The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-20
From the Charleston Courier.
Proceedings. Of the South Carolina Lee
pialof

At half-rast Q o'clock, the House again went
into Committee of the Whole, (Mr. Williams in
the Chair,) to resume the consideration of the
various measures with regard to our federal rela-
tons Mr.. L. NJ. Aver was entitled to the floor,
and proceeded to address the committee. EIe
would not have addressed the committee on this
subject, but for the fact that some OF those to
whom he had looked for counsel in this crisis
those whom he had regarded MS the leaders in this
movement-had expressed views widely different
! from his own. He had never doubted the ulti
! mate union of the Southern States but he thought
| that this State should now take some action. He
ad vocated the calling Of convention of the peo.
pie Of the States, and recall z from the halls of
Congress our representatives IN that body. He
thought these measures not inconsistent with each
other; and the calling ofa convention early day
would not be taking the lead of other Southern
States as some of those States have already called
conventions. This convention would elect dele
ga es to Southern congress--he did not think the
legislature could do so properly. He desired these
delegates to be invested with plenary powers to
bind the State by their action, and he thong the
legislature could not invest them. Let the
whole question be referred to the people, who
could meet in convention and determine the course
which the State is to adopt. They would come
here instructed on this question, and this question
alone. He was in favor Of recalling our repre-
sentatives in Congress, because they really Of
no use to us there. We are impoent there, and
moreover, such an act would speak out your in
dgnation at our wrongs and insults. He would
vote for receiving from the United States, our
share Of the proceeds Of the sales Of public lands,
and dev citing it to the purchase OF arms-he would
vote for exhaustnS the whole capital of the
bank for the same purpose; but until these sums
were exhausted, he would not vote for separate
appropriation for this purpose. He would not
rejoice at a dissolution Of the Union but he re.
garded it as choice Of evils. He believed that
an immediate union Of the South might preserve
,.o ha.o
terms He believed the South would be with us,
and he was willing TO give them time to unite with
Mr.. Aver was followed by Mr.. Tore. 1, was
with great reluctance he addressed the committee;
but he felt it his duty, in the present Crisis, TO ex-
press his opinions. He laid down the broad pro-
position, that since the commencement Of this Go
vernment, the South had not enjoyed an equality
OF rights under it. The acquisition Of Louisiana
was no concession to the South. Mr.. II. in the
commencement Of his speech, confined himself
particularly to refutng the arguments which had
been urged against Southern action lie proceed
ed next to show that we had nothing to expect in
the future All the guarantees Of the Constitution
upon which we had relied, had, one by one been
swept away, and the General Government now
possesses unlimited power, and is stronger tnan
The CONSTITUTIONS He trusted that upon this floor
no man dared to breathe SubnlissiOn-and should
we submit, the very women of the South would
reverse our decision. There are two modes Of
redress-one is by remaining IN the Unon-the
other is bv going out Of it, We cannot hope to
reform the Government by remaining in IT. there
fore our only remedy is secession. BY remaining
in the Union, we actually add strength to those
who use it for our destruction. He advocated the
resolution which recognizes the right of secession
He thought secession was a thing TO be dcsired
He thought all our efforts should be directed to
the formation Of Southern confederacy, and that
such union of the slave States was the only Sc
curity we could have for the future.
lie was opposed to separate State action now,
until we could consult with the other Southern
States He was in favor Of Southern congress;
but thought that the time and place OF the meeting
of such Congress should be fixed and dehnl e. He
was in favor of the election of delegates by the
legislature, with others to be elected by the peo-
pie He believed the formation Of Southern
confederacy inevitable he was, therefore, not
discouraged by the delay Of the other Southern
States. He discussed fully the probability of the
formation Of Southern union. lie was opposed
to the proposition not to elect United States
senator to fill the present vacancy, because 1t
would be severng one Of those links which unite
the South.
MIR. Torres speech was altogether one Of the
most able, logical and argumentative productions
that has vet been made on these important mat
ters. He was listened to, throughout, with tho
most profound attention and respect when he
concluded, the committee rose, the house took
recess and at O clock, P. NJ, the house again
went into, committee OF the whole, and resumed
the discussion. Mr.. Seabrook was entitled to the
floor, and proceeded to advocate the resolutions
offered by himself. He would confne himself
Our subject should be the formation Of a new gov
ernment-a Southern union. He confessed him.
self an advocate for separate State action, but only