The republic., 1850-11-30

citand willy combinations, having destroyed forever
the balance Of power between the two sections, the
equality Of the States and tho equality Of right in
the people ofthe States constitute the crownng evil
dence Of the fixed determination of dominant ma
jority to consummae its perfdious purpose OF seiz
ing, by a law Of its own enactment, the entire in
heritance OF common ancestry The startling
truth at length stands openly revealed that the last
hope OF arresng the Of infatuated rulers ID
gone forever. The final act of the drama is over,
and when the curtain, which screens the future
from the eye OF the patriot shall be lifted, ii may
be that the palmetto banner will be seen, among
other standards, waving over triumphant people,
united in Institutions and in determination to
maintain with fidelity their new relations with
their co-soveregns and the nations of the world.
But, should it please the All-wise Disposer of
events, in his inscrutible providence to assign US
the condition of the British islands Of the west and
to rvet the chains with which manacled,
the people Of South Carolina WILL at least be
forted with the assurance that, while ignorant of
their destiny, they were not unmindfu OF the duty
they owed to themselves, their descendants and
their country.
Does hope still linger in your bosoms, that the
dark cloud which envelopes the political horizon
will yet be dspeled? That the enemy will forego
his premedtated design of reducing your honored
commonwealth to colonial vassalage? To these
questions satisfactory answer will be found in the
melancholy experience of the past-the overshadow-
ing influence of the General Government, insured
by the permanent ascendency of the sectional party
which aims at the annihilation of our property--the
history of ianaticism-the enewed and augmented
agitation of the slavery question, and the recent
practical verfcation of fears that, at the North
the provisions of the Constitution in behalf of
ho a.,
shedding of blood. If to that section which now
has the control of every department of the Gov
ernment, the preservation Of the Confederacy
is indispensable to the completion of its work
of desecration and ruin, to its dissolution
as a compact between thirty-one States, is neccs
sary to our social and political quiet, and the sale
ty of our institutions. Ordained 'to establish JUS
tice insure domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defence, promote the general welfare, and
secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our
posterity'-in relation to each and all of these
sential Objects the bond Of Union having been de-
liberately mutiated by majority of the contract
ing parties, and the minority have no longer any
security for life, liberty, and property.
The time, then, has arrived to resume the
else of the powers of self protection, which, in the
hour of unsuspecting confidence, we surrendered to
foreign hands. We must rcorganize our political
systcln ON some surer ano SAFER Dasls lneTe ls no
power, moral or physical, that prevent it. The
event ia ndssolubly linked with its and fixed
destiny. In the admonitory language of our la
mented statesman, 'the worst calamity that could
befa us would be to lose our independence, and to
sink down into state of acknowledged inferiority,
depending for security upon forbearance, and not
on our capacity and disposition to defend ourselves
have not attempted to discuss the question Of
secession. The right by State to withdraw from
the Union results from the nature and principles Of
the constitutional compact, to which the States
sovereign parties. While adhering faithfully to
the remedy of joint State action for redress of
mon grievances, beseech you to remember that
conjecture of events ought to induce to aban-
don the right of deciding ultimately own
destiny.
In recommending, as l now do, that South Car
olina should interpose her sovereignty in order to
protect her citizens, and that by operation with
her aggrievcd sister States she may be enabled to
aid in avcrting the doom which impends over the
civil institutions Of the South, it is fit and proper
that, a Commonwealth, we should, at early
day, to be designated by you, imploro the God of
our fathers for the pardon Of our manifold trans-
gressions, and invoke his protection and guidance
in this day of trouble and affliction, that he
would graciousy vouchsafe to enlighten the minds
Of our Federal rulers, the North, and its citizens,
and direct them in the way of truth, of reason and
ofjustice, and preserve = once happy political fam
lily from the unspeakabIe horrors Of civil strife.
Tomorrow shall address you on a subject Of
mournu interest," still fresh in the recollection and
regrets, not only Of State, but Of the entire
South. wHTTEMARSH b. sEABROOK.