The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-12-13
REMARKS
Of Col James Chesnut, jr., delivered in die
House of Representatives, on the 9th Inst.

on the subject OF our Federal Relations,
Mr.. Chestnut having obtained the Aoor;ga
his views at considerable length He said:
Mr.. Chairman, it seems to me we have been
at sea in the discussion, with an occasional
calm. We have been et,seloped in storm,
with now and then an intermission ofits fury,
sufficient to catch gleam of sound thought
He would not attempt to follow the lead of elo.
quence brought to the discussion, but would
con6ne himself to words of truth and soberness
as best suited to himself and the grave subject
now under deliberation.
The subject to which he should address him.
self is-wha will the State do in the present
posture of federal and State affairsl The feder.
al wrongs we have had depicted in vivid and
energetic thought and language | have no
desire to awaken the passions of gentlemen in
this assembly, 10 order to warp their judgements
when philosophic thought and calm statesman.
ship are so indispensable to the crisis.
Much has been said of the outrage perpetra.
ted on the South by the measures of the late
Congress- Gentlemen who found their JUST.
fcation on the measures take, but superficial
view of the question. The Government has
been swerved from the purpose OF its formation.
We are no longer under a constitutional gov.
ernment We are under a power--a power
selfish, fanatical, and capricious; and therefore
tyrannical. A government constant only in
aiming to destroy our institutions. There are
antagonisrns. The North are one people, re.
quiring political organization aud laws not suit.
ed to the people of the South, and therefore the
antagonism must ever exist. We must sepa.
rate. This is inevitable from the nature of the
contest. and hence we need exhibit no impa.
tience for precipitate and hasty action. There
are other States whose aid and counsel we re-
quire.
We are in a Union with other States Of simi.
lar institutions with our own, and if we act, and
assume to fight the common battle OF the South
and fail, we must be involved in common fate.
With the South everything is at stake. We
stand isolated; and Southern civilization, rs in.
volved in our peculiar institution, depends on
the cautious and concerted action Of the South.
The question is whether we will assume this
position alone, or whether We shall wait and
exhaust every means OF uniting the South before
we adopt the mad policy of separate action.
We are not alone The position of Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi and Florida need not
alarh, gentlemen. True. they have not come
up to the position of South Carolina; nor are
they where strong and determined minority
of their own people wouu place them. But
Georgia and Mississippi will be with US. The
issue has been distinctly made in the former,
and only 10000 majority appears against us
ont OF population of6OO,000. We have gain
ed something. Six months ago, on the 1ues.
ton OF union or disunion, instead Of having
ten counties in our favor, venture to assert we
would not have found ten men.
After a rapid survey Of the advances Of the
Southern States to the position they now occu.
py in defence of the common rights Of all Mr..
G., said we had no right to believe til At we
shoald be alone in defending ourselves against
the aggression of the North or its government,
if Carolina only acts her part with propriety.-
In avoiding hasty action we are pursuing
course commended to usby that great man for
whom our hall now mourns In that celel rated
address of Mr.. Cahoun's to the Southern peo-
pie, his list words were-"BE UNITED Such
was the language of the speech Of Mr.. Cheves,
at Nashville; and all our wisest and safest pub.
lie men unite in the same counsel.
In regard to the proposed Southern Congress
he supposed it would be proper to inquire
whether we should be represented. Ithas been
said that that body could do nothing but pass
resolutions of fnonintercourse He had no idea
that such would be its action. Certainly that
would not be thought of as remedy for our
wrongs He should suppose it would take an
other form, and result in the construction of
constitution for Southern Confederacy, with
wise and just provisions--one suited for
home.oge people. But even ifthat body
did nothing; in what would the position of our
State be changed, except in the wise delay
She has yet her right to fall back on her inalien
able sovereignty. That position remains to
her unimpaired, and she could secede alone.
South Carolina, in his judgment, should be
there.
Mr.. C. then proceeded to state three modes
in which delegates might be appointed, viz: l;
The Legislature may appoint, 2. The Con-
vention ofthe State might appoint; or the peo.
pie, by the issuing of writs Of election, could
choose them in the same mode the members of
the Legislature are. He preferred the latter,
and gave his reason length for the preference.
1t had been said that the State must act, and
act promptly, or we would be stigmatized with
and our people would let them.
selves down from their present position,
If the issue now before US were separate State
action or submission, he would adjourn the dis.