The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-06-03
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GENTLEMEN As a witness of the proceed
ings of the late Southern Rights Convention at
Charleston, s. e., the plain motive of common
justice has suggested to me the fitness of swim
dcating the truth of history" against the impli-
cations involved in the following paragraph from
the National Inlellgencer The editors are
speaking of the speech of Judge BUTLER before
the convention. They say
:" 1t must be obvious, indeed, to any intelligent
reader that the worthy senator himself would
have forborne no small portion Of the whole OF
this part of his DISCOURSE had it not been neces-
sary before he could expect his grave and wise
counsel to be received with decent respect
which, according to the newspaper accounts, it
hardly was, notwithstanding to deprecate the
displeasure of his hearers by fattering their
foibles and soothing their prejudces."
Your deponent saw nothing, heard nothing,
during the speech of Judge BUTLER, nor before
it, nor after it, nor in the convention, nor out of
it, affording the slightest ground for the insinu-
alton, that Judge BUTLER was compelled to
qualify, or modify, or disguise his real senti-
ments in order "to be received ,oith decent re-
spect."
Your deponent, friend of the Union, and en-
tertainng for the National Intelligencer that re-
spect, which personal knowledge of the edi-
tors never fails to command, regrets their treat
ment, in this instance, particularly, of South
Carolina, because it can do no good, and may re-
suit in mischief.
So far from Judge BUTLER being in any de-
gree embarrassed by, or having occasion to be
embarrassed by, the evident disposition of the
convention towards himself, he was received and
welcomed. and listened to with not only defer
enee and respect, really flattering; but with that
veneration which was 80 natural from liberal
people towards faithful Senator. To stranger
it could hardly fail to be remarked that if Judge
BUTLER was embarrassed, it was by the fiial
kindness of the convention towards him. if they
were DESTROYS to hear his advice in all frank
ness, freedom, and familiarity, and profit by it as
far as possible. He may have been somewhat
taken aback, as was your deponent and many
others, at the overwhelming strength of the spirit
and the party for separate State action in seed
ing from the Union. And from what was wit
messed in that convention and from what any
man may ascertain in direct intercourse with
the people of South Carolina, they who take the
Greenvle Southern Patriot, as the true expo
nent of the public sentiment of the State, are
more widely deceived than they who suppose
that Mr.. WEBSTER represents the popular opin-
ions of Massachusetts.
But the simple object of this article is to vim
dcate the truth respecting the Convention
While its spirit, and the result of its proceedings
were revolutionary, and looking to nothing else
than disunion, nothing else and nothing less
never have we witnessed in any public assem-
blage, on any occasion, of very many occasions
such dispositions of harmony and Cancellation
among the members; or such marked and en-.
couraging kindness to the minority to speak
their views freely and "to the fullest extent
This feature, in the convention was very remark
able 1t looked to the writer like spirit of
unity and earnestness, misguided and dcluded il
you please, but spirit too earnest, too nearly
unanimous, too grave, and decorous and solemn
to be met successfully with dcrision and con
tempt. "Concord and harmony" come not of sucl
agencies. JUSTICE.