Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-05-16

able it will be from usnrpaton Of power by The fed
eral government-not from the nature of the act
performed by South Carolina. Accustomed we
have been to violations of the constitution and of
the rights of the southern States by the federal gov
ernment we have to look forward to the probability
of another outrage by that government in the at
tempt to force the State to remain in the Union
We suppose the attempt will be made. if the other
southern States permit it. Those States must de-
eide for themselves whether they will permit it
South Carolina must decide for herself whether it is
necessary to secede Her sister States of the South
will have right to complain that she forces them
into position where they must either nterpose to
prevent her subjugation, Or, by consenting to it,
abandon their own sovereignty, and lay themselves
at the mercy of despotic power.
In seeding, South Carolina will simply do an act
which all southern who believe in the existence
of State rights at all must admit that she has per-
feet right to do and which she regards as absolute
ly necessary. She will be acting on her sacred
right. She will be acting she would have to act
if of the other southeren States were in exis-
ence, and she the only object of aggression by
the northern States and the federal government =
She is not answerable for the usurpatons and inus
tice which may be committed against her And for
her sister States of the South to ask of her to refrain
from an exercise of light which she regards in
dispensable for self-preservaion would be inter-
ference with her free action of far different char
acter from any with which she can be charged to-
wards them. Sovereigns are equals In seeding
alone, South Carolina would be placing her sister
States of the South under constraint. If they
should find themselves in position of constraint, it
would come from the action of the federal govern
ment, not of South Carolina. But if they should in
sist upon her retaining from the exercise of her
right, and submitting to condition which she re-
CARDS as intolerable, they would make themselves
parties with the federal government in placing
unjustifable cOnstralnt upon a sovereign and an
| equal.
| We wish that the necessity for separate action by
South Carolina which We have contemplated may
be averted We confde in the gallant spirits whom
we address There may be some hope of the assem-
bling of a southern Congress to devise of
redress and relief upon which of the I'M ured
States may unite. We have heretofore been willing
to sacrifice much for southern union-we still are.
We do not desire to lead, but to follow Propose
any efectual measures for indicating our common
rights and providing for common safety and we
will heartily unite with you in carrying them out.
We should regret most deeply to incur the censure
of friends with whom we have the strongest desire
to act in concert. But feel deep conviction
that we have not acted heretofore with any precpi-
tation and that we are in the right in the deermn-
alton which we have formed The establishment
of submission appears to unworthy of men still
pretending to be free. The gloomy prospect of in
evitable ruin to follow submission appears to us
more formidable than any dangers to be encounter
ed in contending alone, against whatever odds, for
our rights. We have come to the deliberate conclu
sion that if it be fate to be left alone in the
struggle, alone we must yindicate our liberty by
secession.
u Resolutions adopted.
l. ReSoiued That, in the opinion of this meeting the
State of South Carolina submit to the wrongs
aggresons which have been peperated by the federal
and the northern States without dshonor and ruin
and that is necessary to relieve herself thereom whether
with without the cooperation of other southern States
2. ReSored That concert of action with one
sister States of the South whether through the
southern congress any other way, object worth
sacrifices but not the sacrifice involved In submission
ResoLred That hold the right of secession to be
sena to the sovereignty and freedom of the States of th
conederaey and that the denial of that right would furnish
to injured State the strongest additional for its
ercise.
RI Resolued, That this meeting looks with confidence
hope the convention of the people to exert the sovereign
power Of the State in defence of its rights at the earlies
practicable PERIOD and in the most etctual manner and
the legislature adopt the most speedy and eeua
ures towards the same end.
Report and Resolutions of the Minority of the Committee
I The undersigned, the minority of the committee
of twentyone, dissenting, they constrained tc
d. from the report of the majority of the committee
as involving departure from the proper objects Of
J this meeting and prematurely making issues mo-
commend substitute for said report the resou
ton submitted by delegate from Anderson, amend
r ed so as to read as follows
Resolved That feeling entire confidence in the constitu
onal of State government and the wisdom
fidelity of the convention elected under the act at the
last session of the legislature perfectly willing tt
leave them the mode and of redress for the
wrongs have suffered from the federal government,
well the time of its application and, without indicating
suggesting the it behooves them to pursue
the shall be for secession from the Union with with
out the cooperation of the other southern States
w. PERONNEAU FINLEY,
JAMES CHESNUT, jr,
A