Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-06-12

zens Of Edgefeld district was held in the
town of Hamburg OIL Saturday the 3lst Of
May.
The meeting was organized by calling
Capt. Andrew j. Hammond 10 the Chair, and
requesting c. w. Styles, Esq. 10 act as Sc.
cretary.
The Chair having in an impressive and ap-
propriate manner stated the object of the
meeting on motion, n Committee of thirty
was appointed by the chair, consisting Of the
following gentlemen, to report business fol
the consideration of the meeting:
Willis G. Harris, Levi Hill.
d.. Walker, w. Rountree,
Samuel Clark, C. Mcdonald,
Samuel Glover, H. L. LETTERS,
NJ. O'Keeffe. James Purvis,
&C. Cunningham, J. R. Cook,
e. p. Cassin, w. J. Wightman,
w. P. DELPHI, J.W. Stokes,
c. Williams, Charles Hammond,
Joseph Heightower, Dr.. A. J. Creighton,
NJ. w. Coleman, VIM. Lanham,
w. C.. Bowley, Joseph Morris,
E. Gallaher, A. Burnside,
H. A. Kenrick, NJ Radie,
E. J. Buckmaster, Robert Anderson
The committee having retired, the Hon
w. A. Owens of Barnwell was invited to ad
dress the meeting, on the prominent question
of the day, which he did for upwards of ar
hour in strain of patriotic eloquence, and
irresistible arguments in opposition to the
policy of Separate secession on the part Of
South Carolina, and the action of the South.
crn rights convention held in Charleston ir
April last. The remarks of Colonel Owens
were responded to in such manner as to in.
dicate very clearly that the people are moi
disposed TO risk the dangerous. consequences
of separate State secession, under existing
circumstances. We deem it unnecessary to
comment further on this mastery effort Of
Col. Owens as'we expect a copy for publ.
cation, suffice it to say, that in all respects
he echoed the sentiments Of the people. Al
the conclusion of Col. O's remarks. the com.
mittee of thirty returned, and through Mr.
C.P: Cassin, Ssubmitted-th following pream.
BILE and resolutions for the consideration OF
The, meeting l ::
Preamble, and Resolutions. s.
A crisis. hasarrived in our affairs in which
it behooyes every citizen of the State with.
ont concealment to discover his political sen.
timents. The, action of the last Legislature
convoking a Constitutional Convention OF
the people, the election OF Delegates to that
body, whose province it will be to decide final
ly on the action, which the State must take
in removing. paliating or redressing the griev.
ances imposed on the South by the Legisla,
ton of Congress in the passage of the so call
ed compromise measures and the contrmpla.
ted assembling of that body early in the next
year, presents issues Of the gravcst import
for the contemplation of every citizen. We
had hoped that no proceedings would be
taken in our State to forestall or control the
final determination of the Constitutional Con-
vention and that the delegates elect would
be left entirely free and untrammeled to act
in accordance with the prospects and circum-
stances surrounding them when assembled.
But the late convention ofthe Southern rig hts
associations in Charleston, as also the tone
of the public press seems to Indicate eXtraor-
dinary and unexamplcd unanimity, through
out the State in favor Of the Separate and eur-
ly secession of South Carolina, either with
or without cooperation, and as we are we'll
satisfied that there is serious division among
the people upon this subject, VIC conceive it
to be sacred dusv we owe to ourselves, our
country and our posterity, to place our opin-
ions upon record and if by our counsels or
example we can aid in saving the State from
entering upon the dangeroushazards Of seps-
rate action, without any prospect of co-ope-
ration or sympathy from our Southern sis
.ers, we snail feel that We have discharged il
solemn duty and done the State some SER
vice. And we are the more solicitous tflnt
moderate and prudent councils should pre-
vail, because it is inevitable that the Southern
States are destined at an early period to be-
come one grand confederacy of independent
States, without the necessity of forcing an
issue upon them which they regard as prenla.
ture and unwise at this particular juncture
and calculated to defeat the great measure
we seek to carry out.
We are not the supporters or opologists OF
the compromises we think that the South
has been deeply wronged by the adoption of
these odious measures, we are not for ac-
quiescing in them, nor do we oppose separate
secession for any such end, we are for resist
ing them by any and every practical mode
which has been or may be devised, but we
believe that no efficient redress can be OBJ
tanned without the cooperation of other slave
States, whose interests arc now and whose
destiny in every respect must ultimately be
the same as ours. We expect most confident
ly to obtain corporation, not only in consc.
quence of the aggressions of the past, but
from the emboldened spirit of fanaticism all
over the North in the daily preparation Of
new outragcs. We have confidence in the
patriotism of our brethren of the other South.
ern States, as they are high minded spirited
people, no reasonable fear need be entertain'
cd that they will sink down in tame and viii
ling acquiescence in the wrongs of the past
or idle and indifferent spectators of the out
RACES of the present, and prospects of shame
and humiliation in the future. We merely
state our opinions without entering into &
discussion fully of the reasons which bring
us to the conclusion, that under existing cir
cumstances South Carolina cannot with wis
dom or prudence secede from the Fedora
Union. But when the prospects for co-ope
ration brightens. When other Southern
States will give assurance Of their readiness
to dissolve their union with the Northerr