The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-11
From he Columbia South Carolinian,
Secession Meeting.

A large and enthusiastic meeting of the citi-
zens in favor OF the secession OF the State of
South Carolina from the Union, upon the failure
of cooperation. was held in the Town Hall, at
Columbia, on Thursday, the I'd instant.
Upon motion of Col. Maxcy Gregg,
Mr. w. II. De Saussure was called to the
chair, and Mr. Nathaniel Ramsay was appointed
secretary.
The chairman announced that the object of
the meeting was to take counsel together upon
the state OF the country; that it was no ordina-
ny question of party politics which had assem-.
bled so large a meeting, but one which involved
the rights, the honor, and the very existence OF
the State.
After some further remarks by the chairman,
II was announced by Gen. Adams that ex- Gov.
J. p. Richardson, Gen. Owens, of Fairfield, and
Mr. Chalmers, of Mississippi, were in attend
ance, and moved that committee be appointed
to wait upon these gentlemen and introduce
them to the meeting.
Whereupon the chair appointed Gen. Adams
Col. Hart Maxcy and A. +. Dubard, esq, a CON-
mittee.
Messrs Owens, Richardson and Chalmers, at.
tended by The committee, appeared in the meet.
ing which rose to receive them.
Gen. Owens was introduced to the meeting
avowing and firmly defending the principles Of
ceived with repeated bursts of applause, and il
was manifest that if he was plain farmer as he
announced, and did not aspire to the gifts of or
atory, yet his principles were sound, his heart
right, and his will firm.
Ex-Gov. Richardson was then introduced To
the meeting by Gen. Adams, and enchanted the
profound attention of the meeting by a lucid ex
position of the state of our relations with the
abolition government at Washington, and dig.
nfed and conciliatory appeal to the co operation
party. The counsels of this veteran statesman
were received with marked attention, and pro.
duced profound sensation.
At the close of his address, Gen. Adams, in q
few eloquent remarks, declined entering at this
time into general discussion of the questions
at issue, but introduced to the meeting Mr.
Chalmers, young friend from Mississippi
whose patriotic address, worthy of a mature in
telect was enthusiastically cheered throughout
by the meeting.
He threw mantle over the DETECTION of his
own State, and, after announcing that thousands
of his countrymen felt the deepest sympathy in
our cause, declared that if struggle came, he
knew where one Mssissippian would be found
Upon motion of Col GLADDEN., u unanimous
resolution was passed, requesting the chairman
of this meeting to invite the cooperation party
to meet us in public discussion at any time and
place they may choose to designate, and to in.
vite them to appoint joint committee of ar
Engagements for the occasion.
On motion OF Major Wallace, it was
RESOLVED, That the chairman appoint com
mittee to request that Gen. Owens, Gov Rich
ardson, and Mr.. Chalmers will favor US with
copies of their addresses for publication, and
that the same be published.
Major Wallace, Capt. Theodore Stark and
John Il. GOODWIN were appointed under this
resolution.
The meeting then adjourned.
w. F. DESAUSSURE, Charm
W. RAMSAY, Secretary.