The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-12-09
Letter from Hon, j. IL. Poinsett.

FELLOW CITIZENS: My object in addressing you
in this crisis OF our affairs will scarcely be nlisun
derstood am Carolinian by birth and principle
and all own in the world Is vested III lands and ne
groes. have a common interest then in the ques
ton before the country, and right to express my
views and opinions should not, however, have de
parted from my determination to abstain from tax
ing part in politics, if had lately enjoyed
ua opportunities ofobserving the conduct and char
acter Of the opposition made at the North to in
sttutions; and if had not perceived, from the
tenor of the speeches and writings published in
the State, that the subject is not fully understood
in South Carolina. These speeches and writings
have tended to irritate the feelings of some, and
alarm the fears of others, among our fellow citi-
of the North. Many, however, among them
have regarded these outbursts OF passion without
resentment, and have assembled together in recent
meetings TO testify their devotion TO the Union,
and their firm determination to maintain the
laws Of the country. On one of these occasions,
my passage through Philadelphia, Twas solicit
ed TO be present, that might witness their pro-
ceedings, and bear testimony to you that our fellow
citizens OF Pennsylvania were animated with the
kindliest feelings towards us, and determined to
see the laws affecting our property enforced with
in their State.
| resisted the opportunities of my numerous
friends there, because did not desire to take part
in the proceedings of another State. As Caro-
linian desired to speak 10 my fellow citizens Of
Carolina from my own home among them. did
not wish TO appear to rebuke the winds and waves
of our agitated from distant shore, but re-
served my efforts to calm them until my
turn among you. But, in justice 10 the great
and good men who assembled at New York,
Philadelphia, and Boston, to vlndicatc the laws
and to declare their firm determination TO main
tain them, i feel bound TO say, that they
animated by the purest and noblost motives, and
have, throughout, evinced the most praiseworthy
zeal and patriotism. ! am personally and init.
mately acquainted with many OF them, and believe
that they will maintain to the utmost the senti-
mcnts they expressed on those occasions. The
great orior it appelrs TO me, that we have commit
ted. Is that have given too much COnse0ueuCe to
the wicked and designing men who strive to pro-
duce dis ord among us, and to destroy the peace
and prosperity of the country, that they may reve
in the spos, or elevate themselves TO power by pam
derng TO the passions and prejudice of the yilsst
factions Depend upon it these men moral le-
pers, despised by the masses, as well as by the
frightened portions of the community everywhere.
They are powerful for evil, know, because they
are organized and INSCRIPTIONS; and from the Pc
riod OF the fret French revolution, when a small
organized faction deluged France in blood, to the
present day, we all know the power exercised by
well organized and INSCRIPTIONS faction of the
people, however Insignificant in numbers and char
acter.
The admission Of California into the Union as a
State ia honestly believed and represented TO be the
most prominent of our wrongs, and the adoption Of
that clause OF her constitution excluding slavery,
the greatest outrage committed upon our rights. |
say nothing of the irreguarity OF the admission of
California, because / firmly believe that, If the
clause above alluded TO had been omitted the com
plant OF the Constitution being violated in the fact
0f her admission would have proceeded from the
North rather than from the South But | think
there ls an error in the assigned for the adop
ton OF that clause. The exclusion Of slav, ry in
California Is generally attributed, in the South, to
the improper interference Of Government, whereas
II arose from the spontaneous feelings of the people
there. The mission OF Mr.. Butler King, whatever
were the instructions he bore, Of no what
ever. There, as everywhere in this country, the
people would have revol ed at the uncalled- for in
reference of the General Government.
have seen and converted with returned emf
grants from that State, some successful beyond
their most sanguine expectations, while others
were disappointed and poor. They all, both rich
and poor, concurred in the opinion that the excu-
sion of slavery from California was owing 10 the
unvilingness of the white to work eide by
side with the negro, feeling 80 universal at the
North that have never seen negroes employed in
their great work shops, and, upon asking the rea-
son. was informed by the prOprietors that IL they
attempted TO introduce negro laborers into their
works the whites would leave them. This feeling
governed the vote on this question in Calfor-
MIA. IL IL great mistake To suppose that, at
the period of the adoption of the Conutution,
that territory consisted only Of squatters and of
the simple aud ignorant conquered people Cali
iornia peoplcd with unexampled rapidity
and the emigrants were from among most in
dustrious and entcrprising citizens. They were
neither lew IN number nor disqualified in charac-
ter TO frame Constitution for themselves; indeed,
their orderly conduct, while. abandoned by their
legitimate government, dwelt upon with
pride by us, and excited the admiration Of the civ
illzcd world. We may complain with some jus-
tce oil the admission of California with the excu-
SION OF slavery, bot If we had depopulated South
Carolina OF our negroes, and taken them TO Cali
lornia, firmly believe that they would have
been expelled from the State at the fret meeting Of
its Legislature, for know full well that the peo-
pic there were determined not TO admit them.
The next great outrage complained OF, IL the adj
Justment oftbe boundary Of Texas. will not pro-
long this paper and occupy your time byargunC
the question of the validity OF the boundary claimed
by Texas; but content myself with stating my be-
lief that II Mr.. Madison had been captured by the
British at Bladensburg, and under terror Of his life
bad signed treaty ceding the then Territory of
Maine, Congress, and we, the people, would have
denied that Great Britain had thereby acquired title
to that portion olou country The object Of Offering
ten millions to Texas wac not what il has been re-
presented; but to prevent civil war otherwise in
evitable; war, in the course Of which New Mex
leo would have been crushed by the superior forces