Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-06-05


our mother, by her bosom we are nourish
and sustained. Let the belief be once il
pressed on the mind that, as member of
great southern family, her fate is in the
hands, subject alone to the action of a unit
will, and you strip her at once of the noble
attributes of brave and patriotic people.
In this connexion well may | inauir
whether peace is never again to visit our bo
ders: whether, rs citizens, we shall ont
more sit content under our own vine and f
tree. For one-fouth of century, I hat
been contesting to the best of my humb
ability the rapid advance of consolidate
principles. In 1882, was told, as I no
am, to wait awhile-be patient neigl
bors will soon see the subject in the ligt
through which you view it; then, by unior
we shall quickly demolish the temple whic
is being substituted for the great politica
edifce erected by our fathers. What is nov
the condition of the Southern community
What was its situation even at the period o
our notification controversy? So deep i
my conviction, that the annihilation of Soutl
Carolina, as sovereign State, has been re
solved upon, and that her death will be SLOW
and torturing one, that before God / declar,
l should greatly prefer meeting at once th'
enemy in deadly conflict, than to endure tn,
the painful solicitude and anxious watchings
to which have been so long subjected.
Causes beyond her control have plaeet
South Carolina in very delicate and highly
responsible position. Her duty to her South
ern sister States, to the Union, and to her
self, constitutes triple obligation, which, al
this period Of difficulty and alarm, is of alb.
sorbing interest. All that I ask of her friends
and foes is to believe that the State has re-
solved on her course-that the issue of life
or death is already before them, and that the
time has arrived for both North and South to
arouse from their lethargy. The crisis de.
mands it, Liberty and humanity plead for
a hearing.
This meeting, if it does not reflect the
judgement Of the Districts and Parishes, is,
in my opinion, a fair exponent Of the settled
resolution of the people of the State. In the
course of my Executive tour the last sum-
mer, did not see one man, nor one woman.
who did me the honor to converse with me on
the subject, who was hot an advocate for the
doctrine of secession from the Union-not
the Union of 's9, but the Union Under which
we ignominiously live, and whose despotic
we are commanded to obey.
This declaration is strictly applicable only
to the country. In our towns and villages
there is division of sentiment in relation to
the popular REMEDY. There, q portion ofthe
foreign politically population IS now; as;iit
alsga Ionl Ind eed III 0llthj
Grain But id ak hes 81
M a
fine pcr fig dni to answer f9s Of
the objections, and that: briefly, which have
been urged against the resolutions reported
by the Committee.
To the argument Of "patience,". advanced
by my friend from Anderson, Hon. J. L.
Orr,) than whom no one in Our community |
respect more highly, ! have already replied at
length.
In the course of his speech he said that,
by secession, South Carolina would be a
foreign power; hence, that the act of Con-
gaess in relation to the importation of Slaves,
would prevent that property from being taken
out of the State:-Whether the act referred
to would apply in the contingency supposed,
do not stop to inquire. 1t is enough for
me to observe that the evils of a redundant
black population, whether South Carolina be
in or otlt Of the Union, would not be expert
enced by her for perhaps half 4 century.-n
the meanwhile; the law would operate bene-
feially, by mcasurably constraining our agri-
cuIturists to remain at home, and cultivate q
prolific soil, one-sixth part of which still re-
mains untitled:
Itmay here be asked; How will the State
recover her abseonded slaves? l answer,
under the fugitive slave law, if she still be a
member Of the Confederation; otherwise, by
an extradition treaty with the United States
If the latter refuse any arrangement on the
subject, what may we expect of our siste'
communities, especially Georgia and Nortl
Carolina? Will they, on demaEd, decline
surrendering runaway slaves? If so, vii
these be permitted to go at large in thei
limits as freemen? May not the Genera
Government, by this negative process, or b,
refusing an act of international justice, cffec
emancipation in those States? In the ab
sence of some formal agreement betweel
South Carolina and the Central Government
or her and the Southern States on this sub
iect, our State would not be the only suffer
er. The slaves of Georgia and North Caro-
lima would come within our borders for tn
very purpose that ours would seek an asylum
in their territory. The result is that neces
sity would compel at least the Cotton States
if the gloomy anticipations of the timid b
realized, practically to enter into an extradi
tion stipulation with South Caralina.
My valued friend, the senior United State
Senator, (Judge Butler,) in enilmerating tn
opinions of parties and classes concernin
the probable future position of this State
informed us that one class Of politicians ha
asserted, that Congress would repeal the ac
making Charleston, Beaufort and George
town, ports Of entry.-Now, whether this b
done or not, those towns would undoubtedl
be declared ports of entry by South Carolin;
Foreign nations would, in that event, hav
to determine the expedienee of recognizin
the independence of the State. Should
vessel enter the port of Charleston, how wi
the United States prevent the payment {
duties on her cargo? BY force? That woul
be war: But further, there are some thing
which Congress is required by the letter {
obvious Interpretation of the Constitution
do which it cannot Undo. The matter befol
us is one Of them. Whatever plausible re
sons might be assigned for the longer col
tinuancc of Beaufort and Georgetown as por
of entry, they cannot by any perversion ,
language be considered applicable to Charlie
ton. To repeal the act in reference to
our ports, would be in direct contravcntlo