The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-10-28
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ls,3s 4 the sraRTAN Nnunr atErrlso.

azMne Xpeet tel y called to preside over
this vast assembly, it, is, Of course,
expected that I should attempt to cx-
gplains5he object of our meeting here,
md although, it has derangcd, ir
4 some degree, the course which I had
sprescrihed for myself, it is, perhaps,
,aswcll that should say now what ]
had proposed, if left to follow out
my own plans. @
tlls1,r, On occasion, not long past,
which, I suppose, vii, be remembered
by some. I avowcd my intention of
retiring forever from the turmoils Of
.pMbliesiife, content to spend the re-
rnainacKof my time here in the quic-
W fudesof my own fresile, and in the
y interchange Of kindly Offices with MY
% friends and neighbors; my age, my
infirnities, and inclination, all con.
,is;s;see5sto render this desirable ; but
had not then foresccn that, in so
gS short astime, wefshou!d be involved
sin controversy with our sister
States md indeed amongst ourselves,
presenting questions of as great deli,
4 cacy and magnitude as ever people
sgescalled on 10 decide. Aud, how.
conscious III ca 20 lie Of riding
upon and directing the storm, |
should feel myself unworthy the
calgaitassof g citizen, and degraded as
o S,a ilnn, if s should shrink from sl,a.
ring with you the responsibilities that
are involved IN the issue. If | had
81 & .l1ls;'. 1uta day tYliye, that is due to South
st Carolina.
. 7S.s one las eyeT yet questioned
q chat sinsthe frame anl substance OF
the Federal constitution, ts.autl,ors
B had in Wow pcrtfcci$$eGnality amongst
The States and individual citizens
t.o9a yof burdens and rcsponsibili.
-e1 laliEy tsiylits. privileges
and imniutitics nth Within the
last four years, We, (ycs, we our.
Selves, surpassed it tic work OF holy
4. inspiration. and reagSaca Il rs ia
palladium Of our liberties. Now, it
is denounced as q sconrsc and ours,
I5@ is -thise Holy writ itself is not
secure against the assaults Of per-
verse and wicked men. Some deny
its authenticity, others pcrvert its
meaning so as to make it subscrvicnt
to tile Yilcst purposes. So it has
Jared with the constitutions
hold that there is a Law paramount to
it,,and under color of it, would fire
ourd@ellings and butcher our wives
and CHILDREN others admitting its
authority, use it as a pretcxt for
Plundcring us Of our wealth. In
this spirit the Congress of the Uni.
ted States, governed Of necessity by
q majority, has levied contributions
on us in tho form oflmpost duties to
Il construct public works at an immense
expense, professedly national, but in
truth merely local, and in which the
southernAtlantic States have no +, ar.
ticipation and to build ulrand protect
the manufactures Of the non n.slavc-
holding States. The right of prop
crtytin CUR slaves, which is rendered
indispensable to us by our climate,
our productions and our usagcs, are
GUARANTEED by the express provisions
of the constitution, ana these have
nnndeter.nined. In the spirit of
fanaticism and deceased humanity
they have been purloincl from us i,
and arc encoura gcd to escape from us.
THE thief and the fugitive find pro.
lection intthe local laws of some Of
ihe States, aud in others more 30.
entsecurity in wild and ranatical
public opinion. This might be borne
sf we were free to right, ourselves.
ycare restrained by the cons.i,u.
B tion by which We ought to be bound
unless we can shake of its ,ramncIs
s But this is not all. The Govern.
raent:itself has laid the train that will
blow up the very foundations Of the
iIlstltatlon Of slavery, unless VIC can
cptitsoH, 1t is already laid around
the whole extent Of the Eastern.
# NORTHERN and Northwestern boun,la
rles, AVID have manifested by various
oYeft aets.thc will to extend to the
s tdulf pf Alexico. Slavery is cxclu.
aeuifom California, ostcnsijly by the
aet8of California herself, bat does
aiiysfaheHal MAY believe tim, It was
ilotstlene rlpon the suggestion aud
procurement OF the Government. to
ss:icli itself against Ito oaiun mi
responsibility of intcsdiptms It. Ncw.
Mexicais destined ii, thn.s :,
Indeed lie ablest, qgl believe tho
@lsest psss an,l q, taast cyNsilefatc poli,i.
siians q q tlis tsplfslaNel,olling States
insisf q, tlle neeessisy Of ei,y,gi,,;n,,
lsstt.sge W g ttst psre;ient terriisaal,IS,its