Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-08-08
SEMI. .WEEgy CAMDEN JOURNAL
sECESsION TVE SURE REMEDY.

SECESSION THE SUkE NhMhD1.
The following extract from the report of
Gen. Wailace's sDeerh at Unionvillc en- the 4th
of July, is worth reading. Like everything
coming from the author it is distinguished by
directness, sense and force:
"The right of secession is the only mode by
which we can exercise veto power upon the
federal government The veto power should
have been left with the States, by the express
terms of the Constitution itself, where alone
safe depository of it can be found. 1t becomes,
therefore. a. question of the last Importance,
that the right of secession, should he establish
ed and acknowledged; and were there no other
question now before the people OF the South
than this alone, it would be incumbent upon
them to obtain clear and distinct recognition OF
this richt. How are we to obtain this recog-
nition2 There is no way to retain it but to re
sort to the act of secession. Until we shall
have seeded from the Union, we can obtain
no recognition of the right to sacede. Once
out ofthe Union, by the act Of secession-haV.
ing resumed that sovereignty which is now de.
MED US, our voice will be respected, and until
then il never will be- We will then be in con.
dition to make terms if we desire it, and even
if we dcsire to save the Union, this is the only
mode bv which it can be DONE Let us sup
pose that South Carolina has seeded from the
Union. If the general government resort 10
coercion, and South Carolina is subdued, there
is an end forever of State sovereignty on this
continent. By that act alone, the character OF
the Government will be disclosed, and it be-
comes at once, to all inteuts and purposes
consolidated empire. If State sovereignty be
thus crushed in the case Of South Carolina, in
our fate every Southern State may read their
own. What State South of US would ever seek
to defend themselves in any way against the
tyranny of the General Government, after 5.
Carolina has been subjugateds When that
time shall arrive, the phantom OF Contedra-
ted Republic of independent States will disap.
pear forever, and we will be under the iron
rule of remorseless despotism. Do any sup
pose that the people of the South are sufficient
ly blinded not to see thisl Whenever, there.
fore, South Carolina shall make the practical
issue of secession, the States South of us, in or
der to save themselves from these dire calam-
ties, will be compelled to cooperate with her;
they can't escape it. If he were told, there
fore, that he must wait for cooperation, he
would answer, the only mode to guarantee that
cooperation is to act-to make practical Is.
sue-and if we do not obtain cooperation then,
all past history is fiction. 1t is clear, from
these propositions, that the secession of sin
Gle State must, in the very nature of things,
either effect reform in the General Govern
meut, by placing it in the power of a State TO
check its tyranny by exercising the veto Of SC.
cession, or dissolve the Union; and the Union
once dissolved, Southern Confederacy is in.
evitable. Let US not, then, hide from ourselves
the important fact that South Carolina holds in
her hands the power to destroy the Union. He
had no fears of her being suhjugated. The
States having like interests with hers, cannot,
will not, dare not, permit her to fight the great
battle of Southern Rights alone. In his judg-
ment, the prevailing ideas in reference to the
cooperation which is sought are not we'll
founded. How did the Colonies in l776 ob.
tain cooperation with one another in resisting
British aggression? Was the Union formed
before the Revolution begun9 Certainly not.
The battle of Bunker Hill was fought by the
militia of Massachusetts, under command of
Col. Prescott, q militia Colonel. The conmls-
sion he held was from the Colony of Massachu.
sets, and not from the United States. The
regiment he commanded was not called out by
the authority of the United States, but by the
authority of the Colony of Massachusetts,
The conflict was thus begun by single Colo
hy-without cooperation. How did she OBJ
tain iii The sound of the gnns of Bunker
Hill had scarcely passed away, before South
Carolina rushed to arms to Cooperate with
Massachusetts in common cause which in
tolved the fate of BOTH and the first victory
of the revolution WAS won upon Sulliyans Is
land, against powerful British fleet, by regi.
mept OF South Carolina Militia, under the com.
mand of militia Colonel, and under the sole
authority of South Carolina. When these
events occurred, there wasHo Union-the blood
that was shed at Bunker Hill and Fort Moul-
trie, brought about, and that speedily,a a union
OF all the colonies.
And Washington was not commandcr-n-
chief when the Union was formed. The Un-
ioa of which we now hear so much, was the le.
gitinate result Of separate State action, and
Washington placed at the head Of an army
raised after the war began. This is lesson
which history teaches us-lct us not lack the
resolution to profit by it,
pITRJ ~ liEE'rINEs