The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-07-25

act unwisely in suffering passion to dethrone
reason. II ever coolness, and deliberation,
and firmness of purpose, backed by an INTEL
ligent view of things are necessary to men,
they are to the people ofthe South. Yet all
dangers are not death. Every threatning
cloud does not contain the. whirlwind or tor
nado. Every storm which rises at sea does
not swallow up those within its reach. And
of every ball discharged in battle, it has been
estimated that only one in ten thousand takes
effect Sac!; arc ;oaiSe 0ff tiie ditnouites
which have met ths Committee in approach
ing this subject. But these difficulties, how
ever formidable, have not kept them from dis
charging their duty to the extent Of their
ability. As the ardent scholar redoubles
his efforts when his lessons grow harder, and
the true Patriot makes the greater exertions
to save his Country tho more its liberty is
threatened, so your Committee trust they
have acted in the discharge of their duty
That the results Of our deliberations may ap-
pear insome tangible form, we will present
them under the following heads:
l. Oar Rights.
g The injuries which have been, and are
still doing us, in the enjoyment of these rights.
S 3. Our duty in the premises.
l. Our Rights.
When we speak of rights in this connec-
ton, we mean, as matter of course, only
those which nave relation to negro slavery,
and in the first place, we remark concerning
these rights, that they are not Of that class
about which men may form various opinions
as to their existence, nature and extent
They are recognised in the Constitution of
the United States, interviewer with it and
make part thereof. Take them away and
it is no longer the Constitution of 1889, that
glorious bark which has weathered every
storm from the time it was launched until the
present moment. Take these away and what
remains, SO far as the South is concerned, is
not worth preserving. 1t can do us no good,
but only evil and that continually. Had not
those rights been recognised, this Union
would never have been formed; and as soon
as they are destroyed the value OF this Union
to us is gone The compact originally form
edin the same spirit OF compromise must be
preserved in the same spirit. twill avail but
little for two persons who arc estranged from
each other. to become reconciled by mutual
compromise, unless they preserve the same
spirit which first brought them together.
Again, we remark that, so far as the consti-
tuition is concerned, they are guaranteed 20
us just as strongly as the right OF trial by jury,
or the right to the Tree and unrestrained choice
of worshippng God in whatever manner our
conscicnccs, enlightened by his word, shall
dictate to us to be proper In other words,
our rights with regard to the institution OF
domestic slavery stand upon the same footing
in tile Constitution with those last mention
ed: and as the lattor can never wrcstcd from
Us until liberty has en,tramped i'll the dust
so neither can the former. Then two things
with regard TO those rights which arc under
consideration, your Committee judge to be
highly important, and ought to be constantly
remembered and we'll considered by every
citizen of the South. And it is for the accom-
phshment OF these ends that they arc intro
duced here. 1t is only in this way we can
prepare ourselves for the worst, should it ev-
or come. Yet your Committee fear that our
citizens, to some extent at least, are inconsld-
crate and unmindful of these things. What
we say 10 all is, we have constitutional rights
to the free enjoyment OF this domestic insti-
tuition, standing upon the same footing with
many Of the dearest rights which we enjoy as
citizens Of these United States. These should
be carefully studied, duly estimated, and con-
stantly kept before our minds, SO that when
they should be invaded we shall be prepared
for an intelligent and prompt defence OF them
at any, and all hazards.
IC lllluIiCo "IlCil luNC DSSbS uhu al Z
doing us, in the enjoyment oftilis right.
And here let it be remarked that we are
not aware Of any essential difference between
those which govern public rights. For en-
ample. Ii A. otliciously, Extensively, and re-
peatcdly interlneddle with the affairs of
B. obtruding upon him his opinions and vitu-
perations for not agreeing with him, none will
hold A to be a quiet and peaccable Citizen
Or if, again. The cotton grower of the South
should set himself up to advise and control
the manufacturer of the North, by insisting
that he should pursue some other business,
or should have balances of another kind from
those employed; and then not meeting with
success in his self imposed task, should load
him with abuse and pursuade his labourers to
quit his service, would not this be held to be
most unwaraDtable and reprehensible con-
duct, an offence against all good morals as
we'll as constitutional rights.
Now to Abolitionists, and all others who
act III concert with them in disturbing the
South we can say
"Mutato nonine fabun, dc to, narritur"
while quietly mnding our own business, we
have been assailed by the Press, in Congress,
and from the Pulpit. The pence of our citi-
zens has been interrupted by insurrectonary
and ncendiary Pamphlets and Documents
Our slaves have been excited to revolt and
rebellion against their owners by such inhu-
enccs brought to bear upon their minds We
are thus brought into jeopardy by those who
are under every obligation to defend us. Our
natural friends have become our enemies,
even as wo have rallied around the Constitu-
ton, we have born the shock of their as
saults. We are threatened with being driv-
EN- from this strong hold,--the very honors
Of the alter of the Constitution, it is daternlin-
cd, shall afford us no protection. But let us
look little more in detail at these wrongs
They commenced at very early period in
the history Of our Government The Mis-
souri, compromise was by no means their star
ting point. Nor did the concessions then