The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-07-16

slaves within her borders, (for such
is the astounding fact disclosed by
the last census,) be the first to raise
the banner of disunion. Will Geor
| gia do so? Before her Convention
met I would have answered this
question without an instant's hesita.
ton in the affirmative. But the &C.
tion of that Convention has afforded
ground for very grave and painful
doubts on this question.
Previously to the meeting of that
body it had become the uniform. in
variable mode Of expression on this
subject by all the Southern States to
say, if Congress should abolish slave
~ IL the District Of Columbia, then,
&c. This was the stereotyped form.
ula OF words plain, distinct and un-
eqnivocal, which had entered into the
vocabulary Of the whole South in
laying down their platform of resist
ance. But the Georgia Convention
deliberately, and upon consideration,
abandoned the use CT these plain
terms, which could give rise to no dis
pute as their true intent and mean.
ing, and adopted this mode of ex.
preston: sThat the State Of Georgia,
in the judgment of this Convention,
will and ought to resist, even Gas a
last resort) to disruption of every
tie which binds her to the Union, any
action Of Congress upon the subject
of slavery in the District of Colum-
bia, or in places subject to the juris.
diction of Congress, incompatible
with the safety, the domestic tranquil
lity, the rights, and the honor of the
slaveholding States,' &c.
Now, I ask, what does this change
OF phraseology mean? 1t must
mean something, or why adopt it in
preference to the other, which has
become as familiar as household
words 70 the whole South. Was it
intended to leave a door open for a
new issue on this question? 40
abolish slavery ID d simple idea easii..
lsssisaer erssned action s't.rs .i !.
I'm: issssss
With the safety, tIia dollie srsc 3 s,rrrs
quillity, the rights, and the hc,.7r OF
the slaveholding States is q very
complex proposition, and gives rise at
once to doubt and construction
This action on the part Of Georgia
justifies, | repeat. very grave doubts
as to the course she would pursue if
slavery should be abolished in the
District of Columbia, with the con-
sent of the shareholders, or in any
other way which it might be argued
was not Incompatible with the rights.
honor, safety and tranquility of the
South
Let it never be forgotten that Yir.
ginia, in 1917 and '48, made the
abolition Of the slave trade in the
District Of Columbia measure which
she would resist at every hazard and
to the last extremity But, in
1S49, she abandoned this ground, !,
and fell back upon the abolition Of
the slave trade between the States as
her 'casus belli.' When asking how
this change Of position was justified,
the only reply l have received was
this: sWe found we had taken too
high ground, and we abandoned it
and took another position So I
fear it will be found that in ten years
from this time the emancipation by
Congress of some two or three thou
sand slaves in the District Of Colum.
bia, with the consent of their owners,
involving, as many think, no breach
of the Constitution, but only breach
of faith to q single State, which State
may be the first to excuse it, is too
high ground to justify the secession
Of any member of this Confederacy.
| repeat, therefore, my deliberate
opinion, that slavery will not be abol
ished in the District Of Columbia in
our day and generation, or, ifit is
abolished, it will be done in some way
which will preven. united resistance
ON the part of the South.
The next measure to which T have
referred is the repeal of the fugitive
slave act. It is a matter Of .infn.itc
surprise to me how any close observ.
or of our political affairs can for i
moment suppose that this law viii bc
repealed By the next Congress. or 70.
many years to come. This is the on
ly measure Of The compromise whose
repeal is threatened, Some Of those
measures are, in fact, irrepcalable BY
Congress; they need no further helr
from their friends, but can now take
care Of themselves. But the issue a
repeal is distinctly made on the fngi
tive slave law, and though the effort.
of the Abolitionists may be bold
open, and vigorous, they cannot car
ry a majority nf both honses oS t1os.