The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-07-29
Extracts from a Speech by the
Hon. Daniel NVallnce,


Hon. Daniel Wallace.
1t is the part Of wisdom, when State
is called upon to consider The great
Question Of chahge other fundamental
institutions 10 ask the Question what she
Is to gain on the one hand und TO lose on
the other by the step she is about to take.
1t becomes US, then, to inquire nou,
what are the benefits we derive from
tho federal government? One grcat
object for which the Union was formed,
was to protect edrh Slate from foreign
invasion and domestic violence.
Admitting the fact that we ore protected
by the general government from foreign
invasion, what price do we pay for i,2
Whilst we pay into the public treasury
millions annually in the shape oftributc,
to protect US from foreign invasion, nre
we not Threatened by the protecting
power itself with the sword OF domestic
viulcnce9 Are we not told now, that IF
we dare to take such steps MS we dectn
essential 10 our preservation, that our
country will be devastated by the do.
meslic violence Of the sword, placed
in the hand Of the general government
to protect It's from all such aggressions2
And by the taxes Of which wo are
plundered, we furnish the means ofo
own subjuga,ion. These are the
benefits OF the Union A. before The idol
ofwhich wo are required 10 full down
and worship. A government like this
could !. enkindle in his bosom no sen.
li,nent but the most invetera,e hatred,
uhd a people who still pny their feali,y
10. 1t, and bow before it in obse1uious
obedience, deserve to be slaves. That
part OF The compact therefore which
gNaranties each State from domestic
violence, is abtogated, and the sword
which was 10 protect us is the instru-
ment by which our country is 10 be de.
luged in blood.
There is but single item lef-.lat
ofproteclion ngainst Ioreign power,
for in the &C, Of inI1ictine upon US the
devastation threatened, every personal
right and every right Of property must
be destroyed. Protection against n
foreign enemy alone remains. If we
oC We lluSt CiItISG
under tho rod Of master, whn, boots il
TO us whether the rcd be held over us
by the King Of Britain or the abolition
government of,he North? Even if,he
protection against foreign power be
observed il, good faith, it is right
without any value, and We should
scorn it under such circumstances.
In the present state Of the world,
whatever fears we may entertain Of
foreign invasion, are little more than
imaginary. Commerce constitutes The
bonds into which the world has entered
10 keep the international pence. The
cotton Of the soulh is a more rotcn:
eIemcn, in preserving the peace Of the
world than all the navies and armies Of
Europe. The crown of England's
sovereign would not be safe if the grca,
staples Of The South were Withdrawn
from the commerce Of the world for
twelve months. What people on earth
are more liable TO oppression than we
are under these circumstances? Who
80 deienceless and powerlcss 10 protect
themseivesa Aud with these facts bo-
fore us, shall we longer delude our
selves with the phantom Of liberty,
when oil its attributes arc denied us2
We are on our backs--,hc tyrant
stands over us ready to innict the last
\ stab, und shall We pause I'VE rcss,
3nnt. will it not be said, and with too
much truth. that we fear the consequen.
ces! By limid, vncillnting course Of
policy, will we not in effect say 10 the
tyrant, I'VE know our wrongs--,hcy
have penetrated deep into the public
hcan-we know we are dishonorcd-
degreded-and that ere long our ruin
will be consummated. We know .ha,
n power which seeks 10 dishonor n peo.
pie will not stop short Of conqucring
them, but we are aware that we are
too weak 10 resist you!' A people who
can thus reflect, cannot long retain n
vestige Of the spirit Of liberty.
On the other hand, let us consider
what we are 10 gain by the proposed
action Of the State. If we succeed
Gas he believed we would) in practical.
~ demonstrating the right Of State
TO sccede, we shall have established
upon sure basis the only veto power
that can ever hold the tyranny Of the
government in check. We will have
laid the foundation for security, cquali
~ and independence in the Union, or
OF better government out Of il-a
government which mus, in the end re.
suit in n Southern confcderacy, upon
the establishment Of which depends the
last hope Of liberty on this continent
But suppose we make the effort and
fail, and we in fact be subjugated, an
event which he did not believe ever will
happen, even in that extremity, our
condition will be no worse than tina.
which awaits us in the Union. In eve.
ry view oflhe case, therefore, secession
seems 10 bo the policy which alone can
secure our honor and our liberty"
SINGULAR OUTAGE AT RIo-Capt.
Peacock, Of the bark Minnesota, from Rio