The southern press., 1851-09-03

we CLAIM The right, az ui0 our iatHefH, u
IS sever the bands which bind TO Union
v which uses its powers bsu 10 enslaoe and oppres
I, US aud by the sovereign act of secession to 70
sumo our separate and Independent existence
Q iiis as remedy.
> Ii has its source in the inherent right of soy
/ ereignty. and none but fyTants and slapes vii
call the right in question. The exercise of thi,
right is not an act of war. In exercising il w,
!, make no war, and pronounce no declaration o
! war. We claim only the sovereign privilege IL
separate IN peace from connection which is nt
longer safe to continue, and the tyranny of al
unscrupuous and unprincipled government hal
forced upon us the necessity of pronouncng il
Z solmn form, a neao Declaration If independents,
as measure Of SELF preservation
Will this remedy be peaceable ? If not il
will be no fault Of ours. To do our duty
t should be our nnalterable purpose, and ask
not TO know where that duty may lead me.
DO we fear to do our duiyl Shall we quail
before the tyrant's irown? If we dJ--the spirit
of liberty is no longer in our hearts, and we can
sink no lower than we alteady.
Ifby the act of secession we aesume our sep
arate and indep ndcnt existence, and coercion
be successfully attempt ted-when the State falls
it will drag down the republic with it. and a
despotism the most unmiligated will be estab-
lshed upon its ruins. The issue presented in
wolves therefore not only the existence of Afri-
can slavery, but the existence of The republic
also. Ii the republic be thus coven down by
the sword, the liberty of the people will fall with
1.-THE experiment ofa written Constitution will
have faed--and we must, when that time ar
rives, enter upon an experiment hitherto untred
in our history, of consolidated union, without a
constitution, even in form, to limit its powers
to oppress and destroy, and the fate of Russia
must be ours.
Our sister Southern States are not get rea ly
for this state Of fthings-Here is our guarantee oj
cooperation lo.eneUer zoe make practical issue
They must cooperate or cease to be repub-
licans. They must cooperate to form a neW
republic out Of The ruins of The old one.
i The separate eristence Of South Carolina is a
phantom Of The brain.
If South Carolina shall make the practical
issue of separate secession, the republic falls
with the certainty of fate, and two Unions will
be formed out of the old one Northern and a
Southern Union. The North know this fully
well, and hence the policy they pursue, of blus-
ter and bravadc, to avert a catastrophe which
would cover their land with pauperism, decay
and ruin
] This is the plain issue now presented. Hence
the agonisng efforts, the trembling anxiety to
prevent the action of South Carolina. The
tyrant is more frightened than we are. To d.
vide the State, and thereby to defeat action is
the deep laid policy of the government minions
United and the practical issue made, the victory
we will gain for constitutional freedom will be
the most memorable in the worlds history.
1t is time the true character of the govern
ment was brought to practical test, and the
great question of constitutional freedom settled
We demand new guarantees, a new recognition
of Magma Charta, and zoe must hare them. The
government of the despotic minority has been
masked long enough. 1t is time the mask was
taken off, and its fraud and imposture exposed
to the broad light of day. We have endured
wrongs enough and submitted to rapine, in
Justice, ard plunder long enough lfmy country
is free, want to know it, If we are slaves, and
ready to wear our chains, let us not be dupes
and hypocrtes also. As individual am
r,ady for the issue. In my judgment we should
make the great issue upon the questions now
before the country. | reprobate the idea Of
aodifing for neU dggressions and neio issues
We should meet the now before us, with
the courage and fortitude of men determined ID
be free.
The future is less auspcious than 'he present
and delay may be fatal. For the sake of union
AT HOME, would pause reasonable time, that
success may be more sure, and when sufficient
ly united among ourselves, | am in favor of
meeting the question by the separate Siare ac-
tion of South Carolina.
If we fail to obtain cooperation before we
act, we will hardly fail to obtain it afterwards
An act of courage and devotion to the priuci
plies of civil liberty, like this Is worthy Of the
cause of the State.
There is little glory in an easy victory. ! feai
not the consequences. am ready to meet
Hba 20 4 10, -
seek not to pc Cnetrate the veil which hides tho
future from my eyes. am aware that many
patriotic citizens do not concur in the wisdom o
this policy. While admitting the wrongs W,
suffer, and the perils which threaten us, they
adopt the policy of waiting an Indefinite tim,
for the cooperation of our sister States They
do not appear to be making any active efforts tc
obtain the co cooperation desired. Their policy
on the contrary, has direct tendency to divide
the State into two great parties, and if this enc
be accomplished, all ehectual action will be pre-
: vented.
In this way, and without intending II perhaps
the conrse now pursued by what are called tht
co operationists, may in the end drag down the
State to the footstool of federal power had
rather this heavy responsibility should rest on
them than myself This is precisely uhat tht
4 federal mo1ortty desires. And to prevent the ac.
ton of the State, is the most eflectual aid that
, can be given to the federal authority.
,, In this way Georgia fell--and who will pre-
diet the day of her resurrection? This dsas
trous end once accomplished, the compromise
measures of 1850 will have achieved lasting
triumph over the South; and the government
will reign supreme and absolute ooer he ruins Of
republican liberty.
] am persuaded that as soon az the gulf be-
fore them is disclosed to their view, the true re-
sistance men Of the State will cordially unite
with the secessionists, leaving behind them but
fragment Of their present associates, whom
perhaps 1t would be no easy matter to convince
that the State should resist federal tyranny foi
any wrong perpetrated upon the liber les of the
! people. The tendency of things seems to be
to this vital result
Our duty ia plain. We have uufurled the flag
of resistance in the cause of constitutional free
dom; and we should stand under its folds unli
every right dear to freemen is secured
, While in Difference to the opinions Of thos,
!, who are not yet upon the platform upon whcl
= we stand, we pause for the hoped for co-opera
, ton. and for that union amongst ourselves s,
n. i.