The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-06-09

f1eoltoox nn0 & 49, III ~ fG90lml -
70 sabMit! bhs 6AAl Georgia. AFR cla~ny II.
fining what would BE- cause for resistance, and
in advance providing for convention which
should clothe her in the panopiy Of Site SOW
ereigpty, promptly setracting and NJ ekly sub
hitting 10 the great fraud which she had threat
. led in precise terms to resist!
Willing to meet her sisters-sufferers alike
with her IN these great wrongs, and to confer ~
to the course To be pursued. she elected dele
gates To convention OF Southern States-but
not State has responded--Dot delegate mas
been chosen ~ meet her!
Thus thrown back to take council, IN this
emergency, of her own wisdom and courage,
she is calmly preparing TO net her part, ana TO
leave consequences TO be met as best they may
be, by those that d1avs deserted her in this hour
Of common danger and trial. That she will
secedc, suppose, is now considered a liked fact,
What is to be done by the general government
in that event, is the grfve question which VIII
come up for discussion in our next Congress.
1t is the great. oyershadowng question. II
must become, therefore, one OF the main Issues
in the coming canvass Shall South Carolina
be coerced by the general government! Shall
the executive be authorized to employ the army
and navy against her!
The answer will involve the great question
9" has she right to secede" II she has-then
the government will have no more right to com
pei her to return, or to prevent her seeding,
thin England would have.
If the act of secession takes place while Con-
gress is in session. the President will have to lay
that fact before Congress that body will
decide upon it. It must be war or peace be-
tween the two parties There can be no inter-
.coI,ata afaxa - fhinUo hof than fthp
State is allowed to exercise her right in peace,
it will settle the question of secession MS to any
other State which may follow--and presume,
how soon such other States may follow will
depend much on the success of South Carolina
in carrying on an independent government.
Jfactuated by her long entertained views of
free-trade, she shall open her ports to the ship
ping of the world, and lay but light Duties there
can be no doubt that the carrying trade Of the
surrounding States such as are connected
with her by lines of rail road, will be doEe
through her ports-and that her people will find
their liberties and property better protected and
at less expense than they have been under this
expensive government The example will be-
come infectious.
If however, war is made upon her, then will
the last strands which have bound the States to-
Southern people, alike sufferers under the action
of Congress the change in the character of the
government which such an act as that Of war
npon one of the States will have taken place,
will all operate to throw to the side of South
Carolina every true hearted laveholder-every
true republican States rights man. That act
will make the ! sue of State sovereignty or
emancipation. and on such an issue our people
mn ho a., &c
the general government-the treacherous sons
Of the land whose schemes of personal aggran-
disement will thus be interrupted-will be all
that will dare rally under federal banners, to
march against that gallant State.
Thus, whether we will or no-whether It il
policy or no-whether we would put off a de-
cision upon secession or no--the issue is upon
US! The action of South Carolina, which no
sane man can now doubt, will be that of seces.
sioh next spring, forces decision. All our re-
lations with that State will be thu. broken
the Union will thus be Lroken-and we. ss
part of the States left, will be forced to decide
the question-"Has the State the right to Sc
cede! and shall we permit her to be surrounded
by abolition armies-recruited from the aboli
ton ranks-and the torch of civil war to be
kindled in our rerv midst By Aboli,ionists, for
VIC Pufp"S VI FFostratInG asIavenOlQlng Slater
What folly, then, to try to coper up-,o con-
ceal this mighty issue from the people. What
folly to say, bv smothering this issue, we will
be able to guide the mass of the people to the
brink of secession. II isa question already upon
us--whoever undertakes to crush it, will in
turn, he crushed by the march OF events. 1t is
time indeed to raise aloud every voice in favor of
manly, effectua resistance. 1t ia tim. TO avow
what you mean by resistance. Tench the pco
pie this year that secession ia not your remedy
that secessionists are traitors. and when the
We 1852 opens with the sound of federal guns
directed against sovereign State already in
arms for her liberties you will find it too late to
undo what you have perhaps too thoroughly
taught them.
In my humble opinion, If ever there was q
time far the doctrine of State sovereignty-and
State rights to be understood in all their breadth
and depth, and over, now is that time
have already. sir, drawn ont this letter to a
far greater length than had desired, and close
by returning to the members Of the late conven-
ton, through vou my sincere thanks for the re
gard and confde ce which they have manifested
for me in comforting upon me this nomination.
Your obedient serv't W. L. YANCEY.