Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-04-05

oftho South and wherefore depart from it
The slave property of the slavcholdeng
States has been, and is SO surrounded and
guarded by the. sanctions of prescriptive
right; by long lines of inhcritances by the
appreciation of civilized man at that period;
and since its first institution, by the joint
purchase with the united capital Of northern
and Southern men Of this kind ofproperty;
By the sanctions flaws, compacts, and con-
stitution; by the approval of purely viz.
tuouS and enlightened clergy; and more
than all, by the arrangements, under the
plans Of Divine Providence, that 10 qres-
ton or doubt could ever be entertained by
US. Our policy has been, and still is, never
to discuss, never to entertain discussions.
And if the countless guards, which we be-
lieye, are sufficiently strong to protect and
to secure our rights, should fail US, we should
then be compelled to employ all those means
of selfdeiencc and protection which the
Providence of God has placed amply within
our reach.
| What have said is not the opinion of
yesterday. II is one which was publicly
expressed, and which was, presume, pub.
licly recorded in 1926.
One objection urged against the resolution
under consideration is, that it IS improper
to reaffirm that Congress has no power to
interfere with slavery in the States. How
can reiteration of selt.evident proposition
impair or weaken its force? Can the re.
petition, for ten millions Of times, that two
| and two make four, impair this self:evident
truth? Or the reiteration Of the truth, that
| the whole is greater than part, weaken,
one jot or title, the certainty of this postG
late? Or can the fundamental truth, that
Congress has no power to interfere with
slavery in the States, add or take from its
certainty? .Itcannot. Ibelieve, with many
who have voted for and supported tIse reso-
lutions, that Congress Las no. competent
power to interfere with the existence OF
slavery in the District ofColumhia. have
already declared that this is my own belief;
but, sir, all the friends Of southern rights do
not believe as We do, but entertain a differ
encc of ofopinion on an abstract constitutional
question with regard to the powers Of Con.
gross over this District. Those gentlemen
| who differ from US, on this point are as
staunch and abiding, nay,as devoted friends
of OUT institutions, as the purcst and lottlest
patriots to be found on earth. Was it polite
or cxpedient, under these circumstances, to
assume ground on which, for practical re.
suits. the advocates and fril nds of southern
rights and southern security, under the COM
| promises of the constitution, were uEavolda-
bly to be separated? Was it rigltto bring
on forced and unnatural action of Con.
ercss on the constitutional question, when
It was to result in an irnpolitic division and
separation Of our friends !? Was it polite
that weak vote should go forth, making It
appear to the world that the great, ajorlty
Of Congress were against the rights and In
tercsts of the south Tins would hare
given faIsc>and unnatural presentation Of
he true feeling of Congress to the people of
the United. States. Itwould have produced
distrus., created unkind feelings, and would
ultimately have had an evil bearing on the
safety and happiness ofthis country.
approve the resolutions offered by my
colleague, (Mr. Pinckncy,) most cordially.
| say to him, to this House, and to my coun-
try, that | believe his motives arc honest
and disinterestcd; and that his conduct on
this occasion is worthy Of that name which
he bears, and which, connected as it is with
the history of this country, is.dear, and
ever will be so to the American people.
Sir, if these resolutions fail to effectuate
their legitimate and laudable objects, it will
be because the opportunity afforded for qui.
citing the country, and for obtaining for all
useful results strong and decided decara-
tion from Congress, shall be- snwis> >ly de-
featcd. 1t will be defeted BY creating, uE-
der unjust excitement and from bitter invcc-
tives against our northern friends, counter
actions to the efforts which they lave beer,
and are still making, to rebuke and pros
trate the wild and unhallowed efforts ofthose
wicked men, who are acting without just
regard to the rights and interests of tho
south, or without torcsceing the throcs and
commissions which must inevitably result
from their course Of action, should it not
be arrested.
Ifthcsc reckless agitators continue their
course, and northern integrity and northern
patriotism, should not put them down, these
melancholy realities will be the result
They will convulse this republic to its centre
and lay bare its massy foundations. Instead
of comforting benefits upon the black race,
whose exclusive champions they profess to
be, they will stay prehaps forever those mel
iorating causes which have been gradually
exercising their influences for the last thirty
wears upon the condition Of the slave popu.
iation of this country, and will consign tito
necessary and inevitable condition of
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