Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-04-17
DETEsTABLE SENTIMENTS.

LIE ES ABLY SEN L IMENA %
We make the following quotation from speech
delivered in the recent South Carolina Conven-
ton by R. w. Smith, Esq. one Of the nuA!fca-
ton leaders, for the purpose Of showing the fol-
ly and madness to which some men are driven.
Will not the virtuous people of this country
frown them DOWN. The whois speech. from
which the following is all extract, is published "a
that patriotic print, the Telegraph.
Mr.. President, have one more objection to
urge against this report. 1t is not an objection
to an error in principle, but in professions: In
the first column, find the following words:-
:. .ardenfiy attached TO the Union of the States,
the people Of South Carolina were still more de.
voted to the rights of the States" Sir, is this
profession plainly and simply true? Ii It's. let
it stand. Since your attachment might be sus.
pected, accumulate epithets to your profession
Sir, ask the gentlemen upon this Hour, whether
they can lay their hands upon their hearts and
say that they are ardently attached TO the Onion
of these States. Why! have We MOI for the last
seven years, been declaiming against this Union,
as nfilcting upon Us oppression aud poverty and
desolations And have We not proved it, tIium.
phantly proved it. and throughout the vide
south, made common the high complaint, that TIE
southern States of this confederacy, by policy as
destructive as it was unprincipled, were practical
Nv counsei to the other sections of the Union.
sArden,ly attached to HE Union Of these States.
Where then is your talk about your Constitution,
and the rights il guarantees? YOU have more
than once declared that the Constitution was an
initiated, and annihialed under the Union OF
these States. 1t is now norhns-and the Union
every thing without it. A consolidation, despot-
ism, by virtue Of this Union. is erected upon
the ruins of the Constitution over Carolina, yet
we are "ardentIy attached TO the Union Of these
States" Sir, let others think as they may, and
act as they may. pretend not to Judge OF their
feelings aud opinions; but cannot Daiter with
conscience or play the nypocrite. Nor can Ca
rOlina, consistently with her honor and truth,
dissembe a, to her true situation. | boldly de.
clare it. land believe that | express the feel
ings of the freemen represen0 under the eco.
vernment as administered, have no ardent at
tachmeut to the Union Of these States
Once indeed, my pulse beat high for this
Union. But the DAYS of my boyhood have pas
sed away, and the bItteres, fruit which the ex.
perience of manhood has brought me, has been
the Knowledge OF my true situation, as citizen
in this confederacy. What has this Union left
to usi Ii has usurped the rights. and tamp'ed
on the independence Of our native country. IL
ha. abolished the beautiful system OF liberty ami
Justice, be1ueathrd to Us by our fathers, 10 eur
CONSTITUTIONS. and has built up an armed dsspo
tism in its stead The star--pancied banner No
longer waves in triumph and glory i"r me.
have seen it flatng over the armed nIs'rumenis
of a tyrant, prepared "to legalize robbery by
mossacre." | have heard the cannon fflDs
from beneath it. by an empty demonstration Of
power. to insult and degrade this un'amed and
yet free Slate; and that beautiful bay. from,
whose waters British Admiral was driven in
defeat and dIsmav by feeble band OF Caro-
linians, now Stands beleasuered beneath the folds
of this disbonured flag.
"Ardentv attached to the Union of these
States!' Sir, il u confrderacy o! the southern
States could now b. obtained, should we moi
deem il happy termination happy beyond tx.
pec,atiun, for our long struggle tar our right,
against oppression? | fear. that there Is no long
or hope of liberty Tor the south under Union,
by which all self-.overnment /. taken away.
people owning slaves. a,e mad. OF worse than
mad, who do no, hnd their d"stinies in their own
hands. Do we not hear the insornt assumption
by our rulers, that slave lab"r shall not cume in.
to competition with free? Nor lsit our northern
brethren alone-the whole world are IN arms
against your institutions. Every stride OF this
Government over your rights, brings It nearer
and nearer to your peculiar policy; and even
now. it stands, with the bill Of blood IN one hand
and the sword in the other, and Carolina must
bow her dishonored head, and breathe forth the
slavisb or hypocrticaI profession Of "ardentIy
attached to the Unlon.' SIR, let slaves adore
and love despotism-it is the part Of freemen
TO detcst and resist 1t.
The Columbia s. c. Times remarks with some
cnmnlacpncy thai