The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-07-02

condition to be determined by that
which they will regard as the result
Of pride and rashncss Of South Caro-
lima. It is urged that We contend in
their cause, and 80 I solemnly believe;
but I cannot be blind to the fact
that those who are to determine this
most important question, do not SO
regard it. On the contrary, popu.
lar majoritics in tho other slavehold.
ing States, swayed by the arts, and
guided by the counsels of those whose
hostility to this State is most open
and bitter, treat our calamities, should
they come upon us, but as the appro.
pirate rewards Of our arrogance and
presumption. Experience has not
taught me to believe that mems ac.
tons 60 beyond their professions; and
| am unwilling to rest so vital an is.
sue upon the assumption, that those
who have 80 recently in our iudg-
ment failed to redeem the pledges
which they have given, will hereafter
at vast expense of blood and treasure,
make good the pledges they have re-
fused 10 give, pledges which we may
imply for them, but which they have
declined, even in words, TO sanction.
Nor shall we find the greater favor
with them if we call in. Foreign
Nation, to champion our cause. It
is considered by many, who favor the
unsupported secession Of South Car
olina, that any hostile interference
with our commerce will affect the in
tercst Of Great Britain, and that she
will not permit them:to be illegally
assailed.
So far from deriving encourage
ment from this view OF the subject, it
constitutes to my mind d very, strong
objection to- the proposed action Of
the State. A Southern Confedera-
.f.Y. atrans u plrXsiei pos er, osid in
daf'r.' q ,ia Us with pub.
lie scn.inett confirmed and elevated
by the consciousness Of strength,
might safely seek such alliances as
her interests required; not so the sim
gle State of South Carolina. The
warning voice of our great departed
statesman forbids US to expose our
selves, thus isolated, to Vaccinations
from which his sagacity and decision
so recently rescued Texas. Was it
indeed an act Of wise statcsman-likc
foresight to provide against the evil
that impended over our institution,
from the dangerous isolation and the
more dangerous commercial alliances
Of Texas, and shalt we, in disregard
of his counsel thus embodied in ac.
ton, precipitatc ourselves into similar
i not equal danger? I refrain from
urging this topic further, the past and
the present equally warn us to be.
ware.
I repeat it again, Mr.. President,
that we entirely underestimate the
power Of national sentiment, when
we sever ourselves from the other
slaveholding States. Patriotism has
its negative as we'll as its positive
pole, and its repulsion is proportion
ate to its attraction. You can not
be out Of the Union, and yet main
tain unbroken the ties of sympathy
and Of party, which now join us in
CLOSE connection, with so many gen
crous, faithful, and true.hcartcd
friends, within our Southern border.
They cannot sustain themselves at
home, and hold strict alliance with n
State which has become to them q
foreign nation. feel that even the
wishes Of these our friends are cnti.
tied to the utmost consideration, and
their opinions the most respectful at.
tention; but forming new govern
mcnt is too high q matter to be sub
jected to the influence of party con-
siderations. When, too, the very
act itself, places the impossible bar.
rier of a distinct nationality against
all future cooperation. 1t seems to
me, sir, that we are in danger of fall
ing into tho error of turning the
mean into the end; to protect slave.
ry, to form a new government for its
protection, to seccdc for the purpose
of forming this new government for
its protection to sccedc for the pur.
pose of forming this new government;
these are the steps in our progression.
The new government, the secession,
arc tho means, the protection of
slavery, the end. But when sccess.
ion leads to no new government, or
to government which exposes slave
ry to increased danger, then certainly
secession is no longer to be adhered
to as something excellent in itself
Allow mo here to say, Mr.. President,
that the question, before us is not, as
l conceive, a question of resistance
or submission, but of forming new
government, and the consideration of
it should therefore be entered upon