Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-06-12
FOR THE ADVERTISER.
70 the People of Hdgefield District

10 the People OF Edsefleld District,
1t is the privilege of the Representative at
all times to hold communication with his con-
stituents. AS your Senator in the State
Legislature, l address you this communica.
ton. 1t shall contain nothing but truth, and
be characterized by. that frankness which is
due to the occasion. My object now, is to
show you what is the actual position of the
State. 1t is source of profound regret that
that position should be SO entirely miscon-
eeived. A brief recurrence to few promin-
emf events will enable.you to see this matter
in its true light. The immense territory
which we acquired in the war with Mexico,
precipitated upon the South, the great ques-
ton, whether the slaveholding States, should
occupy in this union, position Of degraded
interiority, or of Independent equality. North.
ern fanaticism openly announced in Congress,
that the South should never occupy one foot
Of that vast territory. This was the result
of the anti-slavery war against the South,
which had signally marked the past fifteen
years. This annuncation, in connexion with
measures about that time introduced into
Congress, aroused the South, and it met
response from almost every Southern State.
You remember the deep agitation existing in
South Carolina, when i: was threatened, that
she should not share in common, a territory,
for the acquisition of which, she had contri-
buted her treasure and much of her best
blood. The Southern members of Congress
in body addressed their constituents, urg-
ing them to meet this threatened aggression,
injury and insult. Other measures were adopt
ed. 1t was thought that the favorable time
had then come to redeem Southern politi-
clans from the trammels of party, and to effect
n union of the South for the sake of the
South. At this juncture, it was believed that
South Carolina was then ready for the strug-
gle, but our public men, Senators and Re-
representatives. in Congress, as well as others
advised, that inasmuch we might somewhat
prejudice the great cause by taking too
prominent position, the State should be
calm and allow some other State to lead.
Adopting the advice, the State at once,
took the position assigned her. The discus
sions proceeded in Congress, and in a short
time the Nashville Convention was proposed
by Mississippi. South Carolina agreed and
sent her delegates. Georgia adopted strong
resolutions; passed an Act of her Lcgisla-
ture calling a Convention of her people, in
the event that the California bill should be
passed by Congress: and Virginia in refer
ence to that or any kindred measure, or the
abolition of the slave trade in the District of
Columbia, resolved with, / think only two or
three dissenting votes in her Legislature,
that she would resist these measures, sat all
hazards and TO The last extremity" After
these indications from the two most power
full States in the South, South Carolina
responded, expressed by the unanimous voice
of every member Of both branches Of her
Legislature, her high qualification at these
demonstrations, and pledged herself to tollOp
the lead of any of her sister Southern States
in the great issues which seemed soon to
be made up. This was the actual state of
things in these States in December, 1850,
when the Legislature of South Carolina as
sembled. California had been admitted;
Texas despoiled by the Frce-soilers, an abo-
lition and free~soil majority in Congress in
possession of the Government, the PROPOSE
tion boldly announced that slavery should be
restricted within its present limits, by cxclud-
ing the South forever from the common ter
ritories. Our people having been addressed
during the past autumn by our leading men,
and urged to resistance, and ut least one of
them pledging himself to drink all the blood,
that would be shed in the ontest;-under
these circumstances our Legislature met. In