Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-05-29

seperate secession, by imposing, as far as thi:
Convention can, an obligation on the State
Convention to take the step rs soon Us prac.
ticuble.
shall now proceed to state my objections
respectfully to this procedure.
think, in the first place, that this Conven-
tion ought not to take cognizance of so grave
u matter at this time, before there is 4 real
occasion for decision. And in this do not dit.
fer with great many who hear me. This
Convention consists Of representatives, un-
equal in number, of self-conslitutcd associa-
tions. The Convention Of the peop.e, to be
hereafter convinced, having the responsibility
of decision, ought to be left perfectly free 10
form The best judgment in lis power, under
the actual juncture OF circumstances that may
exist at the time Of It's meeting. 1t ought
neither to be instructed nor superseded by
the predctcrmination of an irresponsible
body-irresponsible | mean in any official
point of view Such prc-determination will
make an issue not called for by the OCCASION,
that must result in popular agitation within
the State. 1t will mike divisions among
ourselves, and disclose feelings Which have
not heretofore existed. and ought not to
exist. In fact. it wiildefrat, rather than
promote the end contemplated. To show
how it will oper.te on our lends in Other
States. need only refer 10 the consequent
ces of movements of similar character
| say here, that from the lime that pro-
minent men in South Carolina intimated II
purpose to put the State on the track Of
separate secession, in disregard of the CO.
operation of her neighbors they deprived our
real friends of the power of helping us. II
they did not altogether ALLEVIATE our friends
from their devotion to the Southern cause.
they gave their oponents great advantage
over them. In fact Southern party at
Washington, that was fast organizing, was
dissolved. They were willing to move
as fast and as we'll as they c0uld.-What
would have been their final resolve and mea-
sures know not. But do know that they
felt that they were separated from their true
friends by inlimations for which their people
were not prepared Our ancestors made no
such advertisement of their purposes rs 10
enable Others opposed to them, to force and
defeat them. In general, they were by their
acts ahead of their resolves; and never made
the latter without previously having means
to accomplish them. We seem to reverse
this order. We give long notice, in the form
of speeches and threatening resolutions. The
consequence has been that short perform
ances have followed long advertisements, for
the reason that we lost the aid of our true
allies. There;are now friends in other States
willing TO do al that they can under the cir
cumstances of their situation. fear they
will be driven to disavow us; when, if left
to themselves, they might have pursued
course to maintain the true but much abused
cause of the Southern States.
The measures intilnatcd il the draf. Of the
address, and in some Of the resolutions. vii!
not allow many Of this body to vote upon
tlem.-Al vino are members of the Consti-
;utional Convention Of the people, cannot
give vote to control their future Judgment.
They ought not to be required so to do. /
nave convcrsed with several of them, and they
have come to common conclusion 20 give
no vote upon any mailer upon which they
will have to deliberate, when there shall be
4 real occasion for their officially responsible
Judgment. find myself in that class. What
may be the situation Of things when the Con-
vcnton shall be called on to decide know
not. There may be many instructive de-
velopments and revelations before that time.
Madness and infa:uation take their course
with blind confidence, and ut the next ses-
sion of Congress shall look for some of
their usual exhibitions.
Before speak of the probable and con-
jrctural action of the Federal Government in
reference to South Carolina, should she de-
termine to secede, | will notice some views
ard submit some considerations connected
with Secession as remedy for our wrongs.
The right of Secession in the abstract, and
the right of resor;ing to il to effect wise and
beneficial end, in political and moral point
Of view, are different things. The one may
be conceded as u legal proposi;ion-whlst
the other, as it may affect other communities
as we'll as the State itself, involves high con-
side,..tions and obligations of duty which no
statesman can or ought to disregard.
South Caroliua had the option to 60 in or
remain out of ihc Federal Union: she entered
as a sovereign, TO enable herself and con-
fedcrates to protect their right from Foreign
powers and 10 promote domestic tranquility.
If these ends should not be accomplished
but in fact, if it should turn out that the
Government is used exclusively for one por-
ton of the partners to the oppression and
dctrirnent of othcra-the suffering parties
should have the right ofresuming their origin
al position. To say otherwise would be 10
make free States az they entered into the
Confederacy, not merely parties to despotic
Government, but victims of it against their
consent. But whether secession be conced-
I'd as legal right. or as IL measure of revolu-
tion is immatcrial if there be real occasion
10 resort TO it, and it can be used to effect
some great political end worthy of its exer-
else. Ii il should end in merely separating
the State from her former confedcrates, and
placing her in con1i ion that would require
her to invest herself with all the attributes
and duties Of a sovereign nation both abroad
and at home, then it might bring South Caro-
lima into situation of isolation, at war with
her true interests and policy. If she should
resort to this measure, with view of bring
ing her neighbors into political connection,
SO as to enable them jointly to form Con-
frderacy for themselves, that would be ade-
ouate for all the purposes Of maintaining
their rights Mt home and relations with for
eirn powers, then it becomes a question of
the greatest magnitude, full of consequences
that should be l. oked to with all the care ard
intelligence that can possibly be employed.
The Slae should take no course that would
make rivals ard adversaries of her Southern
neiphbors. On the contrary she should en-.