The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-13

I d
of South Carolina, and a hope expressed that she
would long continue one of the "Gnited States >
Gentlemen, that matter does not depend solely
upon the State of South Carolina. II depends part
ly upon her sister States, but chiefly upon the
measure of evenhanded justice meted ont TO her
citizens, and the observance of the conditions o
the compact by her co-pariners. The State o
South Carolina did not originally never has, and
never would have, desired TO tear herself forcibly
from the galaxy of which she forms part, unless
good and sufficient cause had been given for her to
mediate separation The State Of South Carroll.
ma has loved this Union much-she has sacrificed
and suffered to form and sustain il; but she loves
justice and equality MORE and justice and equality
all that she has ever demanded. She has never
demanded more; she never will voluntarily consent
TO accept less.
II may be treason in this free country for men
TO talk out boldly and plainly that which they
think and intend TO do. If so, the soil of South
Carolina is strewn thick with traitors-but in no
other sense. She is sovereign over her sons
and her own destiny. Never, since the foundation
Of this Contederacy; never, since the first flag waa
unfured to the breeze, beneath which the people OF
the United States rallied to the OF their nation
al name or safety never yet, in any such time, has
South Carolina failed to furnish her full contingent,
twice told ay, and more, OF money and of men, and
the bones of her whitening on every battle field
from Canada to the city of Mexico, attest this
solemn truth against all the ISLANDERS that have been
or that may be uttered against her patriotism.
have nothing more to add upon this subject; and i
regret that have been betrayed into saying so
much. Allow me, in conclusion, to give you a sen
timent. propose the health of an absent brother:
The late Editor of the Repubiic-A Built that
never missed .he mark.
The Committee Of Arrangements proposed the
following:
Ovid F. Johnson Whether pleading attorney
for the State or in defence of our glorious Union,
always eloquent, always able, always patriotic.
Mr. JOHNSON. i little expected, when | came
here this evening, that should be called my feet
by 80 iattering compliment as the one which the
committee have been pleased to pay me- and rise
now more for the purpose of expressing my ac-
acknowledgements to the committee for the sentiment,
and my Acknowledgements to you, gentlemen for
the kind manner in which you have received it,
than to make speech, for havo violent cold
and hoarse voice. and could not do 80 if were to
try. / will endeavor, however, to say n few words,
for think it s due to the occasion, due to you, and
due to myself.
l have, few occasions in my life, had the
pleasure of attending similar asscmblages to this,
and, must confess, never attended one without
feeling, when looked at the faces of those around
me, as If were looking at new creation, at new
power in the State, at new energy impaired to
the intellect and achievement Of men. In old times,
you have heard, the wisest philosopher could
address bat few Of his fellow-ctizens. In those
days there was no such thing as public opinion
That is a power that has arisen only since the
discovery of the art Of printing. If you consult the
history of the greatest nations that existed previous
TO the discovery Of that art you will ind that no
such thing was known, and no such element OF
power was ever acknowledged as the power OF pub
lie opinion. II was the government forcing the
people on the one hand, or II was band OF aristo-
Gratis controlling the government on the other But
the idea that the macs Of mankind could rise up
and shake OIL the chains that bound them, whether
ofignorancc or OF force, never was known, never
was imagined, till the Press has given that power
IT, when Archinedcs said that il he had iulcrum
upon which to place lever, he could raise the
world he had had one of Adans's pow er presses he
could have turned it a dozen times. That fulcrum,
gentlemen, has been discovered; that lever has
been secured; that power is in daily exercise, and
npy IN On he All hat int
of ignorance and degradation from which it has
emerged since this art has been discovered
have said that when look upon an assemblage
like this, | felt if | looked upon a new creation.
say 80, because IT is you, gentlemen, who WELD
this mighty power of which have spoken 1t is
you who hold up the lever and sustain the fulcrum
and you, with the aid Of steam engines. manage
to exercise this power. 1t is 10 you the coun-
try must look for prosperity, for good laws,
and for their honest administration, and for the
preservation, not only of the Union, but of that
liberty which il was intended to establish. Thus
far the fight has been nobly done agree entirely
with the two gentlemen who have preceded me,
that there differences of opinion with regard
to the that different States and different in
dividuas, in the present condition of things may
deem proper to pursue. There is no doubt a wide
difference of opinion, and | will add, too, a very
honest difference of opinion, on the part OF most,
perhaps ALL that have lndulged in these differences
1t would be worse than iollY-it would be rank in
justice and insanity-to say that the whole people
of South Carolina were anxious TO dissolve the
Union, and to perpetratc an act of lde-pohu-
cal suclde-to their liberty. 1t would be folly to
think so and il they have pushed some questions
of doubtful and delicate nature little further
than some of us think they ought TO nave done,
the great tnas5 OF tne people have no doubt been
honest and anxious to do their duty, and believed
that in this extremity they doing thair qa.y.
In the language of one Of their most e.n!nan' -
now no more, SIT they .ouietD'-- SONS,
aud ipenpcc Snerger'"-" - resolve strongly
thin@ =" .->..y, We must pardon some
- - .ne spirit OF liberty
Your position here, gentlemen, at the metropolis
OF this great netion is one of much rcsponsiblllty
and you are here light set upon hill, and not hd
under a bushel. What you do, this whole country
must know, and what this whole country must
know, 50 must the world know; for the time has
gone by when this country speaks that the world
does not listen. You here at the seat OF the
Federal Government; you here are separated from
the North and from the South, from the East and
from the West The great founders of the Consti-
tuition deemed 1t proper that those who lived with
IN tins District should be connected with no section
al interest but should the great principle OF
perfect independence from all other interests than
those which grow out OF questions OF national poh
cy. General Washington laid down the true rule
10 regulate the course of all men in this country
and believe that, go long that rule is adhered to-
this Union must stand; for it is built upon rock,
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against It,
You, then, here to enjoy the advantages OF "a
free Constitution and of liberty. You are here to
connect yourselves with sections, but to treat
them all alike. They all brethren. We have
CalICu Dy u1lfefcnt names various DICtnTen. we
arc all Republicans. We all Federalists. We
are northern men, and southern men, eastern men,
and western men; and hope we are all Americans,
for that includes all. My friends, il cannot be said
that you have not some einilucnce within your sphere,
even over those who do not belong to your institution
Ii cannotbe said that you have not great on
the Press and those who conduct IT, for you have.
will say, that think there is no class of men in
the whole Union who have so much active intelli-
gence, so much general knowledge of the business,
OF the welfare, and the political concerns OF the
country, as the members of the typographical pro-
ession And they can, by proper exercise of their
knowledge and influence, even over those who en-
ploy them, do much to keep rcstlve horses in the
traces, and prevent them from kicking out.
AS to the contract system, | know very little
about it, and could say nothing to throw any light
upon the subject. | only know this, that no sys
TEN is likely TO be very good against which the
tire Typographical Society protests, and which
protest is sustained by members OF Congress.
Allow me, in conclusion, to give you this senti-
ment:
The Press-Tho Five Senses of the Genius of
Civilization: T. Pi,Hi6its Untun.
The Committee of Arrangements then gave:
Walter Lenox, csq.-He graces equally the
'hair nf tb, Mo nv at,1 hat pf Feet loo