The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-05-14
,locn ,vo must ,,gindicate our liberty sI .by Sc
Letter of the Hon. Langdon Cheves to
the Convention.

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Letter of the Hon. Langdon Cheves to
the Convention.
PLANTATION, (Ogeechee, lst May, 1851.
My Dear Sir:-I have been appointed
n "Delcgatc Of the Southern Rights Asso.
ca,ion Of st. Philips and ST. Michael's,
and also OF the Indian Land Association, Of
York District, to tho Convention to be held
in your city on Monday next; and It was
my wisI, and intention to have attended the
Convention in obedience to these calls, but
| cannot do SO without ncglcc,ing private
business Of my own Of importance. which
admits of no delay and which cannot be
well accomplished without my personal
attention. This business, however pressing
and important, should have been superseded
by the public call If could have believed
that my attendance at the Convention could
be of any material Importance, but l am
well satisfied that 1t could not. My general
views Of the grievances Of tho South, and
of the subversion Of the Constitution Of the
United States, are fully known TO the
public and will weigh for what they are
worth, as cffectualy rs if I were again to
declare them. The object Of The Convention,
| | understand 10 be, TO declare whether, in
The opinion Of the Convention, South Car
oina ought 10 seccdc from the Union alone
| and without the concurrent action of any
other Sia,cs.-My opinion on the propriety
Of the separate action oi one Southern
State, and particularly Of South Carolina,
has been long known. There is no man in
| the country who feels more sensibly than
do tho danger, the dishonor, the infumy of
lie condition Of tho South. No man is
more entirely convinced of the justice, the
constitutional right. and the political cx-
4 pcdicncy OF the withdrawal OF the Southern
States from the Union by which they are
CENTRALIZED and which cannot fail, while it
snbsisis, 10 bring on them further and fu-
lure danger, oppression and infamy. | am
satisfied! that history furnishes no example
Of such d;sreputablc submission as that
which they now exhibit, The philosophy Of
liberty is jealousy. The proper action Of
patriotism is the carlicst possible resistance
TO ihn slightest cncroachmcnt on the public
rights. The lovers of liberty snuff the
tainted breeze Ql tyranny in the dis.an,
gale, and DO not wal, FOR the overwhelming
power Of the storm. But wc tamely en-
,lurc the full blast Of the injuries and in
jurlcs nni insults SO profuscly poured upon
us. We hug our chains with something
approaching 10 iondncss, and submit to be
g0rcrneI by our bitter cnemics-and yet il
is only necessary 10 will l., 10 rcnd those
chains and 10 be rcdecmed rcgcner atcd and
li-cnihrallcd! AS citizen OF the South.
feel Inundated into tho very dust. Yet
am no, OF opinion, thai South Carolina
should scccdc alone. Nor do think thus
on account Of the dangers it may provoke,
or the sacrifice it may require. No dangers
and no sacrifices can be too great in such
cause. But ono State Of the South can
no, stand alone in the midst OF her sister
!, States. These States form one family in
interest, in blood, in feeling, and in endenr-
ing. social ana historical relations and re-
collections, and such ties ought not to be
broken but by dire necessity. South Car
oina, know, has been grossly slandcrcd
, and vilifcI for what no dispassionatc man
, can say is rash or unwisc. She has done no
, more than proclaim the Southern wrongs,
and WIN car deny them, and 10 express
, 4 desire 70 unite with her sister States in
5 resisting them. ;5lic will be wrong
- losYeFar,5 i,s sssiSS poor opinion, il she
{ III nay ps s;iid fiiaj
: they have not proposed TO do what tho
honor aud interest of all require to be done
; 10 redeem the character andto sustain the
rights of th7 South. It is most true
: and deeply 10 he lamencd. but We are
oui one mcmberso Of this large family, and
: have no right to dictate auhoriiativcy, to
, the other members Of the family. We
must wait upon them and n,rcat them tc
, move. We should use no language o
, irritation. We must look with furbcarancc
on their ,ar'iness---
'Bc to their faults little blind,
l'c io their virtues very kind,
r AMI put u paddock on their mind" as I,
the paS!.
Tie people OF our Southern sisters arc
a bravo people, whose fathers fought for
, liberty, who themselves were born an
nuricred in the enjoyment Of it, and who,
therefore, know the value nf it. II canno,
be believed that such, IL people will lnnu
, consent 10 he governed Otherwise than nv
, u Government in which they shall enjoy
equal rights, equal power, and equal
honors. They have been deceived and
BETRAYED. They must and will hearkcn to
ether "nnnscilors than those To whom they
have hitherto is.sncd. The South must
and VIII rouse from its s!nmbcrs, aud
mainly rely npon the Democracy OF the
country. The Democratic party once
alrendy, under the guidance Of Jefferson
in 1898, saved the South from the ambition
and tolls oi Federalism. We now contend
against The same people, but with these
differences. Tho leading Fcdcralis.s
wcrt then high. honorable, able men, who
were ambitious to govern you, but whose
ambition was noble, and therefore scarce
crime, though dangerous 10 the true
principle OF our Union, These men l,ave
gone down 10 the grave, or have been
prescribed and discarded by their unworthy
associates; men with moro Than their anbi
'ior, but none of their virtues or talents.
The object of the old Fcicralists was q
strong but hon st Government. That OF
their Successors is an anarchcal tyranny.
regardless OF tho provisions OF the Consti.
tulon FOR the security of Southern rights
and animated hy tho principles of abolition
and tic frenzy o! Ianaticsn.
Let the Democratic party, then, which
! rallied under tho guidance and foresight OF
Jcinlson, and saved the South, again pu,
forth lis strength. 1t embraces the great
power OF the Southern States. Even the
Wings of tho South arc Democrats, though
in false position, in which accident has
[ ulacni ,l,n,n a,.l irrrt NJ thot thor ,,,,li