Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-07-24
July u, 1851.

p.s: BROOKS, ,l
July -, 1851 ....,..s.,,. .l,ys,s a.
SPEECH OF CAPT. P. s. BROOKS.
DELIVERED AT EDGEslELD C. H., ON MONDAY;
July TIN, EEFoRE 4 MEETING OF THE CITr-s
zENs cr TIE DIsTRIcr-GEN JoSEs1S
THE CHAIR. f.as'' ~! -
Mr.. Chairman II rise not rs party n,arl.
I address you as citizen appearing under pub
lie call to general conference for an Interchange
Of opinion upon a question in whichiwc are nlli
deeply interested, and as ono who believes that
however We may disagree as to the means to be
employed, wc will ell unite in the end to be de-
sired. and must ultimately concur in sono plan,
Of operation. 3! -st.
I do not affect when say that 1 aadress you
with moro diffidence than ever before e1per.
cnced on such an occasion.E find niyself, IN
reference to this assembly in minority, and in
dircc, conflict of opinion with men who belieYe
to be as sincere as myself, and who know arc,
acuated by no other motive TRAN the good of
the country-with the companions Of my youth
and with gentlemen under whose eye T have
grown from infancy to manhood, and whose vT-
tues my earliest lesson was TO initiate: SEys.t
address You rot as politician or as a roltl-II
cal asrrant, but as man who is unbiased by
party excitement and unfcttered by party tsc-
ticks: as one of the country-cvcry dollar Of
whose estate consists Of that very species of pro-
perty which is soonest affected BY any tendenoys
to consolidation on the one hand aud 10 ReroIu-,
ton en- the other. Should my remarks be dcsti.
tute of every other merit they VIII go 10 you're;
commended by the deepest sincerity, and shall
be.cxprcescd ina spirit Of cancellation and res,
pect. Nay more; [slcre.syow that whenever
the sovereignwi!l CT South Carolina is officially
cxpressed-Iet her will beswhat, it may; IjsEai
not be tl,e soereans son
let others desert her if they can, let them re5
vile her if they zoill, .,but;as for INC, and my
people. we will stand orr hll with sGarolina,If II
there are degrees of patriotism, it strikes me
that those of US who arc willing TO forcgo oar
individual opinions and TO- &C. with the State,
even when we fear that her policy may bo our
ruin, have certainly as good CHIN to the qnali
! tics Of that virtue as others who .ardcntIy bcs
love in the efficacy OF that policy, and yet wh6
when the issuc is made, will and can do no n6re
than ourselves. beg then that you will hear.
me with that attention and respect always due 10
conviction, and which am SIS ready to extend
/ as to receive. s, r'e.i-.s si' is..-si1i'f!S'
That the National Government has failed 'of
the objects which induced the States of the South
to enter the compact IS with us universally ,ad-
nlittcd. The Constitution which we adopted as
the written rule Of conduct for the Nation, con:
tanning limited powers, is now not more regard
ed, than if lis authorities were as boundle.s as
the Imagination and s only limit the desires OF
Cana.icism. The Union which VIC entered for
better security has become IN instrument of op.
preston, and by grinding cxaction. upon ionc
ccc:ion builds up and fittens another. The States
oi the South are practically neither equals nor
aovcrcigrs, but absolute dependencies. A feel
ing Of discomfort now peryadcs The planting
States, and in none is that dsooatent so general
and active as in this The abuses of Federal
legislation has forced upon us the enquiry, if our
interest docs not demand the exercise Of the
same right by which we entered the Union, now
that It's purposes have failed, to retire from it
We who arc present hold the right 70 withdraw
as clear and indisputablc rs was the right to en-
ter, and throughout the South the general scnti-
mcnt is, that the right of secession, is an incident
Of sovereignty. The right to scccde is in this
State uncuec:oncd, uuiess BY few who nature
designed rs the fnwning sycophants Of royalty
and accident threw into Republic. State Sow
rcgn;y and State Rights have ever been Caro:
lima doctrines The real question before us, and
before the State is, the policy and cxpcdicncy of
South Carolina, single and alone, and without
the cooperation Of other States, exercising the
right Of seeding from the Confeleracy Of other
States. fi7'I.
This question is brought before US by the Reso-
lutons which have been offered and upon which
we arc expected to vote.
object to but orc Of Tie Resolutions as ] un-
lerstand them, and this objection is created mora
BY facts and circumstances connected with the
discussion of the question Of Secession than by
the Resolution as it reads. Indeed, had been
called upon six months ago to give expression to
My opinions upon the question. Iwould cheerful
ly have subscribed the Resolutions altogether, Oh
my creed. We who are co-opernfonists Eavo
from the beginning asked but time to obtain &C.
operation. One Of our Congressional Senators,
who from his position, abilities and zeal, we think,
We are warranted in regarding as tho head and
leader of the Secession Party, distinctly eschew-
cd cooperation and said he did NOT ,rant =
Ii cooperation IVES undesirable MISSISSIPPI Maa p
would but cmbarrass us-thcre could certainly
be no motive in delay aud the /" sacrihco 81 sud