The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-07-02
The Government ana the Constitution

Lac umenc ana the ConSCltut1Ou.
Whom brave spirit OF resistance to
threatened oppression had succeeded in
emancpating America from foreign control.
and the thirteen dependencies upon Great
Britain stood forth. free. independent and
sovereign powers, they regarded each other
with mutual sympathy, admiration and
love; they had endured the same priva-
,ions and sufferings with the same exalted
purpose, together they had hoped even
against hope, with the feeling of brave
frcemcn that it were more glorious, more
to be desired, to perish in such contest,
than crayenly TO live in vassal case, the
ccstacy OF success was the more thrilling
to each that il was shared by the others,
and with united hearts they entered upon
the same bright future. Linked to the
other States by such cndearing sy,npathies,
why is it that the South now frowns upon
the North, that love and an.ity have chang
ed to dislike and hostility, that orators
elicit plaudi,s from tho people by dcclaim-
ing against tho spirit and acts Of the North?
Is i. that South Carolina and her neigh
boring sisters have discarded the principles
oi the Revolution, that some new cle-
Inent has entered into their being, some
new interest has arisen, which has brib-
cd them to combine against the Consti-
tuition, and TO lift up traitorous hands
against that Union which the warriors OF
7G effected 70 pcrpetuatc the freedom they
had won 1t is not any Of these We are
slave States as we were when Lexington
witnessed the FIRST blow for liberty, when
hloul,rie's guns scattered the British fleet
in flight, when Washington lowered the
British flag at Yorktown, when hc as prcsi.
den, OF tho Convention affixed his signature
20 the Constitution, and when, by ;lrc unan-
imous wish Of the people, he was installed
| President of tho United States. But il is
because we are in all things as we were
then. lha, VIC have been denounced, stir
nia,iscl and degraded, that our equality in
the Union, our rights under the Constitution,
our property in .hc territories haze been
denied TO us.--our hostility has been, no,
to the Union, not to the Constitution, but 10
hai:SI Of, and tseachcry towards the Union
and lie C"n Gu, IS. :s-H ass,:
years lave bacn foT Inc carrying OH: Of the
Constitution IL It's sp.f;, and its integrity,
Tor the perpetuation OF the Union in its pu-
. . .
rliy and its blessings. The enemies Of
these have been our enemies. How then,
but with appreciation, should the Govern
ment OF the Union, pledged to support and
defend the Constitution, regard the acts Of
South Carolina in oppos ton to abuses of
the Constitution, her dcnunciatons oftrcach
cry to the Constitution! The President Of
the United States and every Governmental
officer beneath him III station should be
with, and not against, South Carolina, in
her sentiments and her acts. But, So far
from aiding her patriotic efforts, .IG prcsi-
dent and his Premier arc loud in conIcm
milton ot her, and give open aid and cum
tort To- Ecr cn.uiirs. anil the. CONSTITUTIONS.
And, ns when the fountain is bi,tcr so arc
~, az. ,r
VI ''o "''o'e
government IS one not OF maintenance Of
the Constitution, bat OF support oi The Un.
on, however unconstitutional the spir, of
rs
~,
nc character OF government Is display
c III the answer lately given 10 the Moul-
tric Guards when they reuuest.d Icava -
celebrate nc u.,,, ,l,o;-
~ '''e
''"' S'''' curious memories con-
heclcd WITH IL. we learn from il that SEN
tirncn,s expressed in Fort Moul,ric should
never be Of resistance 70 vro,o =,
'''s'' W tyranny
"''' "''' '''''''"''''''' aggression, J"r such
Se"''menlS are not III 10 6e heard by United
States oDiccrs! Happy for him whose
name il bears liza, no LoJ 49,,
oi his oIor, ,,. ,,.,h,,,..n,., ~,
va '""s ''S"o''"'en we eX-
tract Tic following from the Mercury, an
~ r ~,
.,nn,,r. G,,rl," ,n ~. t''sM CT o' 'l'I
>'''''' 80 w 81 'iiISlpI W. aShcu