Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-07-26

Of the General attitude requiring her
utmost energy, fortitude, and discretion. e
desperate grievance would authorize desperate
remedy and yet Think not one destructive suicidal
separate State secession. Our Is that Of the South tho
whole South and in judgment neither policy honor
fair dealing nor safety, justify Us IN narrowing doWn to
mere local concern. sf4l
The problem to be worked out is what ID efficient and mot
reckless There sometimes much true courage In de-
clning desperate adventure As in perishing 10 Il.
am, gentlemen, your obedent servant,
WIN. c. PRESTON
From Judge John Belton O'NeaA.
SPRIssrIEID, JuLr !, 1861.
GESTLEMEs regret that cannot meet you and my
many other friends Of Greenville the 4h instsnt Ny
engagements prevent the possibility my attendance Inde-
pendent however, Of them think propey forbids my ad
dressing the people the political questions asitnnx
snd seriously dividing them judge like any other citissn
has he to think ss ne peases on political questions and
also express his opinions hereupon any way he peasss
But painful experience arising out Of Nufcaion
troubles sat,es that judge best consulh his duty n
public officer, By not entering into the Of public d
cussion. You however, entitled, friends and may
very well say neighbors, to know my opinions 4,
am naive-bon Carolinan. have paid kss tybuteto
the other States than almost any other have been
raised and educated amid slave Institutions am the owner
Of slaves and with the other citizens Of s State
have deep interest n every thing connected with tho Sas
shall rejoice in her prosperity, honor and success and
shall weep bitterly her adversely, disgrace, and dsap
pointment. believe no,o South Carolina was
haze qit and peace in Eve years her population and re
sources would be doubled. 4sas, s.s ~
This state Of peace. happiness and hope i fear not
only to be eopadzed but absolutely ruined By separate Sase
secesion which understand those high in authority declare
to be red fact" To you and presume TO the State
at large, my opinions not entirely unknown Il may be-
and doubt not will be, declared by many be Of very little
consequence whether they be known unknown s those
who desire to know them have the right be informed
correctly
have always believed the proposed action Of the sse To-
seede from the Union to be the result of one Of the
deusions which taken possession Of the public mind
There is an old and practical illustration Of absurdty ami
liar to every oneha Of cutting of ones spite The
face not separate State secession carrying out that yey
thing What beyond il result from h We are out Of
the Union What then SousA C0yoEnG Is a nation =
She must have Constitution. Who tell what are
to be its provisions She have National Government
Her Governor must become the great head Of nation with
his long train of secretaries She build palace for
her ruler she have her army and navy she must have
postal arrangement Of her she have treaties with
the United States and all other countries and ambassadors
to each and all Imsgne the EXPENSE and then ask, for
ohaf has all this been incurred You will be told it was to
secure freedom and preserve your property ask how
will this be accomplished What particle Of freedom You
have then which you have not now confess am NOT
able to discover it. II is true the legislation which, by the
admission Of California, excluded from the right Of occu
Pypg IT. and with slaves unknd unjust But by going
out Of the Union do remedy that2 Certainly not We
lose all interest in California and all the other States and
Territories Of the Union. We are aliens to them all
How does i secure property Slaves what is meant
Sced and how stands slavery South Carolina has her
slaves pepeuay within her bosom they may increase until
their labor is protless What be done Not one can
be sold out of the State. Not be carried out Of IT,
The Constitution Of the United States fobids that.
Instead Of then having the guarantees Of the Constitution
United States to protect this properly you have the
who have been goading this mad act Of
secession, BY meddlDg with that which did cocern
them, reaching hand from every point around your de-
fenceless borders to snatch slave from the owner.
This, say friends, will be of war! Be il So II
war; ciuI ,0ar, a blessing curse
am odfashioned enough to believe that the Constitution
Of the United States the product Of the great who were
tried in the crucbe Of the Revolution, the best sasgud
Of freedom and property which obtain. still
believe that there is virtue and patriotism enough in the great
body OF the American people, in the executive and judicial
officers Of the United Sates and Congress- not only
not to Uloate to our prejudice, bat also to maintain and
enforce ii to our benefit.
The notion that South Carolina, in free trade is to become
the emporium Of the world, and that tide Of wealth is to
roll from seaboard to the mountains about ~ visionary
the notion Of the professor who declared that be had
under the mountain in the many pleasant acres for his
future residence. The ports Of Carolina will be closed By
her act Of secession The trade which once visited
Charleston will be found Savannah Wilmington What
will then be the fate Of South Carolina She tciH be moor
indeed! 8aa
object to the secession movement because believe il 10
the very thing sought by the Abolitonss They wish to
divide slave owners from the glorious and stripes Of 76.
Is the Palmetto State be forced to such folly by
the mad fanatics, who have themselves up as the higher
law party Let them know they, u.s. must quit the pro-
lection Of the flag Of liberty.
Il will be said, it has been Judges unfit to be the
leaders Of revolution. Il perhaps is true that they
rash enough to suit the policy Of but hope they have
learned in the discharge Of their duties the importance Of the
maxim, "audi aleram partem" before they decide, and
when they do decde to be that they right For
one, can most conscienousy declare that have never
been able to fad the possibility of advantage separate
State secession but on the contrary, beihe
certain ruin Of the State and people, whom may be allowed
to say, haze alone seued, and to whom my affection as
securely bound as that Of any other man.
With much respect am your fellow citizen,
JOHN BELTON ONEALL