Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-05-13
HON. LANGDON CTlEyES LETTER TO
THE SOUTHERNRlGHTS' CONVEN.


PLAsrsrroS, togeecbc,) ist May, ls5l
My Dear Sir:-l have been appointed a
.Debgat" of the Southern Rights Association
foESE Phillips and st. Michaeps, and also of
Ties Nayhn Land Association, of York Dis trict,
to EsSE11kenlon to he held in your city on
Monda&he$ts aud it was my wish and inten-
ton to have edded the Convention in obedi-
ence to the caHss but cannot do SO without
neglecting private business of my ownfof i'm
portance, which admit of'no delay and which
cannot be we'll accomplished without my per-
. soual attention This business, however press
ing and important, should bavetbeen superse-
dtd by. the public call il I coui have believed
that my attendance at the Convention could be
OF any Importance but am we'll satisfied that
it could not My general views of~tbe griey-
kess0f athess Shath, and Of the subversion, Of
I tke eEonstitutioniofth United States, are fully
known to the public and sill weigh for what
they ere worth, as efectually as If we're again
to declare them. The object of the Conven-
ton, under stand to tie, to declare whether, in
the opinion OF the Convention, South CarolIna
ought to secede from the Union alone and
without the concurrent action of any Of the
other Southern States. MY opinion on the pro.
priety Of the separate action OF one Southern
State, and particularly of South Carolina, has
been long known. There is no man in the
country. who feels more sensibly than do the
danger, the distonor. the infamy Of the condi.
ton of the South. No man is more entirely
convinced f the justice, the Constitutional
right, and the political expediency OF the with
drawa OF the Southern States from the Union
by WHICH they are enthralled, and which cannot
FAIL while it subsists to bring fon. them further
and future danger, oppression and infamy. l
am satisfied that history furnishes no example
Of such disputal,le submission as tina. which
they now exhibit. The philosophy Of liberty
is Jealousy. The proper action Of patriotism
is the earliest possible resistance to the slight
est encroachment on the public rights. The
lovers of liberty suaf the tainted breeze Of ty-
rauny in the distant gale, and do not wait t,,r
the overwhelming power of the storm. But
we tamely endure the full blast OF the injuries
and insults SO profnscly poured upon us, We
hug our chains with something approaching to
foadness, and submit to be gorerned by our
our bitter enemies -aud yet it is only necessa-
| ry to will it, tor orrend those chains and to be
redeemed. regeuerated, aud Disseminated r.
AS citizen OF tho South, feel .hupiliated in.
to the very dust. Yet am not OF opibien,
that South. Carolina should secede alone. Nor
do think thus on account of the dangers il
may provoke, or the sacrifices it may require.
No dangers aud no sacrifices can b. too great
in such a Cause But one State of the South
cannot stand aloHe in the midst of her sister
States. These States form one family in inter-
est, in blood, ia feeling, and i, eadeariug, so
cial aud historical relations and recollnctons,
and such ties ought not to he broken but by
dire necessity. South Carolina, know, has
been grossly slandered and vilifed for what no
dispassionate man can say; lis rash or unwise.
She has done no more than proclaim the South
ern wrongs, and who can deny them, and to
express desire to unite with. her sister States
j., resisting them. Sha will be wrong, how
ever, in my poor opinion, ii she separates alone
from them in her measures of resistance. But
it may be said they have not proposed to do
what the honor and interest Of all require to
be done to rederm the character and to sustain
the rights OF the South. 1t is most true and
deeply to be laniented, but we are but one
member Of this large f.mily, and have no right
to dictate authoritatively, to the other members
Of the family. We must wait upon them and
intreat then. to move We sheold use no Ian
guaye of irritation We must look with for.
bearance on their hardless-
"Bc to their faults little blind,
Be 10 their virtues very kind.
And put a paddock On their mind I" a. the past.
The people OF our Southern sisters are q
brave peo de, whose fathers fought for liberty,
who themselves were born and dmurtured in the
enjoyment of it, and who, therefore, know the
value of it. 1t cannot be believed that such
people will long consent to be governed other.
wise than by Government in which they shall
enjoy equal rights, equal power and equal hon.
ors. lhey have been deceived aud betrayed.
They must and will hearken to other counsel
lors than those to whom they have hitherto
listened. The South must and will rouse from
its slumbers aud mainly rely upon the Denloc-
racy of the country. The Democratic party
once alreldy, under the guidance of Jefferson
in l79s, saved the South from the ambition and
tolls OF Federalism. We now eotteud against
the same people, but with these ditferel'ces.--
The leading Federalists were then high, hon.
orable, able men, who were ambitious To gov.
ern you but whose ambition was noble atic
therefore scarce crime, though dangerous to
tie true principles of our Union. THESE men
have gone down to the grave or have been pro.
scribed aud discarded by their unworthy asso'
ciatrs, men with more tuan their ambition but
none of their virtues or talents. The object OF
the old Federalist was a strong but nonest
Government. That OF their Successors Is an