The southern press., 1851-06-26


! terrors to my mind. am sure that shall not
go into.a smaller minority here elsewhere,
than have been placed heretofore on Il different
theatre in battling for the rights Of South Caro-
lima.
II my countrymen desire victim because Of
the fearless expression Of opinion, am ready
for the sacrifice but let me say once for ALL that
the cold neglect of former friends, nor the taunts
of enemies shall ever kindle in my bosom any
feeling not in unison with tho interests--the
honor and the glory of my beloved Carolina.
My counsels may be rejected, my name per-
chance covered with approbium, but no son of
: hers will sustain with more energy, her cause
! and fortunes when the rubicon shall have been
passed, than myself Ii pursue the dictates of
/ my Judgment let the issue be what it my in the
future, shall
'Feel within me
A peace above all earthly dignities,
still and quiet conscience.
, The action of the spoliation Congress has in
fcted SO serious a blow against the institution
Of slavery, that its preservation in the future re-
quires the separation of the slaveholding from
the nonslaveholding States, and the organization
of the former into confederation under new
Constitution. There is no reasonable hope that
the injustice of the past will be redressed or that
security for the future can be obtained, and our
peace and prosperity both conspire to point to a
Southern confederacy as the only means left to
perpetuate the institutions which our fathers be-
i queathed us. New aggressions are not neces-
sary to engender an implacable hostility to the
government at Washington-enough was done
by the memorable adjustment Congress" to
ALLEVIATE permanently the people of South Caro-
lima from the federal government, and we had
fondy hoped that our fellow citizens of the other
Southern States were prepared to resist the
wrongs done them at every hazard. Virginia
was the first to plant her colors, and | am sorry
to say was not the last to haul them down. The
majority in our sister Georgia have retreated
from the declaration of her legislature that the
admission of California would be sufficient cause
for the dissolution of the Union and have Gre
ated new platform, which contemplates new
aggressions, before she will act decisively.-
Others perhaps are willing to acquiesce, if no
other assaults are made on our institutions
However painful this statement of facts may be,
it is stern truth, and demands our serious con-
sideration before we venture to take all redress
in our own hands, and enter upon the untried
peris of revolution.
Il Will the secession Of South Carolina alone
result in establishing Southern confederacy,
or in redressing past grievances l-There are
few, if any, who would favor secession, if they
. believed that South Carolina alone, would con-
stitute a republic, independent of and isolated
|, from the other Southern States What are our
hopes for sympathy and cooperation, when we
take the step--a step, which once taken can
never be honorably retraced. The cotton States
have the same destiny and fate before them that
we have, and ultimately they will cooperate
with us, if our rashness does not destroy our
friends there, and enable common enemy to
divide and ALLEVIATE those who must be common
L. all Nlo+
poets of sympathy and cooperation from that
y quarter, If we act now2 There are individuals
scattered all over the South, who are prepared
| to sustain us with their blood and treasure
@ They sympathize deeply with us, and perhaps
o feel greatly bumiated that their own States are
a not arousng from their lethargy to sustain us
\ but the overlooking patriotism of an individual
is no criterion by which to judge of the COM
munity even in which he lives. Many of our
gallant brethren, scattered all over the South
west, urge us to strike, and the bugle's first
blast will find them shoulder to shoulder with
t us in resisting the legions of mercenary gov
] ernment at Washington, but their feelings are
: not safe counsellors. In the field give me men
D of impulse to accomplish deeds of noble daring,
: but in the council chamber, the man of reAec-
S ton is most TO be needed
4. have taken some pains to inform myself of
"
: friends in Congressman who never quaied,
: and whose cheeks never blanched when scores
3 of Southern men were deserting the cause of
the South aud going over to the enemy in sup
e port of the compromise-men who stood firm
/. and unmoved in opposition TO that odious mea-
{ sure, and whose stawart arms struck as many
efficient blows in defence of the betrayed South,
: as the ablest and best of your own representa-
\ tives, and declare here, that their voices were
! unanimous against the contemplated secession
Y sf South Carolina, and call upon my honored
f colleagues, who may follow me in this debate,
to attest the truth of this declaration, that our
= friends are not only unanimous against seces-
y sion, but they have mportuned us not to take
the hazardous step Many of them say that
l. such action will force them to disapprove of our
3 course before their constituents-thato our seces
j. sion will overwhelm the Southern rights party
in every one of the Southern States, and that
,f wild pmans to the glorious Union will I'll the
e air and drown principles, rights and resistance
1t to wrongs. They say that the tide of fanaiicsn
ls is onward that the peace which the South ha
ID acquired, by all the surrenders she has made {,
ID freesoil, is temporary and short lived-that new
b. aggressions and complete failure TO carry on
ce the compromise measures, win force their con
r stituens to throw Off their apathy, and strik
es boldly for their rights
They tell us, If the people of South Carolin
IN prepared to resist past aggressions that the
ne will not lose their courage or weaken their pun
be pose by standing upon their arms until troop
ed Of their friends are prepared to form into lin
n with us. These are, believe, the opinions Q
an large majority Of the Southern rights mer
OIL Where then, are we to look for encouragement
If we secede aloaol The compromisers are a
against us, of course, and some Of their leader
~, have declared their purpose TO draw the swor'
nc against outh Carolina if a collision ensue
nj with the federal government The first eneme
II we would hnve to meet to save an institution
common to the Southern country, would be on
"u brethren-equnlly interested in its preservation
es with our clvca Could fanaticism the offsprin
ad Of an Internal deity, conceive consnumatio
on more devouly to be wished for, than for on
:; Southern State to be warring against siste
~ Will we, by our rashness, make the fatal lea
ak which alone can destroy our institution. w
have staring us in the face the declared hostilit