Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-05-15
[PROPRIETORs.

Jury known TO the public, and will wcicl
for what they are worth. as eficctually as /,
| were again to declare them.
The object Of the Convention, under
stand to be, to declare whether, in the o.
pinion Of the Convention, South Carolin,
ought to secede from the Union alone, ,ant
without the concurrent action of any othe,
otthc Southern States. Ny opinion on the
propriety of the separate action of one
Southern State, and particularly of Sourl,
Carolina, has been long known. There i
no man in the country who feels more sc,,. 4
s,bly than ! do the danger. the dishonor,
the iniamy Of the condition ofthe South
NO man is more entirely convinced Of the
Justice, the constitutional right. and the DO.
litcal expediency of the withdrawal oftbe
Southern States from that Union by which
they are cnthralled, and which they can.
not fail, while it subsists, to bring on them
farther and future danger, oppression and
iniamy. am satisfied that history fur
nishes no example Of such disreputable
submission as that which they now cx-
hlbit. The philosophy ofLiberty is jcal.
ousy. The proper action Of patriotism is
the earliest possible resistance to the slight
est encroachmcnt on the public rights
The lovers ofliberty snuff the tainted breeze
of tyranny in the distant gale, and do not
wait for the overwhelming power of the
storm. But we tamely endure the full
blast ofthe injuries and insults so profusely
poured upon US. We hug our chains with
something approaching to fondness, and
submit to be governed by our better enc
mies-and yet it is only necessary to will
1t, to rcnd those chains, and to be Gre
deemed, rcgenera,ed and disenthraIled.'
As citizen of the South. feel humiia-
ted into the very dust. Yet am not of
opinion, that South Carolina should secede
alone. Nor do | think this on account of
the dangers 1t may provoke, or the sacri-
ices il may require. No dangers and no
sacrifices canbe too great in such a cause.
But one State ofthe South cannot stand a.
lone in the midst of her sister Statcs.-
These States form one family in interest,
IN blood, in feeling and in endearing social
and historical relations and recollections,
and such ties ought not to be broken, but
by dire necessity. South Carolina, l know,
has been grossly slandered and vilEGcd
for what no dispassionate man can say is
rash or unwise She has done no more than
proclaim the Southern wrongs, and who
can deny them, and to express desire to
unite with her sister Stntcs in resisting
them. She will be wrong. however. in my
poor opinion, if she separate alone from
them IN her measures of resistance. But
It may be said they have not proposed to
do what the honor and interest Of all re-
quire to be done TO redeem the character
and to sustain the rights of the South. 1t
is most true and deeply to be lamerted
but we are but one member of this large
family, and have no right to dictate an-
thorltahvcly to the other members of the
family. We must wait upon them, and
en- eat them to move. We should use no
language ofirritation. We must look with
Iorbearance on their hardness
'Be to their faults little blind.
Be to their virtues very kind
And put paddock on the mind' ms to the past.
The people Of our Southern States are
a brave people. whose fathers fought for
liberty, who themselves were born aud
nurtured in the enjoyment of it, and who,
therefore, know the value oft. 1t cannot
be believed that such people will long
consent to be governed otherwise than by
a Government in which they shall enjoy
equal rights, equal power, and equal hon
ors. They have been deceived and be-
trayed. They must and will hearken to
other counsellors than those to whom they
have hitherto listened. The South must
and will rouse from its slumbers, and main-
ly rely upon the Democracy of the coun-
try. The Democratic party once already,
under the guidance Of Jefferson, in 1898,
saved the South from the ambition and tolls
of Federalism. We now contend against
the same people, but with these differences.
The leading Federalists were then high,
honorable, able men, who were ambitious
to govern you, but whose ambition was
noble, and, therefore, scarce crime, though
dangerous to the true principles of our
Union. These men have gone down to
the grave, or have been prescribed and dis
carded by their unworthy associates--men
with more than their ambition, but none of
their virtues or talents. The great object
ofthe old Federalists was a strong, but
honest, Government. That Of their sue
cessors, is an anarchical tyranny, regard
less ofthc provisions of the Constitution
for the security ofSouthern rights, and an
lmated by the principles of abolition, and
the phrensy of fanticism Let the Demo-
cratic party, then, which rallied under the
wise guidancce and forest ght Of Jefferson,
and saved the South, again put forth its
strength. 1t embraces the grea, power of
the Southern States. Even the Wings Of
the South are Democrats, though In false
position, in which accident has placed
them, and, freed ofthat,thc will appear un-
der their old flag. The Wing party is now
no longer that ofwhich they were mem
bers. 1t was party founded on the de-
tails of the politics Of the day, on the com.
paratively small measures Of the moment,
and upon the candidates for Federal Off
ces. The present moment is ono Of life
or death to the South, and that party is not
now contending for these old objects, but
to conquer the South. and to abolish her
most important and valuable institutions.
Ifthcrc are Wings at the South who will
still adhere to them, they are few and can
be spared. We shall be strong enough,
if true 10 ourselves, without them. 1t is
only necessary that the Democratic party
act vigorously, zealously, and persevering
ly, and the principles Of the South will be
triumphant. five have souls in OUR bo-
SONS, can 1t be otherwise
The consu mmation so devoutly wished
may not beaccomplished in aday or a year;
but let the party Of the South pcrscvere,
and tie result is inevitable. This will be
true Of Virginia and Georgia, as well as Of
other States. Let no one believe that the
recsht acts Of these States truly express
the will and determination of the peonie nj