The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1848-12-06


;WilI SsSstiS una have
not, ,bAsn Abl 8p conc eve any vel f1nnded
S6;sofs ,t1 aSHl The fchaSes Hul
NIT tIis hsatf yanrS conside deSatlon.
SByf al 1ct OF tho Legisla atnre. Easaed on ths
slatssI OF DaceInbe 1874 f,t Abe Stats grant
I'd nitad Staten All the right, title and
ia,ersst OF tbs State 10 the lands, forte, fortt-
fcatioHs aud sites tle erection ct ioris ON
Snllivan's Island and Folly Island.
xRobert QS Pine knew. Provided that the not
sh6uld snSt Ia effect until the United States
Goyeffiti,art shalE have convey yedto the Htate
6s South Carolina all the right, title, aud .in-
forest of the United States IN Glands lying
.batween The present site of Fort Moultrie and
The paraie ground, which ID indicated asa street
in the aforesaids plan Of SresuEyey, and. until
the said plan of res,lrvey shall have been DEE
posted Ii the Office Of the Secretary Of State
at Columbia: s. 81 81 =
On;the 28th day Of February last the Hon.
William E. Marty, the Secretary OF War Of
the United States, in pursuance Of the autho.
rity OF an act Of Congress- approved on the I'D
March, lB 10, executed a deed to the State Of
South Carolina orall the right, title. and inter-
est Of the United States TO the land lying be-
&
the porade' ground; as provided in the act rof
the ie;h December, l646, above referred to.
which was delivered to me in the course Of
the last spring, and / was applied to By Col.
J. G.. lotion, Chief Engineer, in behalf of the
United States, to convey to the United States,
in form, the lands granted by the act of lS46.
Having no direct authority TO convey, and be-
ing Of opinion that, on the performance of the
condition contained in the act, the grant be-
came absolute, and the title to the United
States perfected, ut first declined to do 80.
But, upon being urged by the authorities Of
the United States, l executed, in behalf of
the State, a deed, in effect acknowledging the
performance OF tho condition on the part OF
the United States. Being then and still OF
opiniontIat this was nugatory, would re-
commend that an act he passed acknowledge
ing the performance Of the condition on the
part ofthe United States and confirming the
grant. Not knowing what course the Lcgis-
iature would take, I declined to have The deed
from tho United States put ON record, and l
would recommend the proprety Of providing
for that also. ] transmit herewith the deed
from the United States; copy of my deed to
the United States; q letter from Col lotion
to myself, dated Sd March, 1S4S; and the cor
respontlence between Capt. Bowman. Of the
Engineer Department oflhc United States,
and myself, which will put you in possession
of all the information that may be required.
I have also received o communication from
the Hon. VIM. L. Marcy, Secretary Of War
Of the United States, under date ofthe 9th
April, ls4s enclosing extracts OF letter to
him from Frederick A. Smith. Captain En-
ginaers, A. c. e Of the 18th of April, l645,
in which it is stated that five acres of land
in Beaufort harbor were granted by this State
TO the United States, on the 18th December,
1903, for the site OF Fort L,ttleton, (other-
wise called Fort Marion)--that commission
ers were appointed on the part of the State
to mark out its boundaries, but that NIL efforts
TO ascertain now where they wero have been
unsuccessful; and he requests that would
bring the subject to your notice, with a view
to some provision for the appointment Of COM
mssioners on the part Of the State. clothed
with authority to ascertain md locate the
boundary, in conjunction with ain engineer
officer, to be designated by the War Depart
ment. The request strikes inc as reasona.
Bile; and would recommend that commis-
ssoners be appointed for the purpose of meet
ing it. The Communication Of the Secretary
of War is herewith transmitted.
Tie constant and never ending agitation Of
the question Of slavery between the slave
holding and nor-saveholdiug and nom
slaveholding States, apart from the issues
really involved, will of itself in the end
inevitably lead to the most disastrous
consequences. The passions Of commune
ties, like those of individuals, are reused
and inhamed by constant vituperation, how
ever unimportant may be the matter in con-
troversy; and the degree Of resentment en-
gendered by It, is in proportion to the magni-
tudc Of the mntter involved. TO US the ques-
ton is vital; the issues OF 4'life, liberty, and
property are involved in it: the poison of fa-
nnticism is so infused in tho masses, that
have charity enough t" suppose that many
worthy men conscentiously believe that in
voluntary servitude is a damnng curse, and
would willingly turn our slaves loose to cut
our throats. But tho mockery of tho moro
liberal and enlightened politicians Of the non
slaveholdng States, in disclaining tho au-
thority of Congress to interfere with the in.
sttution in the States where it now exists
but protesting against its extension beyond
its present limits. is more CALLING. Do they
not know that the encouragement and pro-
lection given to fugitive slaves have rendered
property in them Of little value in the border
States! DO they not know that, crcumscrb.
ed to the territorial limits they now occupy,
they will'in a few years exhaust much of the
now, productive soil, and in their rapid in
crease in numbers overwhelm their owners,
and drive them to seek an asylum elsewhere;
and that, by excluding them from additional
territories already or hereafter to be acquired,
they will, through the agency of Congress,
accomplish indirectly what they conccde to
be unconstitutional! will not speak Of our
equal rights as citizens OF this Confederation.
The argument has been long ago exhausted,
and demonstration as palpahle as mathc-
matical conclusion will avail nothing.
The probability is, that whether we will or
will not be permitted to carry our slaves into