Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-01-01

iui star when now beams upon the s,Sding clements
IA w give new impulse To the prosperity resources
and power Of the State aud far indemnify her for
all the sacrifices she has made in vindeaiing her rights
anu hperues ana Liberties against the nsurpalcns and
expressions oi The Federal Gcvcrnncn: Let us then
ieow-ciizcns. in Offering up all our political annosities
upon the altar OF disntcrcstcd patriosm unite in
common effort to dcvclopc the resources perfect the in
suons increase the power and elevate the character
oihc Stale and let dsdaining miserable aud mcrce
nary and degrading scramble for the public Offices which
mas dlsgtaccd the policy and corrupted the morals of too
many other States direct our ambition 10 the more olo
rous rivalry of trying who can do most To render South
Irohna an enlightened. prosperous and happy conmu-
NIFTY thoroughly comprehcndng the value of her rights
aud liberties, and thoroughly prepared TO defend them
Here we have opened to ample and glorious field
OF exeron, worthy of the ambition Of the devoted pa
'riot and The talents of the most gifted Statesman. Our
attention has for many years past been exclusively
directed TO the Federal Government the necessity of
resisting IT'S alarming cncroacnents that we have too
much neglected this appropriate field of State LEGISLATION
and State policy, and permitted domestic nstitu.
ons TO aI INTO the most deporablc of decay and
The present condition of the College-an Institution
enthusiastically an enlightened patriotism and muniicent.
y endowed by the State calls for our most PROMPT and
anxious attention In that state of intellectual excite
men and activity by which the whole civilized world is
80 Remarkably charac;erizcd in which the ascendancy of
NINA over mucr is illustrated by the daily triumphs of
SCIENCE III all the departments of industry and nr an
educated aud enlightened population is the great and
primary element of the wealth and power of States and
finpifcs; and what is much important the only
substantial basis OF free political institutions AS our
Ioiegc, therefore, is at the time pillar and an
ny.
pore the causes of its declining and almost runous con-
diton and devote Jealous and united cxertions to
the work of its revival
Among the most sacred of the obligations which we
owe TO poserty is that ofpreparng the rising generation
to act well their part the great theatre of human a
ars according to the emergencies in which Providence
may place them; and impressed with solemn and
painful convction that however rude have been the
storms which we have had to buffet they but refresh
ing zephyrs in comparison with those which some of ur
chdn tina; in all the security of unconscious
infancy, will yet live to encounter.
Under this impression, shall devote my most jealous
and interchangeable efforts TO reinfusc into the ma that
high military spirit which recently animated that patr
otto band of citizen soldiers the volunteers of South
Carolina, and to introduce the most efficient
ton and the highest possible state Of improvement in
Strategy, tactics and general discipline In this rent
labor earnestly solicit and confidently anticipate your
hearty cooperation. Some of the prooundest mn Sns
OF political wisdom have been so long the hackneyed
themes of defamation, that they have come TO be re-
rdd rather mere idle topics for the usngs and the
rosru than the basis of wise and practical STATES
manship. Among these maxns none seems To bn
been more emnently destined to he preached and not
pracused than that which afrms thai well-regulaed
and werained militia is the palladium of our liberties
10 what portion of the whole world is this maxim moro
strikingly applicable than it is TO the save-holdinr
states oil TINS conederacy and in which of these states
should 1t be more solemny and mprcssivcly realized
than IN - Carolina? very small endowment of that
political sagacty 'whicooks before and after will enable
any statesman to perceive without looking very far back
or very far forward that among those probable contn
gences against which il is the high office of wisdom and
patriotism TO provides rs the occurrence of crisis in our
potcai relations at no distant period in which s. Caro-
lima, IN common perhaps with all or n portion of the
other States, will have to maintain her sovereignty
and defend the rights and liberties of her citizens be-
fore the great tribunal of ultimate resort by mun
mcnts OF title and guarantees of quiet enjoyment
much more potent and ellicacous than that miscra.
Die mockery OF blurred and obliterated and tatered
parchment the Constitution of the United States If
communities will ever learn wisdom from experiences
can II be more than necessary TO appeal TO the impress
slve lessons have received from the occurrences of
the two last years. admonton for the regulation
OF our future policy When my distinguished friend
and predecessor entered upon the duties of that station
which he sgnay illustrated by that combination
OF prudence, patriotism, wisdom and energy that has
so largely contributed to carry triumpanty through
the d!hcuiucs and perils of unequal contest what
was the condition and what the attitude of South Caro-
lima 1t is true that almost her entire popuation of all
agcsIand might almost add sexes-werc prepared to
march forward as iororn hope of constitutional liberty
animated by spirit not less self-devong and heroic
tan that which prompted Leondus and his three hun
drcd Spartan followers offer up their lives at Tbcrmo
py@, for the common liberties Of Greece.
Ana here; fcilow-cifizens, permit say that it
was proud and glorious day for South Carolina when
her PuDc funcuonares in all the departments other go
vernment, fred by aspir of patriotic indignation which
Pervadcd the whole State with an electrical rapditv
hurled back with and contempt that bloody edct
federal despotsm which its infatuated advisers con-
hdently anticipated would instantly induce terror
stricken people to u the banner of their pretended sove
relgnty and PROSTATE the feet of herioppressors,
ipt no, thank God, that evcntu occasion S. c. ex-
hbitcd spectacle of the moral sublime unsurpassed by
any thing recorded in alone amidst the
combined fury OF all the surrounding elements
a thousand Wild the shore"
1t was that imposing spectacle and the preparations
which followed it, that enlisted in our cause the adyo
cafes Of constitutional liberty every where and command
ed the respect and admiration OF our oppressors
and it is not to be doubted that it was the uneouivoca
evidence thus given that the State could not be dragoon
ed and frightened into submission which, operating upon
the patriotism of some and the calculation of others led
TO the adoption of that adjustment of the tariff which re-
stored harmony TO the country.
But ! never look back to that trying and periIous
crisis without lnsnctivcly suddering the reflection
that ii the madness of the federal authorities had driven
the country to the dreadful extremity of a civil war
thousands OF the chvay of the State would have been
slaughtered by Federal mercenares solely for the want
OF That strategic and tactical skill in the officers and that
exact discipline in the soldiers, which could only be ac-
CURED by assIduous study and aborious training Let
us not the permit ourselves to be lued into fatal Sc
curity by the peace and unexamped prosperity which
nave crowned our exertions seduced by the spirit of
acquisition or the auremens ofindoIcnce TO relax our
efforts to put the State in an ARMOUR and attitude
adapted to the worst emergency thai can arise
III melancholy reflection forced upon us by history
that skiiiu generals and werained armies have been
generally found fighting for emperors and kings or in
Of ambition and conquest while the couse az bor
y has been almost exclusively defended by armies badly
trained, commanded to be sure by brave patriots but
hardly ever by great captains Let us blot out from the
page OF history this deep reproach upon free institutions
Liberty is surely well worth the labor and foil md
expense of military preparation as any obecto of ambition
possibly can be; and have read history to very little
Pnr pose II we have yet TO learn that in this world
OF injustice and violence, liberty can be preserved
only by being prepared TO defend IT, But for n
State having the peculiar Institutions and occupy
ing tie peculiar position of South Carolina 20 think
oil preserving her liberties without a vigorous state
oil military preparation, is that sort of madness with
winch the HcathcD Gods of antiquity supposed 10
niiict state which they had predesnated 10 destruc-
ton. am aware that the wealth and intelligence of
the Northern and middle States are opposed TO any d
rect ard unconstitutional interference with domestic
institutions and our rights Of property but am also
aware that there exists fanaticai spir of Hind and