The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1849-11-24

- -
Now what was proper, under such arslatc Of
things? We there not TO disagree, but to
agree. So I supposed, and framed my reso.
lutions accordingly. 1 said to those who be-
licvcd in the power Of Congress, il you will
not require us TO assert the power Of Congress
against our conscionces, We will not require
you 10 deny the power, against your cor
sciences. A member rose and asked mo what
l meant by the words, f" il any do'' in my rcso.
luton Did not mean TO express doubt
whether Congress could afford any means or
facilities answered rs follows:
:" 1 mean 10 suggest, that IL might be doubt.
ed, even whether any means or facilities lio
in the hands Of Congress but, at tho satno time,
to avoid expressing an opinion, whether they
do or not. make SO modest suggestion in
favour of any means lying in the hands of Con.
gross, that any man can vote for IL except one
who ought TO have kept away from this Con.
yenton. That is what is meant by :" il any
do" This Convention is wholly incompetent to
decide truly, any constitutional question what.
ever. Thcys is not in this hall, single copy Of
the constitution. There arc not ten members
| present who could now repeat accurately, the
| clauses, upon which The power in question is as
| serted or denied. The minutcst incidental point
that might arise out Of this great question Of pow.
! or, would not be decided by the Supreme Court
OF the United States, without grave deliberation.
| That learned body of jnrsts, would first read
carefully the constitution, and the decisions Of
lis predecessors, and hold deliberate and solemn
consultation, before it vcnturcd to pronounce
its final judgment. And yet, an assembly OF
four hundred men, few having profcssona learn.
ing, without discussion, undertake to decide, at
once and by acclamation, the whole vast qucs.
ton OF power. Your decision would have no
| weight with Congress. and ought to have none.
Let us then coniinc ourselves TO the proper
functions of meetings like tho present bring
to the notice Of the Government the substance
and matter of the Rail Road, and leave the
constitution 10 the constituted authorities oi
The country to decide for themselves, what they
can do II any thing, in the matter. AS q
member of Congress, shall certainly claim
to decide for myself"
Nor VIII II be pretended that the Conyen
ton might have misunderstood what mean,
by the words 'sncans and facilities" l OK
plaincd fully what meant, and stated, spcci
hcaily, what aidI supposed Congress nigh
contribute.
| The Resolutions. though drawn by me
were really the Resolutions of the Soutl
Carolina Delegation. My colleagues ha,
possession Of them one day before they wcr
introduced. The truth is, il was our or.gi
nal purpose, not 10 submit any proposition
whatever, but wait and sec what those, VIII
had invited us 10 Memphis, had TO propoun
On the second day however, when all In
propositions from different States had bee
submitted and committed, we camc to the con
clusion, that wo could vote for none Of them
And as it would not seem consistent with goo
faith, to vote against every thing, and yc
propose nothing, we determined 10 subm
{, Resolutions that should truly Indicate ou
views. sn
, Unjust then protest against any insnuatior
however delicatcly made, that the Resolution
were either evasivc or equivocal. sls "
IL is given out, that Senator Davis, a men
8 Der from Mississippi was called ON to adtres
D tho Convention, and that lle protested again,