Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-08-09
Georgia and South Carolina.

Ex-Governor Charles ]. Mcdonald, of Geor-.
gia, the "Southern Rights" candidate for Gov
ernor against Mr.. Howell Cobb, the Union cam
ddate, was recently invited to attend the meeting
of the friends of cooperation, or opponents of
separate secession, at Charleston, South Carolina
He replied in letter which is the topic of gene
raj comment in Georgia. and is, in some respects,
worthy of attention elsewhere. After saving
that he could not accept the invitation, he de-
scants on the public questions now agiated in
South Carolina aud Georgia as follows:
"Much will depend on the result of your deliberations
and allow me TO cay that the cou SO your State may
pursue il Gesn+o to hsve tremendous influence for
good for evil the Confederscy. That the great
prime pies Of equal and Justice which lie the founda-
lion of the Con Tuition have been agrantly violated
by the admission OF California with her usurpsd Con-
stituton into The Uon and the organization OF terrific
rial Covenants in U eh and New Mexico with the
undersl andng by those who enacted the law for the
purpose that The Mexican law prohibiting slavery pre-
walls there political regulations exclude
thefetrom, its unquestionabe. 1t is equally clear
that his utter dis gard of Southern rights has its fun.
datinn in fixed purpose to abolish the institnton of
Slavery in the Sites. The purp is. avowed over
the whole North that another State tolera'ing
the inst rntion OF slavery shall be admitted into
the Union, except such the Government is bound by
its compact with Texas to admit. 1t will soon be in-
sisted, appehend, that that compact has been abro-
gated by the Compromise, notwithstanding these slip.
ulatons in the bribery act and erected on Tex
territory will be reusd admission, unless it pro-
hibit slavery
"The Constitution is then to be changed and Con-
gress acquire AUTHORITY TO Interfere with and take
away the properly OF the people OF the States. The
Constitution of ia hers by the change to be des
poied ofisexcelleuce, and The rights which the States
now have to manage and regulate in their own way,
their own affairs, is to be prohibited 10 them The sys
tenn OF Government lett by ancestors, beautiful
because if rightly administered is Just and equal is
be transferred into hideous system capable OF wrong
and injustice even when consutionaIly administered.
If The powers now Led by The people of the States and
the States, independent communities to be con-
solidated and placed in the hands oil the General Co
vernment, the States of the North and Northwest,
being most powerful in numbers, will have absolute
control aud dominion upon the rights and interests
OF the people 10 other sections,
Time will develop these things. They in pro-
gress and will be accomplished. The people are to
determine what is best be done for Their own pro-
lection, and the people of each State must determine
for themselves. The right OF State secede from The
Uni n, Is unquestionabe. The secession of State
IRON the Union, being the exercise of right reserved
by the people in the Constitution it being the exercise
OF power not prohibited TO the States, it follows that
the governmsnt has no power TO subugate her. 1t be-
ing no offence against the Constitution against the
law OF nations, nor against the rights Of the general
government, It VIII be no cause of war. If the State
secede she will be foreign State to all ntents and
purposes and the general government can no more en-
force is laws on her territory than the terrific.
~ Of any other foreign government. These positions
are believe, undeniable. II your State were 10 So
cede from the Union, the General Government could
not interfere force her into the Union nor could it
enforce her laws her. If the Government were to
attempt it, it would light up b axe OF civil war, which
could he eXngu-hed but in the hes blood of the
lovers of constitutional freedom But sincerely hope
that You will take the assertion OF these unques-
tonabe propositions, encouragement TO proceed to
extreme measures, secession from the Union. There
are Southern States which in the predicament
with South Carolina, which have been much
wronged and much innred by the unequal meas
pres OF Congress Their people, however, do not see
the danger to them so imminent, do the people OF
your gallant State"
The Ex-Governor proceeds to say, frankly
enough, that if South Carolina determines to Sc
cede, she cannot expect the cooperation of Georgia
and he adds, that he thinks textremely improbable
that any other Southern State would Join her.
He admits his own fears that the hopes OF the ma
jorty of the Southern people, that the govern
ment will return to due respect for the rights
of the South, are without foundation +; but, un.
hkesome OF our Virginia indictments, he does
not disparage the frmness or fidelity of those who
have more confidence than himself. On the con-
trary, he attests, in the following strong lam
guage, the loyalty of all the Southern people to
the South, and their determination to manta
their just rights
81 assure you that the people properly appreea-
ting the danger oil toerating papabe violations OF the
Constitution and unless they can have their rights