Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-06-19
MONTGOMERY, June IS, 1851

MONTGOMERY, June Is, 1851.
Dear Sir:-The Convention Of Southern Rights
Associations Of this State, met in this City, on the
| 10Th inst 1t was we'll attended and contained
many of orr most distinguished men. The prin-
cipal, and indeed the only subject Of very great
interest before the Convention, was, what course
should our State pursue. in the event your State
should scccde, and the Government should at
tempt to prevent it. The Convention, as you
will perceive, from the Resolutions unanimously
adopted, spoke decidedly upon this subject, and
uttered, what am satisfied, is the sentiment OF
the Pcoplc of Alabama In such n contingency,
vour fate will be our fate. We all see and feel
| this. And therefore, in a contest between your
State and the Government, the instinct of self
preservation will rally 10 your side, every man
in the South, who has q Southern heart in his
bosom. Every DAYS observation affords to me,
additional evidence of the truth Of this opinion.
In this State, men who short time since, denied
the right of secession, and consequently, admitted
the right Of the Government to prevent it. now
abandon that ground, and refuse 10 go before the
people upon that issue. While it is certain, that
the people Of our State arc not ready for scccs-
sion, it is still moro certain, that they not pre-
pared to deny the right and to permit the Gov
ernment to attempt to prcvcntit.
! am free TO confess, that my interest in the
position and course Of your State, increases daily
am more and more confirmed i'll the belief, that
the separate action of some State is absolutely
necessary, in order to unite the South, and that
this union never can take place, without move
mcnt on the part Of some one State. AS in the
days of '76, some State must begin. Some ono
State must throw the tea overheard" The
| Colonies at that period, never could have been
united, if the affairs at Lexington, Boston Har.
Dor, &C., lad not previously occurred. What
State shall now begin? What Southern STATE
is best prepared, not only in the tone of her pa
triotic sentiments but in the matter Of the mean:
of defence? What State is there, whose public
men are less controlled by the desire of Fedora
Office? What State in the South first of all de-
clared herself sovereign and independent? The
answers to these questions point to youl
State, as the proper one to take the first step in
this great measure of deliverance and liberty
VIII she doit? Shall her friends and her sons
every where, whose hopes and expectations ir
this crisis, depend upon her, and who are ready
to make common cause with her--sllall the,
be disappointed VIII the sold Guard
rccoil? Will fear, mean abjcct fear, creep int
Your counsels?
If you fail to act, all is lost Our people, were
more ready for resistance at the period Of ta'
passage of the measures we complain Of, thai
they are now. Thirty years ago the Soutl
would have resisted measures to which they nov
submit. Every succeeding wrong destroys t
some extent, Though it may be imperceptiblc,
self respect and ss5EAHHs Who preacI
submission to the present stitc of things, ant
proclaim their readiness to resist any further ag
grcsson, are not sincere as 4 general rule, ant
their great object is to prevent and defeat action
They only make these professions to avoid tlit
loss of the confidence Of the people. The only
means Of defeating the schemes Of these men, il
to make direct appeal to the people, which car
: only be done by the bold and fearless action o
some one State Let South Carolina then act
with spirit worthy of her ancient renown
Whether the Government attempts to coorce hc1
or not, sho cannot fail. In either event, we o
OF the cotton States are one in interest and sym
pathy. Those whom God hath put together, pol
ltcians and placc-scckers cannot separate. AnG
hence, Incvcr could attach any importance to tho
arguments founded upon the suppostion, that j
she seccdc, South Carolina will BE- isolated from
the other Southern States. In the event of your
peaceablc separation, the freedom of trade, and
the general prosperity which will in very short
time, characterize all the departments Of business
i'll your State, will be seen and observed through
out the other Southern States, and will as surely
separate us from the abolition States, and rc-unte
YOU to us as any event in the future. Every
consideration then appeals TO your sense to act
dccisivcly and promptly To delay is TO suspend
resistance indefinitely Twenty years more Of
submission will find us unable to overcome the
| free soilcrs at home In that event we may
read the history OF the South, in that Of Ireland
and st. Domingo.
Your obadicnt servant,