The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-10-22
LETTER OF COL. ]. S. PRESTON.

well, Gaillard, Seaborn, Taylor and Sharpe,
and is dated, Summer Home, Sept. "A, 1850:
'.Gentlemen: have had the pleasure to re-
ceive your letter Inviting inc to attend mass
meeting at Pendleton, on the first day OF Octo-
ber use no merely formal expression when
say that do most sincerely regret my ina
bility to Join you at the time indicated. 1t
would be most gratifying to be permitted to
unite with you in council concerning the grave
and fearful is .ues now before the country. Ii
my heart needed stirring to meet these high
matters, | know it would be reused by the splr-
it which will animate the nen Of the mountains
/ know what that spirit is-for claim descent
from some of those who-seventy years ago
rushed from the valleys and mountain sides OF
nv native Virginia to repel the invader from
the borders of my adopted Carolina. The
cause in which we are thus engaged, is not less
urgent, less imperative, less sacred than that
for which they bled at Kings Mountain and
the Cowpens. do not believe the past histo-
~ of civilized legislation furnishes a parallel oi
such rapid and reckless encroachment upon
rirhts, ascertained and fixed by constitutional
enactment, as that which marks the late career
of the General Government. 1t seems, literal
" to have torn the Constitution into shreds and
given it to the winds-all its powers have fall
len into the hands of party which urged on
by apparent interest and real fanaticism, are
driving forward their fell purposes with Titan
tic progress. =,
ssEmerging from feeble and despicable
origin, this party has risen and expanded until
now it not only dictates the policy OF the ma
!, ton. but is ready to wage war against Heaven
itself. Destructive in all its principles, fero
c,ous and fanatic in religion, debauched and
scandalous in Il code and practice of its mo-
rals. it is held together and strengthened BY all
the adhesive sy,npathies Of blasphemy, atheism,
pollution, aud treason. Such as it Is, it has had
power to rend from US all the safe guards of the
Consultation; aud now, selfpreservation. as
:. well as decency and self.respect, leave us but
one alternative, and that is. to quit them at
once and forever. Are we ready for this!
believe in South Carolina, no true patriot hesl-
tates, and yet believe, every man appreciates
all the dangers and all the difficulties involved
in the disruption Of one COVER, ment and the
substitution of another. If we take this step,
it will he done firmly, and understandingly
The doubling and timid will have time to escape,
leaving the work to those who are willing for
it. so that when we come to act or suffer, there
will be no faultering in our purposes.
."My Judgment is, that the Legislature should
meet at the regular time, and at once propose
to the slave holding States a convention OF
States, for the avowed purpose of withdrawing
from the existing confederation, and settling
the details and preparing for the contingencies
Of that secession. Should we fail to engage
our fellow nfferass- -ts=-adopt the ouursc, then
let South Carolina alone, assume the guardian
ship of her rights and honor, the instant the
most active and energetic measure can prepare
her to take the steps to defend it. In the mean
time it seems to me the course adopted by the
people of Richland is wise and prudent for the
whole State, that to require every citizen
now solemnly to pledge himself to s,,st"in the
constituted authorities Of the State whatever
course they may adopt to nai;Ah ;''a tights
and interest of the South Oar sole allegiance
is due to South Carolina; aud in tiese times he
who acknowledges Cher or even concurrent
duty soould be regarded us entertaining scnti.
mspts dangerous to our rights, our homer and
our safety. We should 60 forth to this strug
gle in confident aud unrestraned sympathy
with every man who calls himself southerner
-.for it is one in which our destinies for good
or evil, in all time to come, are inevitebly in.
volved.
Il pray you pardon my thus obtruding my
opinions aud feelings upon you. They may
be crude and roughly expressed, but they are the
offspring of pure devotion to the only earthly
sovereign | acknowledge, the State of South
Carolina.
'With the tender ofmy sincere gratitude for
the honor done me by your invitation, am
gentlemen, respectfully and faithfully, your
friend and fellow.citizen,
"JoHN s. Preston"
RECLAMATION OF FUGIrIvEs.--W our
ancestors g, tered into the federal compact, they
made solemn agreement that certain rights of
the South would be respected and Guaranteed.
Without such qua: a tee the Southern States
would never nave entered the Union. That
compact became the law of the land, and as
long as it exists, it must be be supported and
adhered to by every good citizen, The duty
ofupholding it is as obligatory on the American
people of the present day as it was on those Of
the time at which it was founded. 1t cannot be
violated without dissolution of the Union;
and the question arises whether we are to ieo
pardize if not destroy not only the Union, but
the happiness of the slaves themselves, by vio-
lating that law and thereby refusing to carry out
10 '1J,,k - t,