Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-01-18
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GEN. HAMILTON.


The Charlest on Courier publishes letter of
two columns from Gen. James Hamilton to Hon.
Langdon Cheves, replying to the positions taken
by the latter in the speech he delivered before
the Nashville Convention The letter is dated,
Retrieve, Oyster Creek, Texas, December 18th,
1850" Gen. III. adheres to the view expressed
in his former letter, that it would be madness in
South Carolina to act separately against the Uni
on. He interprets Mr.. Cheves, as we did, to coun-
sci only the joint secession OF several States,
and ridcules the Hon. Mr.. Woodward unmerci-
fully, for saying in aspeech to his constituents
that South Carolina could wisely secede because
"she would drag Virginia and North Carroll
ma into our support" Mr. Cheves' authority
seems, however, to have almost converted the
General back to his old disunion notions. He
still appears to think-though he intmates it ra-
Their indirectly-that the South ought not to resist
the action of Congress; but he jumps with pre-
cipate haste to the conclusion that the legisa-
ton of Vermont and the contumacy of Boston
have furnished the occasion for rupture. We
cite some passages Of the letter, as our own
State is particularly appealed to to take the first
| step:
In the letter which addressed to the people of South
Carolina, likewise asserted broadly that ii unne4
cessary for the South to incur the moral responsibility
of dissolving the Union. That The fanatics, abolition
lists and progate demagogues OF the non savehoding
| States would save them this trouble That events
were travelling quite fast enough towards this consum.
nation. Have been a false prophet9 They have
| lourneyed with an unantcipated velocity. Since my
letter was written, has not Vermont, within her limits,
repealed the Fugitive Slave Bill; and has not Massa
| chusetts detacto annulled it? May not the casus
federis be said now to have risen? Will not Virginia
| now move7 Will she not call convention Of all the
! Southern States, to meet at Richmond? Will not
each and all OF them respond to the invocation of this
| great and renowned Commonwealth, mother of SO
many States?
| believe as believe in nv own existence. that if
Virginia moves, she will and not dissolve the Uni
on. brlieve that it will lead to Convention of all
the States, and, possble to "a fresh understanding
OF the Bargain and that may obtain Fl esh guaran-
tees for the protection ofour slave institutions, by an
inhibition ofthe slavery discussion in Congress- and
also secure amendments to the Constitution restricting
the taxing and appropriating power within due
| bounds
If all this be denied then, with arms in our hands,
the Union must be dissolved not by feeble secession
of separate States. but by the united action Of allf
claim ing our righu division OF the public property O.
the Union its public treasure, army navy, with the
correative burden OF fair share OF the public debt
Yes, we would claim the ashes Of the slave hold
ing GEORGE WASHINGTON as our Just:inheritance; and
swear within our own limits before his urn, featy
to his preoepts and his principles. For the crime OF
disunon would belong TO our adversaries, but W.
| Selves
But the castrophe would proceed to this extrem-
ty. believe the vast majority of the people in the
non.slavehoding States, when thoroughly aroused to
a sense OF the danger, would not give up this Union;
not only tor the lives of all the fugitive slaves in the
Northern States Blu! rot for those OF their anat
abettors to boo-no, not for the ransom and civliza
the issue is calmly and deliberately put, not precpita
ted at once by disruption which might lead instantly
to civil war. The moment blood, is shed, there is an
end OF the whole matter In this extremity, full
y capable OF defending and taking OF ourselves
l will not ask with you, If the Government ofthe Uni
ted States "were to take Savannah or Charleston,
what would they 90 with IT, gay, they can take mel;
give us the power OF concentrating in either city, fifty
thosuand men, who could dmeosh less in time ANY in.
vading force that might land on our shores.
You have Justly treated with the rebuke it deserves
the belief entertained at the North, that exposed
to any internal peril from ouI slaves There are no
countries more safe in time OF than those in which
from the fact that every white man. excepting those
who supervise the labor of the slaves soldier armed
to the teeth. The country is in fact stronger than
lance is relaxed The free States have vastly more
to lear from their commonest and agrarian mobs than
we have from our negroes, you have abunty demon
Strated.
But may the trial of these resources and these truths
never be put to the test May Virginia in her wisdom
in all the dignity and gravity which belongs to that
gust commonwealth summon all the sayeholdipe |
States to meet Richmond. for the purpose saving,
possible, the Union, by referring the Interior solution
OF this mighty question Convention of all the States
Ii they decide they give security for our do
nestle Institutions, that they live in the same
Union with those who have the blight and plague spot
of slavery their hands, let part in peace and en-
deavor to live in the cultivation OF its charities however
hopeless, from the Intervention Of human passion may
be the effort Ii such state oil things would bring
some evils with it, like all those which God infcts on
man, they would bring some compensations. We
should have higher national spirit perhaps more
concentrated patriotism 1t would lead to the cutiva-
ton Of the lofty and the more mpulsve virtues, and TO
q rebuke ofthe sordd vices.
The following paragraph is worth quoting, as it
supplies an item of biographical history
The last interview had with Mr.. Calhoun was when
he was indeed on his death bed He stretched out his
hand to me and said my friend you are not too old
10 take part and" as he pleased say in the
sheer Partially OF his friendship "an important part,
whatever may be my fate, in coming events Aggres-
sentiment and to the memory of this great man. | pay
the tribute OF my loyalty and unbounded homage
mourn that we have lost him in all the wealth and po-
tentiality OF his genius.
For the sword that fit for Archangel to WELD
Mas light ia his terrible hand"
But, whilst he has sunk like the sun in his Western
bed with the radiant hues of his glory still heradng his
exit, thank God that not in darkness and that
your light has arisen TO rradiate our Southern sky
General Hamilton closes his letter by confirm
ing the pledge of his gallant son" for his loyalty
to South Carolina
HON THOS g uAVAInNn