Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-08-04

verbs of Solomon, and learn tne amount Vi
mischief that fouls bablng is capable of do
ing.
/ shall never forget remark Of the lamen.
ted McDufie, on my first acquaintance with
him. asked him why Northern politicians al.
ways managed to carry their points He re.
piled: cit is because they have system OF
policy and plan Of operations that the South
ern people never find out. We are addicted to
incontinent babbling. We devise q system OF
policy, aud then have it put in the newspapers
forgetting the Spanish proverb, that "policy de-
tected is no longer policy He then proceed
ed to relate. with mirthfulness unusal in him,
very amusing and ludicrous instance.
know it is gallant and brilliant thing for
a public man to proclaim from house-top all
he knows and all he guesses at, and to be the
first to say what perhaps he has found out
great many head men are going to say after
little while. 1t is captivating to the youthful
the imaginative, the enthusiastic, the marvellous
gratifying to weak and small natures, whose
ears itch more for some entertaining piece OF
news than their hearts burn towards great pa.
triotc achievement 1t is, too, a grateful and
profitable thing to public man to have it every
where said of him, he is bold, dashing fellow,
who has nothing to conceal; the people know
where to find him; but gentlemen, what is it
worth to the people to know where to find any
particular man, il all that wisdom and prudence
and patient self.denial have provided for them
be dashed and squandered by his follys There's
/. question to be answered.
These reflections are submitted not with any
view to protect myself from answering on the
great question which at this instant appears to
absorb the public mind My sole object being
to show how impossible it is for a public man,
especially in conjuncture like that of the ex-
listing controversy with the North, and between
different parties in the South, to divuge all
the reasons that may govern his course, with
out becoming minister Of ruin, instead OF
useful public servant And Iwould never con-
sent to hold Office upon such conditions that
would obtige me to become contemplate in my
own estimation; to incur the guilt of defeating
my own cherished hopes for our deiverance,
and subject me; to be condemed as a fool or 4
knave by evsry man of discernment and com.
petent knowledge of political affairs.
l am not trust stunderstood to be speaking ofthat
social interchange of opinion with friends and
constituents, which should always be fall and
frank. 1t is a misfortune that it cannot be
more so. It is only by such intercourse that
the people can truly know where to find any
public man. And submit to all who know
me whether it is one of my faults that do
not speak with sufficient ireedonn whether |
have ever been found waiting to know how the
current was running. In position, am at this
time in minority in South Carolina, and am
there voluntarily; aud he assured that il discar-
ded at home, there is no indemnity to be hoped
for from the Federal Union,
You will pardon me, gentlemen, for indul-
ging in these remarks am not ignorant of,
and cannot be insensible to certain injurious
mputations made against me during an unavo.
dable and painful absence from the State, and
though entertaining no sentiment OF revenge,
determined as am, ifpossible, to stand aloof
from the political striles with which we are
threatened. [ felt itdue to myself and thought it
might he of some advantage to the community,
to give some general view Of the principles
and views by which have regulated my public
conduct and wherein have been found fault
with, have thought it perfectly fair to scrl.
tiuize the imputed merits of that class Of poll.
ticans who have been placed in contrast with
myself with view to my disparagemcnt.
But with these small grieis am now done, if
Others are.
To recur then to the question what shall
the convention do! There is no convention
capable of acting now. The Convention is
not now in secession, but is to meet and act
hereafter The conditions under which 1t is
to act are partly within the womb of time.
What they are to be none but prophet could
foresee. L cannot foresen. The Legislature
did not foresee, nor do the delegates elect
to the convention foresee. In postponing
the meeting Of the convention, the Legislature
appears to have looked to the probability OF i'm.
portant deyelopements intervening. Of fcourse
it was expected that such Developments would
affect the discretion aud decision of the con.
vention. 1t would be absurd to suppose the
contrary.
Now what ask on my own bchaliis, that
the freedom and indulgence allowed the con-
vention may be conceded tome. / cannot
forekow what it should do. In the day of its
action it will be entitled to my views, and
shall have them freely and fully. But, gentle
men, there arc some reflections proper to be
made before hand, relative to thecourse of ac-
ton of the convention, and the principles by
which it should be governed. The convention
should be considered free body. If it met to-
morrow, it should meet with perfect freedom
Of will; much more should it be so, where it is
to meet and act under unforeseen coutingen-
cies. A Legislature cannot bind convention
1t can only call convention when some mat.