The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-09-06
NUMBER 81 Il.
Political Department.
CALIFORNIA BILL.


tire character of that body. A more flagrant
violation of the Constitution Of the Union. and
of the principles Of the federative COMPACT has
never disgraced that body. or given the friends
Of liberty occasion for lamentation. There
was a time when :he patriot. whose heart sick.
ened at the view Of The 'corruptioDs and sedi.
tious practices of the lower house, or at the
gross usurpations ofthe Executive, looked with
pride on the Senate, as the last, and probably
permanent refuge of liberty. There were oc
casions. when in the midst Of the yilest outra.
ges' on constitutional freedom. and amidst the
most wicked assumptions of party, that body
stood forth as the boldest defenders Of American
institutions. and the most Independent assericr
Of their first principles. That time and those
occasions are no more; and we now behold
that department ofthe government, once, so ho.
norable and just, the most yils and unprinci-
pied. The men, once powerful enough htotre.
sisi tyranny in any and every form; once indc.
pendent enough to put even honors and re.
wards at defiance; have become the miserable
tools of fanatic population, and in pursuit of
an abstract idea, have shown themselves will
ing to overturn The most sacred monuments of
patriotism, and sci at defiance the most clear
evidence of right. Unfailhfal indeed TO every
valuable relict of American liberty must be
those, who vested with political power; taking
their seats with an oath to preserve the Consti-
tuition on their lips; in the places sanctioned by
the presence CT the fathers Of she Revolution;
could, driven by The fIror Of Abolition and Free
SoIism, lend themselves to the dreadful opt
rage on the Constitution and rights of 4tbe
South, perpetratcd blythe passage Of the Cali.
Eornia Bill.
About Texas, VIC say but little. We once
thought the assertions Of that State rs to bolf.
dary, as much too strong; but as The govern.
ment went to war with Mexico in the assertion
of it, we hold that government to her position;
and however the consciences of others may re.
gard this matter, for themselves, if we, had
voted for the act which thus sdeprives Tex.
as of her territory. and substitutes ten millions
of paw for it, we should consider ourselves
bought traitors not only TO Texas, bu; the whole
South. The boundary of Texas is not a matter
in which that State alone is interested. She is
made the locality. pn which is to be- planted
the standard of nsnrrection in the South, aud
The base policy which could propose ten7niIlion
of dollars, for the territory, is the policy which
seeks ihe utter destruction of Southern instiIn.
tions. TO the United States, or To the people
Of the Free States, the territory and the money
are nothing. But i, is something to the higher
law party, to interpose on our Southern borders,
State, intended TO he devoted to the encoar.
agempnt OF rebplons and abscondinas:. il is
something to put their hands into The treasury,
filled from Southern labor. and bny up advocates
to the measures. which cut off The slave proper
ty of the South from the entire Pacific; and
contract the enjoyment IF that property with
in the narrowes, limits As God is our Judge,
we know of no instance in the history OF this
nation, evidencing such gross and faithless a
abandonment of principle. And in the face.of
the world, we pronounce the measures. which
have broken down the equality of the sonIh. as
reasonable to the Constitution, TO the Union,
and to every principle Of free gnvernmenf.-
What course It is the duty Of the South 10 pur.
size, is too grave matter for US TO point out.
In tho present emergency, the people Of the
slave holding States should be united. He
should he driven from onr borders, who hesi-
tales to sustain the South in any step by which
she may redress her wrongs; or who Wohld
forget, in the claims of his party, bis first duty
to his covntry. For ourselves. always modar-
atc;-always friend of The Union;-aiways
Welding to the hope Of the supremacy of Justice;
we have long siaed our indignant sentiments.
and rebulssd every expression Of discomfort in
others. The time for moderation is past. For
bearance, so far from being a virtue is a posi-
tive vice. [Is who will not. amidst the proof
now before the country. of deliberate outrage
on the South. vindicate her cause, and go To-
any extreme for her protection, is as f,ilhess
TO the nature of a freeman she is To the duties
of patriot and the social virtues Of Il free 60.
vernmenl. In mere political acts, dividing the
people Of the same country, a support OF thu
central governmental power may be consistent
with the obligations due the State; but in the.
case of wanton outrages on the principles of
liberty; of manifest abuses Of power; of violent
Efforts to change the nature Of the politics of
the country from freedom to despotism. there is
with the honest man, {her" may he with the
slavr.) no question of opposing Allegiance
There is but one tie-that is to our State, aud
10 our State alone! To this fidelity, to this al.
lceinnce we pledge ourselves; and never, whii"
we can raise our voice to assert the rights oi
the Sou!h. or an arm to protect il, will we ce;tS,.
to condemn and to resist this deliberate, unprii
ciprd and base violation of her constitutional
liberty. .-Ecening Ncws.
N,.r C,,prJwr fam anv of our ,e,JorS