Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-05-29

OuT Sl:NeS Iuay llOW Ut C4IIieu INV any Slaie
of the Union. which frls not made the intro
duction of them unlawful, They may be
sold to the citizens of such States, or re-
moved with their owners. The vast and
fertile lands of Mississippi and Texas, offer
tempting fields for the slave labor of the old
Southern States? Congress has no power
to interpose any pro- ibiion or restraint. But
I ongress has long since, under the special
provision of the Constitution, made the intro
durtion of slaves from foreign country into
State of the Union penal offence. The
moment, therefore. South Carolina shall Sc
cedr from the Union-ihe other Southern
States remaining in it-that moment il would
be Il high Crime to carry slave from this State
to Georgia, or to any other State. Such
State would have no power 10 authorize 1t,
the power being in Congress. The bounda.
ries of our own State, could never be passed
by slave, so long az it should be foreign
State. We hive already been excluded from
California, and Utah, and New Mexico BY the
unconstitutional and unjust legislation of
Congress, and shall we now permit our own
infatuation to exclude us from the rest of the
world! Heaven save us from such insanity
If secession would not place US in better
position for tht recovery of fugitive slaves,
or for spreading our slave population over
other countries, but would intprposp insur-
mountable obstacles to both, would il invest
us with more efiectual means of repressing
the fnna;icism of the Northern States! am
incapable of perceiving any such effect. No,
gentlemen, no, it will require he resources
and energies of more than one of the slave
holding States to quiet this wicked agitation,
or TO resist it's fatal influence. The strongest
Governments in Christendom, France, and
sweden, and Great Britain, have been made
to Weld up their beau ifill islands in the West
Indies, to utier desolaiion, to appease the
fury of this demon. The Spanish West In
di Islands and Brazil are now the only ci,i-
lized countries on earth, beside these South
ern States, in which slavery, exis;s, and the
fourth Of century will not leave Il vesIige
of it in either of them. And we must be wise
to escape their doom at np distant day. Wi h
these consequences before Us, would il bp
wise, to resort to secession, against the views
and wishes of all those States, that are bound
in u common destiny with us?
confess, with profound regret, that can
perceive no reason to think that any, of our
sister States of the South regard the peril to
slavery as immediate and imminent rs we
do. cannot, however, believe that they are
less resolved 10 protect and preserve the do
mestc institutions of the South, than our
selves. But while they underestimate the
danger to it from the action of Congress-
they highly magnify the difficulties and the
dangers of disunion. Yet they have made
issues and conditions connected with it, which
we must take for granted they will exac,
from the North Their demands will not be
conceded, and soon, very soon. their final
hope will be fiat despair. AS God is the
ud ge Of my sincerity, believe this Union
and slavery cannot stand together. And un-
less we greatly misunderstood the omens,
this appalling truth cannot much longer be
disguised, 1t has not yet been realized by
the North or the South.
You seem, gentlemen, to be amazed at the
course pursued by Virginia, it hns not struck
me with either surprise or .iismay. know
you are TAU hit, by moro than one Of our
! tatesmen, TO look 10 This venerable State
for counsel and for lead. But ] never. sup
posed she was to be the standard bearer
of the South in contest for slavery. That
Great Commonwealth did much to rebuke
the usurpaions of the General Government,
in former DAYS, but what has she ever done
to rebuke fanaticisn! The great leader in
The memorable contest of 1898 was one of
! the earliest and most eloquent of those who
deprecated if they did not denounce slavery.
No. Virginia will never lead the hosts Of the
South, H!hose destiny it is to resist the cru
sadv against slavery. That great duty, in
my opinion, will dsvolve upon South Caro-
lima or Georgia.
But lead who may it is our destiny to net
conspicuous part in the contest wren II
shall come. and come it will as surely US t.ere
is God. Interest and self preservation will
arouse, and unite the States that grow cotton
and rice and sugar. Let us not mar and
inder Ibis great movement, by any rashness
of ours. Let US mt vainly endeavor 10 separate
our destiny from that of all those States that
have q common interest, and from whom
alone, of all mankind, we have right to
hope for succor or for sympathy. Rcmem-
Der we cannot preserve slavery if all the other
Southern States surrender it Let US then
yield ourselves to neither ra>hness nor des-
pair. Let us look 10 the future with courage
ind with hope. Let US do our own dnty i'll
this great crisis and animate and excite others
to do theirs. If the other Southern States
shall follow the example OF Virginia, still lei
us not despair or strike our colors. We shall
sink below our high destiny if we have not
The courage and The constancy and the forii-
Jude to meet all the vicisitudes of Il contest
which involves our hopesr our happiness, our
rXis ence.
During the autumn of LIST year, both in
speeches and conversation, | repeatedly en-
pressed the opinion, that if but one State
should secede, he Genera, government would
attempt 10 enforce the laws of Congress, and
coerce her in obedience. have since seen
nothing 10 change, but much to confirm that
opinion. 1t is The province of Congress TO
make laws, but the duty if the President TO
execute them. This duty he soemnly sweurs
he will perform. The President and his Sc
cretary of State, having given repeated as
.urances that this duty will b. discharged,
know of no reas OH to doubt, that it will be
attempted The army and navy are placed
at the command of the President for thar
purpose The President and Mr. Webster
belong 10 school of politicians who do not
admit The right of a State to secede from The
Union. This opinion has been often express
ed by Mr.. Webster. and expressed with refer
ence to South Carolina. They hold that re-
sistanee to the laws of Congress by State
is lawless resistance, and to be treated as the
nct of rehuls npd fr,;tora