The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-11-22
MINORITY REPORT.

T the Minority ut the late Fairfield Meeting, have
thought proper 10 submit this exposition of our
views in relation to their proceedings.
Whilst we most cordially approve OF the
spirit of resistance that the Resolutions breathe,
| and are willing 10 confess that the impulse
which prompted them. was but an exhibition oi
genuine Southern feeling, still at the same time,
we cannot but regard as most inIudicious, the
course Of action prescribed, and especially so
much thereof. as relates to the vacation of their
seats by our Representatives in the even: Of
The passage of the Wilmot Provso. ......
A part from the ndclcatr doctrine of sng
grs,ion, which, to say the least of it, bespcaks
a diffidence in our Representatives, that i'll corn
ports with the implied confidence reposed in
their sagacty, we maintain that the end pro.
| posed is nnconstitu'ional and inexpedient. Our
| Representatives cannot vaca,e their seats be-
fore they have been addressed by their entire
constituencies; which are the sovereign people
in Stale Convention. Primary meetings held
in each Of the Districts constituting a Congress
sional District, although Indicative of popular
sentiment, cannot under the Constitution au.
thorize their immediate Representatives TO
return home. admitting it TO be true, that upon
the passage of the Wilmol Proviso and its
sanction by the President. the Constitution
shall have BEEN grossly violated, and there will
have been Virtual dissolution of the Union !;
vet, alter their violation the Union continues
to exist, until the sovereign people by some act
as solemn as the one by which the Federal
Compact was originally ratified, shall have III
Stale Convention proclaimed its abrogatIon, or
annulled its particular violation unless the
State shall have actually seeded, we would
still remain a member Of the Confederacy,
tacilly acknowledging the integrity of the Con-
s,ituiion, and rendering obedience to the exist.
ing Governments; which is but thai Conslilu.
ton in practical operation. Under this view
of the case, it must bc obvious that our Repre-.
sen,alives could not eacate their seats upon the
immediate passage Of the Wmot Proviso.
Ia addition to the uncnnslutionality OF this
measure, we moreover contend, that it would
be highly inexprdent for our Representatives
to take the step that has been suggested. They
should remain 10 communicate the proceedings
to our State Convention, and 10 cooperate in
bringing about such compromise as may es
tablish our institutions upon much firmer and
more permanent basis than they have ever
heretofore been.
III
feet anything then will it he time for them to
! vacatc their seais-the Union which shall have
been merely construc,ively dissolved, will then
have become really so. Our Stale however
shall have consistently adhered to her past and
well settled defensive pulicy-jissoluiio will
have been forced npon her after having resort.
ed to every possible expcdisnt Tor its pSeven.
lion whereas, the measures proposed by the
Fairfield proceedings are calculated 10 defeat
this end, and to change the entire policy OF the
South. Besides the objections already urged,
we submit that the action is premature as to
time, and improper As to mode. II the inten-
ton is simply to elicit an expression of public
sentiment in reference to the Free Soil move.
ment, why not permit the Legislature, which
is the very embodiment of public sentiment,
which reflects it most faithfully, and certainly
expresses it with fur more dignity than these
primary assemblies can, proclaim 1t in all the
majesty of legislation to the country! Ii the
intention is to prepare us tor action, let the col.
leclive wisdom Of the Legislature suggest it.
1t may propose Convention, to he held at the
proper time, when State sovereignty shall have
been actually invaded. But we need no pre-.
paralion our position should he regarded as
already sufficiently defined and no longer open
for discussion When the issue is fairly pre-
sented, there will he but one party at the South;
when the call shall be made, there will he but
one response aud but one sentiment TO acluate.
At this time all that is necessary, is that our
Southern State Governments should be ad-
dressed through our Legislature, which is the
proper communicating medium between Gov
ernmpnt and Government giving them an as
surance of our most hearty cooperation in any
plan of action, calculated to harm"nize our
sentiments, to unite our energies, and render
resistance most eficctual.
When it shall be time for the Sovereign
People TO act, let them do SO in their sovereign
capacity, and not 10 their primary assemblies.
Southern Snveregntles should he addressed
through State Convention, and not District
meetings. Primary assemblies are meetings
not even Of a portion Of the sovereign people,
but simply of the people, without any OF the
attributes of sovereignty. 1t is Convention
that clothes the people with sovereign powers.
A District meeting therefore, is but gathering
of few citizen subjects, who have long since
delegated their sovercig On power to The existing
Government, where it will remain until with
drawn by Conventional action.
We have elaborated This political axiom,
merely because the impression at the meeting
with few exceptions was, that they were act
ing as portion of the Sovereign People. Al.
!, ,'ough we approve of the people in their pr.
mar, m assemblies discussing questions of Local
and eyen judicial policy, still we cannot think
,ha, I ,bry should ever go SO far as to address
,bsmsslyes % sovereign States, or to suggest