a nt'