Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-09-12
SOUTH CAROLINA.

honor of Senator Rhett, the ''CaroIina Traitor"
as his admirers delight to call him. Special in
vilatons had been extende dto several distinguish
ed gentlemen to attend, and address the people
on the occasion referred TO, but Hon. John Buch-
anan and Hon. Joseph A. Black were the only
personages of note who found it convenient to
comply. Letters, however, were received from
some ofthe invited guests-among them one from
Gov. Means, which the reader will find below
stating their inability to attend but ca CHI took &C.
casion 70 give his view upon the "all-absorbing
question OF the day"
Shortly after the people had assembled, Senator
Black, made his appearance. The President of
the day welcomed the "Carolina Traitor" in flori
address, and then formally introduced him to the
people, who had assembled by thousands, accord
ing to the report in the Charleston Mercury. At
ter the band, in an enivening strain, had played
the national air "Carclina Senator Rhett proceed
ed to unbosom himself. He responded briefly,
'to the complimentary manner in which he had
been received by the people of Lancaster, and as
cribed as the cause of his being there, the cause
of Carolina, to which he had always been devoted
and for whose honor, rights, liberty and equality,
he had always contended and ever would support
and maintain at any and every hazard, and to the
last extremity" He occupied the attention of his
audience for upwards of two hours in q recital of
the 'wrongs and aggressions" the nation of South
Carolina had suffered and endured from the Fed
eral Government, and Northern People, and finally
arrived at the sapent conclusion, which he has
reached mo and onaip tbst tbo
,ightful remedy. He, however, expressed his will
lngness to wait reasonable time for cooperation,
but if it could not be obtained, then the alterna-
tive presented would be sepdrate State action or
submission; that for his own part he never could
submit; that he would 60 for seeding by him
self, alone, though every other man in the State
should submit. There's an exhibition of true
pluck, which must challenge the admiration of
the whole country! Senator Rhett, solitary and
alone, seeding from the Union. Contemplate
the grandeur, the moral sublimity of the sep -
Possibly, since the people of Mississippi have so
signay repudated the cooperation schemes of
Gen. Quitman, that gentleman may not be indis-
posed to keep Mr.. Rheu company in his perous
march out of the Union. An excellent under.
standing already exists between these gentlemen
we imagine, from the circumstance that the
Greenyie IS. CO. Patriot charges Gen. Quitman
with "wnting letters privately, urging South
Carolina to secede, with promise of his official
countenance if successful in the canvass in his
own State" The people of Mississippi, however,
having denied the General the privilege of EXTEND
ing his "offcial countenance'' to the schemes of
Rhett & Co., that gentleman has no alternative
left but to extend his individual countenance to
his friends in South Carolina But to return to
Mr.. Rhetts barbecue speech
"He showed (says the Mercury's accoun) that South
Carolina could support and maintain herself as sepa-
rate Nationality though should not get Co one ra-
ton; that by free trade, the imposition of no duties upon
foreign goods the ordinary taxation of the State would
be amply sufficient for the sstenance OF the State Go
yernment; that we needed army, nor navy: that |
foreign vessels would come here and buy our produce
and sell us their goods; and there would be no neces
atty Tor US to have navy to protect commerce
mat by system oil tree trade the whole of the South
ern and Western States would come to Charleston and
buy their goods, rather than pay duty of thirty per
cent: 10 their own Governments that Charleston would
be the emporium OF the United States whilst New
Y oTk and Boston would pause and retrograde On the
DINER hand, if the Federal Government attempted CO.
ercion, the whole South would rally to the aid of
South Carolina and Southern Conederacy would be
inevitable; that ne believed the only way to get Coop
Grafton Is tor the State to secede alone and that would
praduce it; tor Virginia had backed out from her own
resolutions OF resistance Georgia had submitted all the
other States had acquesced, Mississippi and she
would not be ready 10 secede with u.s. but would follow
Us, IN case OF coercion being attempted by the Federal
States"
10 show the utter absurdty Of these cacula
Ions we we have only to oppose to them the al.
hority OF the Hon. Joel R. Poinsett, native of
South Carolina, and one of the soundest men of
the day. In May last, he thus writes to the Char
aStOn tI0ur,ar in ranlxy to- r.,
by the redoubtable Mr Rhett:
"As picture OF palmy prosperity TO respI, f,o, an,
secession has been presented our fellow citizens Of
charleston, let me sketch one much moe nrobabie
III he evenl OF our carrying out that ladysed meas
ufe whether the opposition OF our withdrawal oonso
at once or IS brought about by our ntertarenoe III
tie legitimate commerce OF the States in the nnion M
tle INJURY sucn interference will nfcl on the revenue OF
the Federal Government, come il must and ,bst 60
This VIII be war, says the Senator and This 10 What
some OF our most ery spirits most desire. hn t va
war by sea ana SAND we must have ships and men and
they are not 10 be maintained except at Great cost
War with maritime nation like the United States i'm,
plies a blockade OF our harbOrs. Our trade wnnld h,
cut oil at moment when we are called unon 10 nov
the greatest amount OF taxes to meet the expense n
our war establishment. That trade which is beginning
10 revive IN Charleston would flow into other chsnnes
from winch 1t will be difficult 10 divest it, will not
a ou slle amount Of misery such consummaton
would oecaslon-ot misery not only to the merchant
70 'le farmer and mechanic, and all who are now
'0ui'7i'ns anu prosperous
AS to the probable course of MissieO;nDi ,,o
need merely premise, that when the Senator made
this speech he had not learned the resuIt Of the
recent election in that State.
Mr.. Rhet concudedby INDUCING in an uroen
erous fling at the course Virginia had tbo"rb,
proper to pursue-I4e said she had firsttokor 1ho
lead in resistance, but was now the leader or tho
Submssonists. But he said South Carolina ,tooa
pledged to resistance alone, and he trusted and he
heyed she would not prove recreant.
lie was followed by Messrs. Buchanan and
BACK both of whom concuned in the belief that
secession was the righHul remedy, but both ex-
pressed Willingness to wait reasonable" time