Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-11-14
Gov. TOWNS Message.

This is document truly Southern iu spirit
and must commend itself irrespective of party
to every true hearted Georgian. His e1cellen.
cy, after touching upon varions local matters,
gives brief, but strong summary ofihe various
wrongs, insults and injuries inflicted on The
South, and concludes in the following spirited
and sensible remarks;
"This is an epilume of the WRONGS perpetra.
ted npon u.s. Is it true or false? Have no,
several of The Northern States passed laws pro-
hibitimg our citizens from recIaiming their fnsi.
tive slaves1 Have they not. time and agnin
refused 10 deliver on the demand of the Execn-
tive authority of the Sootllern States, fnglives
from justice charged with negro sleang
These are stubborn facts that should come home
to all. Robbed Of your slave property, wilhou,
the power of redress. opposed by brute force
in asserting yonr rights, your criminal laws vio..
lated, yonr sovereignty outraged, your peace
and qniet disturbed, your good name detained,
and lastly you are told. by way of giving point
and anguish 10 the feeling of wrongs already
inflicted, tina, you are not TO participate on eqna
terms with the other States Of the Union, in the
common property Of all.
Is it, presenlatives, for this, that our faith
ers struggled in deadly conflict Was it for
such an Union as this. that The sages and patti.
OTIS, many Of whom breasted the storm Of the
Revolution, formed The constitutional compact
Was it designed that the States should not
have the power Of deciding, each for ITSELF
what should, or should not, be property-or
was il intended that my party or faction 10
this country, whether Free.soiI, orknoWn ty
any other name. might violate the most vital
provision Of the constitution, so far as the South
is concerned, with impunity7 Feeling as do,
the iicaculable value Of the Union, in that
purity Of equality handed down to us by the
great apostles ofliberty tha! formed it; enter
tanning with ardor and sincerity, "a feeling of
horror at all attempts by one section OF the
Union 10 violate lhe rights of another; and
cherishing the spirit of liberty and equality,
actual and positive in government above and
far beyond unequal laws and odous oppression,
may bo permitted here to reatfirm the senli-
ments with which | went before the People of
the State, in the late election, as containing my
opinion that further aggression is not to be en-
dured by the Federal Government, must be
repeed. all nmicnble means being FIRST ex xhaus-
ed, by ulI The power, moral and physical, al the
command Of this State.
With the confident beef,hat the opinions
here expressed. accord strictly with those ofthe
great body of our constituents, I;feel it my duty
TO ask Of you the passage OF an ac, investing the
Executive with the authority 10 conyokeia con.
rention Of the people Of the State to take into
considerable" The measures proper for their
safety and a. rvation, in the event of The pas
sage of the Wimot Prnyiso or other kindred
measure, by the Congress of the United States.
Relying upon The purity of our motives, and
feeling deeply impressed with the magnitude Of
the duties That devolved upon us, let us be ever
mindful That our strength and capacity for use
fnlness COMO alone from that Being,~hose favor
is success, whose aid is omnlpotence.
GEO. w, TOWNS. :