The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-20


nounced the cheat then---we shall continue t.
expose the onward march Of ths robber horde
whether skulking under the covert of philan.
thropy, or marching boldly on over the ruin,
Of the Constitution, to wrest from the South
more 4spoils Of victory"
For Ate Southern Preu.
WAsHrNGroN, January 10, 1850.
This morning, for the first time, have read
the letter Of Ex-Governor Hamilton, Of South
Carolina, TO Mr.. Cheves.
Surprising South Carolina to have gone out o.
the Union alone, Mr. Hamilton makes the fol-
lowing reflections:
" If the position in which South Carolina
would thus be placed, would at once produce
the assembly Of q Southern convention, headed
by Virginia, should regard it with all its risks
as cheaply purchased. But how stands il, il
against their automatically declared opinions, we
are not only suspected, but known to place our
selves in this peril to cosrcs them to come to ovr
rescue Mr.. WOODWARD; member Of Congress
from South Carolina, gentleman for whom en-
terrain all due respect, declared in letter or
speech to his constituents that it was wise policy
for South Carolina to place herself in this att-
tude. because we 's.coutd drag Virginia and North
| candor is certainly commendabIe. The ancients
had, in their mythology, an image Of Wisdom
which was represented with her finger on her
lips--Mr. WOODWARD adheres to the much more
christian precept Of deceiving neither our friends
nor our enemies. Yet when we have the moral
option Of being silent, should be hard to con-
vince, that it is the best policy on all occasions to
speak oui If it be the truth, and nothing but
the TRUTH
Now, it is a m stake. that, in speech or letter,
ever said that it would be wise policy for South
Carolina to place herself in such an attitude.
have ever expressed the opinion, both in public
and in private, that it would be unfortunate for
South Carolina to be obliged to oct alone; ana
that she ought not to do so, as long as there ex-
listed ga reasonable hope Of securing the CO.
operation OF one or more of the other States" /
admit, however, that did say on all occasions
and do still entertain the opinion, that when all
reasonable hope Of such cooperation shall cease
South Carolina ought to secede alone believ-
ing, as ! sincerely do, that, saying nothing OF
T" furnished honor or violated rights, !" she could
not place herself in more perous situation than
that Of remaining in what il called the Union.
Whatever may be the hazards Of secession, the
dangers from the Union are vastly greater.
Nor is it true that. IN my speech at Columbia,
said at South Carolina by seeding alone,
would draw into her support the States OF North
Car ma and Virginia. did, however, say what
supposed would be the consequence Of secession
bya line of States extending from the Atlantic
to the Western frontier, to wit: the States Of
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
and Arkansas. But no disrepect was intended to
North Carolina or Virginia. II was not meant
that they, or any other State, would be coerced
T. do any thing contrary to their own ideas Of
prorr ETY. an sound policy. supposed that those
States, having suffered the same wrongs az other
Southern Stater, and being conscious OF that fact,
would join Southern confederncy, once formed
in preference to union with the free States.
And in 90 saying, only repeated what was COM
monty said at Washington. Mr.. Hamilton has
said the same thing Of Louisiana, on the suppo-
sition that the other Southern States should se-
cede. Nor did speak in spirit of arrogance or
boastfulness; but, on the contrary, with the view
| to afford consolation and hope to my own injured
| and illuminated State.
| With reference TO another norton of the ex
tract from Gen. Hamilton q letter, | will remark
that my speech at Columbia was made in the
spirit OF free conference with friends and constt-
usnts, and was composed of such remarks as
would have been addressed to dozen friends at
a hotel And il there was error in not dec Giving
my "enemies" any more than my "friends, I" that
error is not to be laid to my charge had no
reason to suspect, and did not suspect, that any
portion of the speech would go to the press
And on seeing in one Of the Columbia papers a
brief and imperfect sketch, hasiened to disavow
IN general terms, many por ions Of it. assent Ia
the suggestion Of Gen Hamilton, that there il a
vide difference between the virtue of candor and
the folly, not to say vice, of incontinent babbng
Those who know me and would do me Justice
woul. think, defend me against any insinua
ton that the vanity Of gasconade and bragadocis
had made me more useful to enemies than Ia
friends.
4 One additional remark. My speech at CoIum
bia was not published by more than one newspa
per IN South Carolina, in consequence, perhaps
Of my having disavowed, in general terms, many
portions of the report. And il any extracts ap.
peared in papers out of the State, the public could
not have known but that those very extracts were
the object Of my disavownl. ! say nothing OF
the little credence that is usually given to the az
sertions OF hostile papers concerning political adj
versarIes. But any security which, it thus APP
pears, the cause Of the South may have had
against the consequences which my imputed in
discretion was calculated to produce, has been
entirely destroyed by the publication of Gen.
Hamlltons letter. And it is somewhat remarka-
BILE, that one so impressed with the folly Of al
/ ways "spedkimg swi" and "never dccsviur either
our friends or enemies" should have selected
for publication, and advertisement, that portion OF
! my supposed speech, which was best calculated
to do detriment TO the Southern cause; by offend
ing the pride and self respect Of those two States
whose strength and geographical position give
them the greatest control over the destnes Of the
| South. I say il is mewhat remarkable upou
tie suppostion that Gen. Hamilton is not him
self, one Of those enemies whom ought to have
deceived.
1 have myself, on numberless occasions, repro-
bated the remark as made publicly, that other
States would be forced to do thus and thus have
reprobated il, however, not so much on accoun.
ofany mischief it was calculated to do, M be-
cause it il disrespectfu and dscourteous TO speak
thus Of State. cannot suppose that any ncon-
sidesais remark Of mine, or that the indecorous
4 m of
in this or that Southern, State, could seriously in
Auence the grave counsels Of the digniRed States
! OF North Carolina and Virginia. Buff be mis-
taken in this, then hnve to lament that mis-
chief which the ohscurity of my speech disabled
il from doing, 10 destned to be fully developed by
the advertisement OF Gen. Hamilton. No reason
! te's mao can expect that any thing contained IN