Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-09-16
From the sonih Carolinian.
To John S. Preston.
No. i.

To John S. Preston.
- s,,7-s No. L.
The tone and temper OF your late correspon-
dence with portions of your fellow-citizens, In
different parts of the State, which you have
chosen to make yours by adoption, on the all
absorbing political question, at this time occupy
ing the public mind, to an extent without
parallel, have struck some ofts readers, at least,
with equal surprise and modification. Whilst
this fact is indisputable, however, the estab-
lshed and honorable iberality of our people,
which no one, am sure, is more ready to
applaud than yourself, will restrain them from
visiting you with any harshness of retort, and
will induce them to ascribe the faultiness OF
your style, and the occasional severity OF your
epithets, rather to the inexperience OF your pen
and the novelty of your position, not long be-
come that of candidate for popular favor, than
to wanton discourtesy or superciliousness. They
will unanimously aequit you OF any such allega-
ton, come from what quarter 1t may, and as
they have heretofore treated you with all
kindness and consideration, as a neighbor and
private gentleman,-so now that you have been
placed BY their sufrages, sought by you only
in the most legitimate and honorable methods,
in a public position, and that you have been
brought before them with the same proprieties
on your part, for still higher advancement, they
will assuredly, for the future, continue to esteem
you for your excellent private virtues, as well
as for your useful and commanding talents;
as and if uuhappiy, in this time of perilous
and alarming public trial when the hearts of all
are moved to their profoundest depths in view
of the dark and stormy future any portion or
party of your fellow-citizens should be compell-
ed to hold opinions concerning the public policy
or the public safety, at variance with your own,
they are resolved to give utterancc to these
opinions, in language of the most darcful cour-
tesy, and only sufficiently strong to indicate
their perfect sincerity and Independence
They are not a little stimulated to this elevated
demeanor towards you, by feelings ofcommenda-
BILE delicacy, for they are aware of the tact that
you are, only the son Of South Carolina by adop-
ton, and that the controlling interest of your
vast property, which is in a distant State, might
subject you to unworthy imputations in the
excitement Of party warfare and whist the
writer may take occasion to alludc to tins
circumstance again before he closes, still 1t shall
be done in strict accordance with what he has
here laid down as the guiding spirit Of his pen.
And when it is remembered that your distin-
guished family was represented with unsurpassed
devotion, eloquence and ability in the most
searching crisis through which the State has
nassed since the establishment ofh her sovereignty
when that.sovereignty was tried as by fire, and
that that representative stood a giant BY the
side of giants, in the foremost ranks of her
defenders, a sublime personifcation of courage
and Of prtriotism, against none who bear Its
name, will her people tolerate unjust accusa-
tion or ungenerous yituperation. They under
stand too, and appreciate the allusion you make
in one of your letters, which will come under
review, in which you decline to attend public
meeting, when you express your regret that
engagements will prevent you from availing
yourself of the opportunity Of meeting the citi-
zens of district having peculiar claims to your
regard. .n--The revolutionary battle ground of
Kings Mountain is within the limits of the
District of York There patriots and heroes
fought, and bled, and fell, and amongst them
and by an means the least glorious, was your
maternal ancestor, Col. WILLIAM CAMPBELL,
whose memory is embalmed in our hearts for
ever and at this day, your illustrious relative,
who is still spared to us, and who bears bis name,
is cherished by us with affection, and is regarded
with q feeling near akin to veneration. Whilst
our people then, are now, as they have ever
been, inaexibly devoted to their political faith,
and are jealous of its integrity to such a de-
gree as will permit of no encroachments what
ever upon it, even by the most gifted or the
most favored: and whilst their genius is so
tolerant and forbearing as to provoke unwilling
commentators from their opponents, yet, nei-
ther the gorgeousnessof external circumstances
nor the splendor of elouuence. nor imposinr
names, though illustrated by great talents can
seduce them from the path OF honorable duty,
or swerve them hair from their allegiance to
great and cherished principles. Such being
the character of the people amongst whom you
have chosen to cast your lot, abounding as thew
do, at the same time, in all charitable and for
giving impulses, in unalterable devotion of
principles, and proud consciousness of their
virtue, intelligence and.independence, you are
not likely to!be defled Or degraded by answer