Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-06-12
.be STABLE growing States of America, includ-


The staple growing States of America, includ
ines South Carolina. ( { = -
s.Su.zThe agricultural staples of the South
ern States Of the American Union which ar
produced by slave labor, can, from their ex
tent, variety, cheapness and prime inpor
tance, cammand nearly all the markets of tn
world, and make the whole human family
more or less, tributary to the prosperity ant
grandeur of these States, provided they cal
exercise the privilege of receiving, at thei
option in return, the productions of all othe
countries, free from injuriously rcstrictiv,
import duties.
III. The citizens of the Northern and non
slaveholding States of this Union, devotins
their labor chiefly to manufacturing, farming
and their incidents, are deeply interested il
imposing high duties OH the most important
imports from other countries. III order to mo-
nopolize the markets Of the slaveholdng
States for. their own productions, at high
prices. These States, therefore, will never
willingly consent to any liberal system OF
free trade, such as the Southern States re-
quire. And Influenced, also, to an extraordi-
nary degree, and permanently, it is believed,
by false views of religion: humanity and poll
cy, they will not permit the Southern States
to hold their slave undsturbed; and will not
cease zealouslv to endeavor to abolish negro
slavery every where and altogether.
w. These. non-slaveholding States, con-
tainine a numerical majority of the citizens
of the United States, and having complete
control of both Houses Of Congress and the
Electoral College, with the certainty Of be-
ing able to maintain such control as long as
this Union lasts: and having heretofore siren
.uousy exercised their power to impose high
duties on imports, and to arrest the extension
of African slavery for The express purpose of
fastening its abolition: and there being no
prospect that they will ever cease to impose
such duties and interfere with slaveholding-
though to do either is fragrant violation Of
the Constitution of the United Statcs-it
follows that the existing Union of the non-
Slaveholdinr and slaveholding States of North
America, is and ever will be wholly incom-
patiable with the full developement of the
natural advantages of the latter States and
their attainments to that position of power,
prosperity and happiness TO which they are
justly entitled.
V. The people of South Carolina, con-
WINGED Of the truth and importance of these
views, are distinctly and unaterably opposed
to longer continuance of this Union; and
are ardently desirous Of its speedy dissolu-
.tion and the formation of Southern Con-
federacy composed of slaveholding States
only. And they would promptly and gladly
adopt ary practical measure to promote such
dissolution, and the formation of such con-
fcderacy.
vi To effect these ends, they would forth
with withdraw themselves from the existing
Confedcracy without reservation forever, and
are only restrained from doing so by the fol-
lowing considerations viz:
l. They have no sufficient reason to be-
lieve that any other saveholding State would
ut this time follow their example and unite
with them, but. on the contrary, they believe
that all the States, their own excepted, are
yet disposed to adhere to this Union, at least
until further injuries are inflicted OH them.
2. They have reason to believe that if they
did,secede from the present Union, the nom
slayeholding majority which controls thenew
National Government would Immediately
take measures to coerce them into entire SUBJ
mission to their will, which measures they
are constrained to acknowledge, they clearly
have not the,ephysical ability, unaided by
other slayeholding States, efectaaily to.resist:
g. They have much ground to apprehend
that, from the narrow limits of the territory
of South Carolina. and the. .sparseness of her
population, she would not be able, situated
or the open sea, and bounded in the interior
by States of the Union, even if permitted
peaceably to secede, TO maintain, alone, the
dignity and independence of q nation OF re-
spectacle rank among the nations of the
world.
VII. While for these reasons the people OF
South Cnrolinl reluctantly decline for the
present, to withdraw from the existing Union,
and declare their State separate and inde-
pendent Sovereignty. they are so fully con-
vinced of the fatal influence Of the Union up
on the interests and character Of the slave
holding States, that they cannot doubt the
time is not far off, when these States, or u
sufficient number of them, will unite in such
Withdrawal and Declaration ofIndepcndence.
And they are also fully convinced that placed
as they and the people of the other slave
holding States are in permanent and hope
less minority in the present General Govern
ment, there is no utility in longer continuing
voluntarily, to take part in It's councils. or
maintaining any connection with it, which
can be dissolved without aifordlng plausible
pretexts for violent collision.
VIII. This Convention, therefore, ordians
as fundamental and perpetual laws in the
State ofSorth Carolina, that
4. No Electors shall hereafter be appointed
by, this State to vote for President or Vice
President Of the United States. and no vote
shall be given by the State in these elections
9. No Senators or Representatives to the
Federal Congress shall hereafter be chosen
By or in this State, and the seats Of those al
ready chosen are hereby vacated.
8. Every citizen of this State who shall
hereafter accept and hold any Office Of honor,
profit or trust, under the General Govern
ment, or any CT its departments-save such
local civil Offices as exist or may be Constl-
tutioaally created ip the State, shall instant
ly and forever cease to enjoy all and every OF
the privileges of citizenship in South Caro-
lima, and all his property in the State shall be
liable to tax of six per cent per annum ad
valorcm, which the Legislature shall impose
by general law ut the next session.
4. The State of South Carolina shall not