The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1851-07-16

plea unit, or which the States are the
fractions, and that, therefore, the majority
must govern, for there is no legal remedy
against its acts. From all this, it follows
that our only remedy is that which belongs
TO us in common with our slaves-revolu-
ton, and no more.
| cannot but think, therefore, that if South
Carolina declines 10 secede for reason like
this. she will give dcath-blow to the great
cause Of State Rights, for which she has
hitherto pcriIled so much, and with which
her name is so proudly associated.
Let us glance however at some of the diff
ficulties which it is urged lie in our way as
free sovereign and indepcndant State. 1t
is said we will have to resort to smuggling
for livelihood. That our negro popula-
tion will become redundant, and that if they
escape we cannot reclaim them. The ob-
lection in regard to smuggling is sufficiently
answered by showing that if goods are car
ried from our territory into the other States,
it must be done by the citizens of those
States themselves, and they must settle the
matter with their own government. As to
redundant population, have no fears what
ever on that subject. If we ever have more
slaves than we can proftably employ, we
will be able to sell them at a reduced price,
and have no doubt that the surrounding
slaveholding States will soon be able to OBJ,
tain the sanction Of their government for
their purchase. It will be very different
thing from the African slave trade, and as
our slaveholding neighbors are to be the
pets Of their government for fear of the con-
tagion of secession, have no doubt they
will be able to make satisfactory arrange
ments on this subject, even if it should in
volve an amendment of the constitution
Long before the day could come, when we
=oala voluntarily give up our territory to
our slaves, and run away from them, or they
could conquer it from us, our ncighbors
would find means to relieve us as we'll as
themselves from such dire calamities, BY
giving them much better employment in
their rice and cotton fields. South Caroli-
ma will not be permitted to become a st.
Domingo in the bosom of the South. Ills
tory presents no instance Of nation perish
ing from a redundant popuiation-a peace
ful exodus has always Been found.
As to the difficulty in relation to the re-
capture of our fugitive slaves, it is obvious
that as the slaveholding States would be ex-
posed to the same evil by their slaves esca-
ping into our territory, remedy would soon
be found by our mutual necessities. Inter-
est will regulate these subjects as it has al
ways done. Should our slaves escape into
the free States, we Will have TO do just what
we are doing now-submit to their loss.
Mr.. President, admit that it is very easy
to say many hard things against secession,
so apprehend- is just as easy to say many
hard things against disunion. Our friends
must allow me to say to them: Push not
your arguments against secession Too far, or
you may find your batteries turned against
your own favorite scheme-disunion by CO.
operation. Do you know that you can &C
complish disunion and the establishment of
Southern Confederacy, without many of
those very sacrifices you now urge against
secessiona If your Confcderacy consists of
the cotton states, do you know whether you
will be permitted to secede without cocrcion9
May you not encounter blockades and q war
Of custom houses9 Will not slavery be.
come hemmed in, and localized within the
borders of your confederacyf Will your
power Of recapture be perfect and completed
May not the commerce of Charleston, and
your other ports, be harrassed and driven
away9 Who shall have the month Of the
Mississippil have heard many brave
words uttered by Western men on this sub.
ject on the floor Of Congress, and high claims
put into this right 3i
Speak kindly. therefore. I pray you, of se-
cession, for it is" the first born-the lawful
offspring Of disunion doctrines. Such, be
assured, will be the Judgment of a-candid
world, thereeord Of impartial history.
admit, however, that our friends have
one advantage over Us. Their scheme lies
in the future; ours is at hand. They have
the chapter Of accidents on. their side; We
have only the chapter Of history. .
/ am aware it may be said, ,liat If fsaccord-
ing to my argument, there 10 no danger Of
any overt acts of aggression against the
South on the part of the Government in our
day, then there is no danger,to Us if we re-
main in the Union thatin this respect my
argument is contradictory But the reply
is obvious. The argument on the other side
is, that orr destruction IS inevitable if we
remain in the Union; that it Is the Govern
ment of our enemies, who viii anniffilateas
but that further aggressions will soon be
committed which will unite the Southin;
conjoint concession. The frat branch Of the
proposition admit, but, the latter deny.
How, then, you ask, will our destruction
come? Ianswer, by the gradual, but Ger.
tain advance Of abolition; BY the process Of
sapping and mining; by Immigration; by
he.spread of antislaperY opinions; by de-
grading State Rights and exaIting Federal
ism; by combining measures of justiee with
.. e q