The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-07-11

had been cast IN support OF this rcsolu.
ton to carry it triumphantly through.
At this period, also, a resolution had
PASSED the House, by vote of 107 to
SO, instructing the Committee on Ter.
ritorics forthwith to rcpor. bills provi.
ding for the exclusion Of slavery from
California and New Mexico. This had
been followed up by bill providing for
the taking OF the votes of their inhabi-
tan!s of tho District Of Columbia, inclu-
sivc Of slaves and free negroes. upon
the question whether slavery should not
be abolished therein. A resolution had
passed the House, by vote of9S to IS,
directing the Committee on the District
of Columbia to report bill, so soon
as practicable, prohibiting tho slave
trade in said District. Upon al! these
several questions much exciting debate
had occurred, and the language of re-
proach and menace had been freely and
ficrcely employed by certain abolition
members. Various new recruits, also
had, in the progress Of these transac-
tons, been seen to take their stand
amid the ranks Of cur enemies. Mr..
Benton affects to think that there was
nothing in,thc least degree alarming in
this state ofthings; though, I repeat,
he had expressed his fears of the pas
sage ofa general emancipation law by
Congress as carly as 1880; yea, had
asserted that the passage ofsuch alaw
was "always most absolutely certain in
the event of the success Of measures
thcn.on foot" We of the meeting did
not agree with Mr.. Benton. We saw
dangers: in the most appalling form,
about us and around us, and that there
was absolute necessity for looking at
once to our own safety and that of our
constituents. We believed the Union
itself to be in imminent peril, and we
resolved to do all in our power to pre-
serve it from destruction. The meet
ing which has been somuch denounced
was accordingly convoked. No secrc-
cy whatever was observed or cnjoincd::
OH the contrary, the utmost publicity
was sought to be given to the whole af-
fair.
Mr.. Benton asserts, in his Jefferson
City speech, that our meeting was got
ten up by Mr.. Calhoun. a statement
moro groundlcss could not have been
hazardcd. So far as l know or believe,
Mr.. Calhoun had no participancy what
ever in getting up this particular meet
ing: nor do | believe that he knew it
was to be assembled until most of those
whose presence was desired had been
already summoned. Igavc an account
of this meeting, as to its origin and OBJ
jccts on the ODD day of February last,
which no one understood at the time to
call in question, and which I do not
believe that even the rcdoubtablc Scna-
tor from Missouri will ever be rash en-
ough to deny in my hearing. In re-
ply to Mr.. Dayton, Of New jersey,
who had evidently received some mis-.
representations in regard to it's charac-
ter, thus did | express myself
"Mr. President. the honorable Sen
ator from New Jersey permitted sever
al alluslons to drop from his lips which
have induced me to suppose that he de-
signed to reflect somewhat upon the
proceedings Of body which lately as
scm5lcd i'll this city, called the South.
crn Convention. Now, Mr.. President
though | can declare, without aAccta-
ton, that Ircsard myself as among the
humblcst of those who participated in
the deliberations of that August assem-
ofy, af,, yet, as ! had a very particular con
nection viii it. and have been made,
from accidental circumstances, more
the subject of coarse denunciattttSs..s-,-s and
ruIiianly ridicule than any other mem
Der oft, I beg leave to avow my whole
responsibility in this affair, and to in
cur all the discrcdit to which the pub.
lie may judge me entitled by reason of
my acts. | avow, then, sir, Gas | find
| am charged in various newspapers
with doing,O that | did, in conjunction
with worthy friend of mine, (also a
ilciloer oi thiS Dody,) enter the hal! OF
Representatives, in order to summon
the Southern members of that body to
meet IN this chamber, at night, for that
was the time when such amccting could
be possibly hcla,) for the purpose Of ia
king into grave consideration the vari-
Gus agSrcssions upon our rights which
hat been pcrpctratcd, or which were in
a course OF being pcrpetratcd, by wicked
and unscrupulous men; and for the
countcraction Of Which it was obvious
that the most prompt and vigorous meas
ures were necessary. Yes, sir, did
perform this subol dinate ministerial
part OF snmmoning the Southern mem,
bers OF the House Of Representatives.
| summoned Whirs and | summoned