The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-06-12


or days, bnt what has shoevcf done to rebukc
fanaticism2 The great leader in the memo
rablc contest Of , 798 was one az the earliest
and most eloquent Of thoscwho deprecated,
if they didnot denonnce, slavery No; Vir-i
ginia willneyor lead the hosts Of the South,
whose destiny it is to resist the crusade a-
gainst slavery The great duty ii my opin-
ion, viii devoltc upon South Carolina or
Georgia,
But, lead who may, it is our destiny to act
a conspicuous part in the contest when itl
shall come, and como twill as surely as there
IS God. Interest and self-prcservatio will
arouse and unite the States that grow cotton,
rice end sugar Let us not mar or hinder
this great movement by any rashness of ours.
Let us not vainly endeavor % separate our
destiny from that ofthose States shat have q
common interest, and from whom alone, OF
all mankind, wc,have right to hope for sue
cor or FOR sympathy. Remembering cannot
preserve slavery, if all tho other Southern
States surrender it Let us, then, yield
ourselves to neither rashness nor despair
Let us look to the future with courage, and
with hope. Let us do our our own duty in
this great crisis, and animate and excite 9TH
crs to do theirs. If the other Southern
States shall follow the example of Virginia,
still let us not despair or strike our colors.-
We shall sink below our high destiny if we
have not the courage, and the consistency,
and the fortitude to meet oil the vicissitudes
of a contest which involves our hopes; our
happiness, our existence.
During the autumn Of last year, both m
speeches and conversations, repeatedly ex-
pressed the opinion, that if BAL one State
should scce,lc, the General GoUernnlert lcould
attempt to enforce the latos of Congress
and coercc he,. into obedience. ] have since
seen nothing to change, but much to confirm
that opinion. His die province Of Congress
to make lars, but tbe duty Of HevIfesident
20 eCecute Them THIS duy he Solcataly sWedrs
he vWpertorm The President aud has Sec
retary Of State haze giUen repeated Gssurdn-
ces that disduty aoM be discharged. Ikaolu
ofno reason tn dou5t that Il i0ill be Gttcnpt-
ell. The army and navy are placed at the
command Of the President for that purpose.
The President and Mr. Webster belong to a
school of politicians who do not admit the
right ola State to seccde from the Union
This opinion has been often expressed by
Mr.. Webster and expressed with reference
to South Carolina. They hold that resistance
90 the laws OfCongress is laWless resistance,
and to be treated as the act Of rebels and trail
tors.
have taken much pains to ascertain
whether, if South Carolina secedes, she will
be sustained by the act or the public opinion
of any other State The result is COnvic-
tion that our example a0ould net be .tollo1oed,
nor our conduct justified By any one Of them
1hey eUjdently do not regard the past or the
present state Of things as j1tstityiRg secession.
And fear they believe that South Carolina,
from factiOus and selfish motives, is endeav-
Oring to involve them in a contest without
cause, and would look upon a struggle with
the General Government and this State with
out concern and without sympathy.
From the foregoing views it will be seen
that my opinions are, that the Southern States
cannot remain in the Union without degra-
dation, and ultimately the Abolition of sla-
very; that slavery is of greater value to the
South than the Union; that secession Is the
only remaining alternative, but that should
bercsortcd to only as the means Of establish
ing confederacy of one or more siav6hold-
inc States: that at.this time the secession of
South CarolinaWould neither be followed nor
justified by any other State that the seccS-
sioaof South Carolina at the present time,
the otlcy Southern States remaining an tie
Union, lcoNld only 0ggraUate the eOiIs Of
7rbtcb ne Justly complain, and aoOUld be an
crpedSnt md unWjse: that in such event
force would he attempted by the Federal Gov
ornmcnt, and the great object of secession
seriously hindercd and endangered, if not
utterly defeated.
l have now, gentlemen, expressed my O.
pinions upon the deeply interesting points
indicated in your communication with the
frankness and .candor that becomes me as a
representative and a citizen commend
them to your scrutiny and your considcra-
ton. They are opinions deliberately formed
after Che long and anxious reflection of one
who las no ambition to promote thetrue glo-
Of Sooth Carolina. / dare not hope that
they viii be acceptable to all of you--they
may not be so to any of you-but am viii
ling tosubmit them to the test of time and
truth, asI am content, and resolved to stand
or fall in the public estimation by them, and
upon them. In public or in private life
should not feel that ] am a patriot if die
not, at whatever personal sacrifice, try t.
save my native State from the disasters o.
blind and needless cOunsels. But Soutl
Carolina is the homo of my affections, ant
her bosom shall be my grave Her caus,
shall bc my cause, her fate my fate.
/ cannot lay down my pen without thi
admoniton to my fellow citizens Betor
yon scccde, make up your mind, unalterably
HatdFcStep once taken can 7leUer be retraccc
qciHout qlutterdbIes shame and despair. B
then, resolved to meet all its hazards an,
all its trials If you are not ready to la,
down lie aud fortune, you are not prepare,
for SECESSION. The North cannot and sh
will not part with you, and the treas
are she wrings from you; without
mighty struggle. She viii Useefor if -sh
tlare and there be need Beshrebe yo
move chat you cannot fail; and be sure, ais
that success viii be the realization of th
bright hopes and happy visions that lea
YOU on to the contest IL you are induce
to favor secession by the idea which some (
those who arc clamorous for that measur,
hold out to you, that you would be caressec
and coaxed, by kindness and concessions, I
return to the Union, Ie'strcdt yolt 70 discay
lie 0atn and unworthy hope Secession {,
such apurpose would be a paltry and a mi
cradle triRing with the graycst questic
tien Of the century. would seorn with