The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-05-21

rSs- The suboined extracts are taken from a
ic,., of the Hon. +. w. Pickens to General Gillian
vi Abbeville, chairman, who inquiries If he us
prepared to make an issue with the North on the
passage of the Wiimot Proviso, or the admission
OF California with It's proposed CONSTITUTIONS" Al
ter considering at some length the right OF Con-
gress; luder the Constitution, to admit new States
into the Union, he says:
California does not wait for infancy and growth,
but springs into manhood, as if created Iy the
brailpOf divinity itself. Considering, that through
the Wfillfot provso, the great contest for years
las been 70 exclude the Southern people from
their Just share iii the public territories O1 the COLI
tederacy, lit is not " he disguised that this move
ment in California has been in turtherance OF that
very OBJECT. Hence, these hasty and urgent moves,
or.sni1sd and aided BY the cuuIsels and COUNTS
nance .Of the IA Administration, Tor the notorious
purpese-o OF settling The. whole question III advance.
Is IL fsn Strange lat We should ieel il 10 be All
outrage Whai they tailed 10 do, by tie agency
vi uie.tedefal GovernliRiit-by passing rcstric-
nol In. .adg aDce-uiey perpctrule under lie color
OF abstract popular rights
BESIDES itls, IL is openly avowed BY those who
are insugating all these measures, that the final
object is 10 shake aitd oreSirou Tie rgMS y siare-
holders eeerypaerc. And although tins appears TO
Uc d. pIeSeHt, Sct ~ ID W
intend to stiIke moral blow at our institutions
before the world. They intend TO use that as
lositisa upon which TO place their ierer and are
We tu stand by aud told our arms i'll quiet and wait
lie last catastrophe! Is there ANY so blind
as lQl 10 'see the tendency vi u,ese things!
AS 10 the mere right 10 carry slaves TO Calfor
na, this is mol 50 much; Tor doubt the eXpedi-
ency OF exposing theiii III proximity 10 such po-
pulation as exists III llie Mexican territories,
wl,ete tie black man considered equal 10 any
ulller, aiid where all lie avenues to honor and
power arc 80 readily opeued 10 hiI, and where it
would be difilcuI iur 10 retain slaves, even If
,le sui aud productions suited their peculiar la
bor. But ihai 10 not the question. IL question
Involving our rights as equals-our rank--Our
pO>itioii-our constitutional independcnce-our
power, aud With our liberty, Dc separate people.
w couid Dear Oppression-we could bear to be,
ivr a uule, even uucUnslruloiai!y taxed; but
,le people who can bear degradation and insult
are III ~ wear tllr livery vi Dondsnich.
AZ an indHiduais aiil-tiereiorc prepared to
inaks ISSUE viii Tie North on tic point YOU
suggest But as 10 Tie manner OF making that Is
sue, am willing 10 consult cordially and frankly
With our sjs,er Souti,rn States; and would
Yield aud modliy much Tor harmony and concert
vi act1o.l. Melnay De destroyed ndelail, but we
never can be il ululed, s-y5 80
lie taie vi tie W cst Indies is before us. Sep
arae islands, With possibility OF concert, have
been reduced 10 misery aud UesOlatiOn by blind
tanaucisin and iawess government. Let US learn
wisdom from their fate, and let us know that
parchment and the faith OF governments are no
liiilg n the progress Of mad ,atIaticsm; nothing
but uia knowledge that lliey must encounter u
brave and united people with arms III ,eir hands
eau arrest IL. s7&
The preIudices OF the world lIave been enlisted
ehf,td md
wno have engaged III liiis crusade have carried
,lieir points. Great events are rapidly crowding
upon US too. III We are true to ourselves, high
destiny awaits Us. We must survey our ground
with pislona, frnlAess aud SysteHi 1t is no Ordi-
nary contest. Our exlsteice people depends
upon IL 1t is no new war. Slavery IN lhc Roman
dolniniots fell under totally Observation-Disclosures
from those existing here. There, the races were
the same, aud there were lio separate and indie
pendent States but all was under consolidated
government Let no man draw any inierences
from the fall OF slavery there, or throughout mod
eril Europe. The contest is different here. True,
The war, Ia which we have been peculiarly inter-
rsted, has been waged for the last ttly years, and
the camp fires have been gradually enclosing and
circling around us. Let no man sleep at his post,
and il he does let him sleep wiih his harness on.-
Let no detached company lire useless volley OH
either flank or from lie centre. honly exposes
to- cut Oh, Wait tor the whole line 10 be formed,
and when the time comes tor the batteries TO be
unlnasked, ihert let every man stand with his
match by his gun, and let there go up one univer-
sal shout tor victory or soldiers grave. The
swords vi hundred thousand ifeelnen now
,rcuibie in their scabIards.
Let US all move together. The country from the
Pelapsco to the Rio Grande, is strong enough and
broad enough TO stand alone and defy the world,
il il becomes necessary 10 save our rights and our
honor.
firinness-concert-and wisdom may carry
us through without CONFUSION, which hope
and trust will be the case.
the admission OF California be made part and
,afcef of system OF measures, which, as whole,
i.Iay give US anything like justice, it may be borne
in peace: But we must have some evidence Of
security hereafter. This eternal and insulting agi-
lalon brought to our firesides, is ntolerabe, and
We are daslards il We bear it much longer.
As to the fears OF disunion it may do for nurse
ry'Wonrn 10 irighten their children with; but for
tut grow, u men 10 bear insult aud contumel y-to
b. sp,tr, and spit upon as interiors, and then to
bear il .i.i;Jr fear of disunion--they indeed de.
serve Il. ..aye rattles hung around their necks,
and to ii I'D with pap from Spoons. The union
springiu, rom the Constitution III the spirit OF
qualify aud justice is dear to us all. Save the
inos, + ace can; bus sare our rights and honor be
the consequences what they may
Ihave the honor to be, very respectfully, yours
trrly.,. +; w. PICkENS.