The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-11-06

@:wiiich | have been invited. r
Personal feeling, as well rs high public
K considerations, would concur to induce me
toaccept such invitations mt this time. The
two first to which | have been invited, are
those at Sumter and Marion. They are
inspiring namcs-full of historical associ-
atoms. The epitaphs Of the heroes. whose
names your districts bear, contain lessons
of liberty and duty, showing what a brave
and determined minority could do in the
darkest hours of our Revolutionary his,o-
ny; aud will be burning and condemned
rebukes TO the trucking and compromising
Herd who are willing to take "what they
can get" and no, demand wha, they are
entitled to, under a Constitution signed by
equals, and intended to protect tho priyi-
lcges OF equals. The organization of your
societies p%rcsupposes a fearful truth: that
you, rights, under the Federal Constitu-
tion,hnve not been regarded, and are not
safe in the keeping Of the Federal Govern.
mcnt. My experience and solemn cunvic-
tons confirm this assumption.
My opinion is, that The las, struggle has
been made in Congress to arrest the az
gressions Of the non.slavchollinr State;
TN the institution OF slavery. The slave.
holding States arc in a minority, ana nav
appeal in vain to an invaded Constitution
for protection and defence. BY acts OF
the last Congress, a breach has been made
In The Constitution oi TIC United States,
ihroligfrHhich assaults will he in .;tcd on
yohr institutions. Your rights arc new
held at the will of an unrestraincd majority:
an infatuated majority, that is carrying out
its arrogant, but blind and wicked policy,
by an insane combination OF unscrupulous,
u%rliagogucs aud reckless fanatics. An
assailed and distracted minority have crun-
blcd under excuses and influences, which,
it is dcplorable to think OF. The reduced
minority, who stood out to The last, had 10
encounter overwhelming numbers, new
combinations Of parties, and The bc,rayiny
Influences Of prosii,u,ed presses. There
are statesmen at the North who would vii
lingIy avert the dangers that arc certainly
coming III Their section; they Will either
be Frustrated by the Storm, or survive i,
only to behold the wreck that has been oc-
Casioncd by its violence. They lrplnrc tho
divisions at the South, and Justly look upon
them as SO many sources ui betrayal Of the
interests Of the Constitutions and dcscr,iuu
Of themselves, and rs an ingiorious sur
render to wicked agiia,ors of n once mar
nificcnt, but now crumblin., Constitution.
No Southern man can honestly put his
hand to his heart and say, that the arrcrs-
sivc agita,ions of the slave question WILL
terminate with the measures OF the last
session--purrorting, in Tic cant and dis.
gushing language Of the day. To make a
satisfactory compromise. Aud no man who
who is disposed to maintain with proper
pride and honor the resolutions of several
slaveholding States, ought to acqu;csce in
these measures, if he ever could regard
thcmfas a respite for n time, from furllIeras-
sault and cncroachneat They have AREA
Gy done their work Of pcrpetrating a statu-
tory insult on thnsc, who, III llypocri,lcal
slang, are called brethren. They have Civ
en- sanctions and established r~rcccdcnts t.
proceedings. heretofore unknown in prac.
1ice; and have made n system -; as 10 re-
der It at once an example and tit inS;-u-
mcnt foi introducing an absolute rule Of a
despolic majorlty--a majority acquiring by
nv lis randi increase, the attractive power
OF gravity. Through what agency hls this
been effected! Through the Federal Con
stilutIou-a Constitution that was ndoptcd
rs IL bond for the security Of co-cqual con
federatcs. Instead Of being a sll cid OF
security, that instrument has been made
use OF all as engine of assault: for under lis
forms the Southern States have been 4ns-
sailed in a way that they would not have
hccn, had the! been communities OF s.ran~-
crs. The debates Of Congress have been
like so many inccnd!ary publications Ia m
cite lnsurrcction among us. And by whom,
by those who scduce The slave from his
better condition., to give to him the tncrc
name OF n freeman, only to degrade him
with themselves, and deny him the mears
of an honest subsistence.
But who can suppose that the measures
refer to, will have the effect to stop fur,h-
err aggression! Agitation and aggression
will go on with increased veloci,y-wiil.
the force Of a torrent that is increasing in
strength and volume from above, and from,
withdrawal Of distractions bcIow---by the
force Of sinister rum5crs, and by the va
cancy of sordid deScr,ion.
The liberties of no intelligent pcoplc
have ever been SO much in DANGER from
open and sudden assault, as from piece
salncal invasions. 1t is not worthwhile to
Sf1ook at this measure or that measure in its
specific operation.
Events have made up a practical issue:
and that issue is, shall the Southern States
submit to have themselves degraded. their
institutions denounced and violated, and
their property con'iscatcd, by the measures
of a Confedcracy formed 10 protect them
with greater security. The fatal result
may be as well attained by temporary com
promise as by unequal submission.
Those who affect To say there is no dan
ger, arc Of three classes: one cries safety
whilst it is looking in the m'dts Of the wreck
OF its own section Tor floating materials, To
erect therofrom a Presidential! platform.
Whilst the storm is raging they are sccur-
ing fragments to contribute to those who
have thrown their brethren overheard: who
think they have escaped well, if they can
say they belong to the srea, Democratic
party-or, 10 the true Wing party.
There is another class that is willing Ia
compromise with the present, bv hoping
for a better future. This class, whilst it
is backed towards the prccipice chooses Ia
look from it to avoid dizziness. Aye turn
ing their eyes from the danger near them,
they have a blind hope that it is no, so bad
as if they had looked upon it.
There is a third class that is willing To
SEE The South surrender everything rather
than endangcr The Uni"n-cominonly call