Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-09-23

gerous to the purity of patriot, and so derog
atory to the dignity Of the statesman and TIL
, honor of canonized ancestry. 1t is demand
ed of you by the hopes Of your offspring and o.
your country Certainly, sir, no such senti
ment can be congeial to your natare-it coul,
not have been born with you;.in some evil oi
unguarded moment it~entered the citadel OF
your heart by surprise, and if individuals alto
gether humble might venture upon advice t.
one SO exalted, they would recommend that il
he thrust out without delay as pestilent anu
baleful intruder, for they had fondly and proud
ly hoped that you at least, were ready to Illus.
trate the exam pie of Hancock, the Puritan, and
Carol, the { atholic, milliomaires and patriots
alike, who struck their names in broad and fla.
ming characters to the Declaration of lndepen'
tendence, pedgiug their lives, their fortunes
and their sacred honors to the cause in which
which they were engaged.
In the further analysis of your "Barnwell'
letter, it is painful to discover, while you re
cogrise the ''indisputable and fundamental prin-
riple of the American system Of federal repub'
licahisn,' the sovereignty of the States, that
You at the same time recognise it as an ortho-
dox and safe principle in theory only, but ex
ceedingly dangerous and appalling. in practice.
The earnestness of your defamation OH this
point can only he accounted for by referring it
to the prevalent dominion in your mind ofynur
"fears and your interests" Pause, and inquire
Of yourself, whether these have not intlamed
vonr imagination to a degree fatal to the health.
ful exerci.e Of your sounder aud more reliable
faculties Nor, can it be satisfactorily tx.
planned in any other way how your mind has
been conducted tn the conclusion that the ln-
terposition ofthe admitted right OF separate Sc.
cesson BY South Carolina, suffering rs she Is
under the most alarming usurpati,ns, is to he
followed by the !" consolidation of Federal
power and the consequent early abolition OF
slavery" s ,. -..
1t is impossible that the utterance OF snch
opinion should not have struck your fcllo~.
citizens with "surprise and pain" for they had
every ground to believe that you attributed to
thu "fdndamental principle" in question sa-
wing and conservative vitality and power which
was alone sufficient to restrain the centrallLlnS
tendency of our federal system. aud therefore
the abiding andinvulnerahle safeguard of the in
s,tution Of slavery 1t is respectfully asked,
then, how long since your opinion on this sub.
iect underwent u change! On what occasion
anterior to the appearance Of your Barnwell
letter did you make public announcement OF
the doctrine it cnntains!" Aud wnen, before,
did you declare that in your Judgment the prac.
tical assertion Of the right of secession by South
Carolina, or by any State, for causes complete
and ius,iiable, would lead to "consoliIatlon
aud consequent ea'ly abolition!' . .-....3
The imagination is certainly 4 most valuable
quality of the mi,ld, whose availability IN prac.
teal affars. whether private or public. is unl-
versaly admitted; but il may become t"o IN.
pressihle bv exhuberalrt cultivati II, when It's
lead is as dangerous aud destructive as its Jn.
dicin,is employment is conducive To useful CON
manding triunlp phs. ltis apprehended that such
may be the state of your imagination now; aud
that the "corItnendable influence OF your tears
and your interests" have wrought upon it toa
morbid extent, controlling your better and ear
! er convictions. and drawing you Oft from the
exalted path of usefulness and duty. by pur-
suius which, though beset with peril', you
would ;,e sure to perfect an honorable fame Tor
yourself aud secure proud glory for your
State.
No disposition prevails in the breast of any
of your fpllow.citzens land especially none a.
mong your immediate neighbors) to subject
your sensibity to any unnecessary inaictons;
but, AS it appears to them, the doctrines en-
forced in your Barnwell letter are so palpably
contradictory to those they conscientiously be.
li.ve,l YOU to advocate previous to its pronil.
CATION, that they must he indulged in some de.
gree Of freedom of analysis. fon took occa-
sion in that production to land the courage.
intelli ;ence, and appreciation OF seltnterest OF
the people of neighboring States" in style
that mignt admit Of n construction IN mIsr"n.
structlon. however, unhoubtedly) disparaging
TO South Carolina. This you never intended,
AS all will frankly and justly c"ncede; and You
are at liberty to declare that the lofty virtues
which you designate as adorning that people,
they may possess equally (ifnot in more em.
inent desree) with the people of your own
State. 10 debate this proposition is no part
Of the purpose of this communication; and were
it felt to be duty its performance would con.
fer no pleasure, since the registry OF the solemn
decree of Georgia through her late convention
ms to her policy at the present most trying cri-
sis of public affairs. She is Il sovereign State,
and ms such has taken her position, rs she has
an ununestiouable right to do. When, howev.
ever, you ,dertake to fix fire gears rs the
Longest time she will consent to wear the badge
of servitude aud dishonor when she will rise III
the majesty of the virtues you asc:lb' t" her
and sweep tyranny from her borders, and to
exhe rt South Carolina to stay her "rashness'
o,d reurass her "inmtieut sense of wrongs"