Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-02-17
BISHOP CAPERs OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

From the Baltimore American.
WORDS OF TRUTH AND SoBERNEss.-We find
in the Charleston papers bret address from Bah-
op CApERs, of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
to his fellow citizens of South Carolina. With a
modest and graceful apology for expressing pub
lcly any opinions on matters of State policy, in
which he might seem to be departing from the du-
ties ofhs cangas minister ofreligion, he yet re-
members that ministers are citizens, and that it
may be expedent once in life time of three score
years and more for minister to assert his cti~
zenship, and commune freely with the public on
the state of public affairs. 81 am citizen,' says
the Bishop; ga son ola citizen; born on the soil
of South Carolina not long after it had been won,
in part, by the sword of my father" He then
proceeds to treat of the subject in hand in the fol-
lowing terse, vigorous and most sensible language:
After an absence of about five months, on my sacred
duties in Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana Alabama,
and Georgia, | cannot express how painfully it has
shocked 10 be told, on my return home, that the
great State now on foot look solely to seces
sion from the United States by this State aloue that the
Convention shortly to be held is in order to this and
that the only question TO be opon there is of iime
whether secede at once, or await the issue of the
Southern Congress and then secede.
To secede at once, or at a future time, alone must
be to secede from the other Southern States no less
than from the Northern. 1t must be putting Of the
other Southern States in taulta sort of branding them
as deficient in knowledge, or courage, patriotism,
all these together They involved in all respects,
are touching the injustice of the late acts OF Con-
gress. We may not hold ourselves wiser nor better
than they are, but as equals only and they are many,
while we are comparatively few. And what, in such
circumstances will be the probable Judgment OF man.
kind, respecting our action, should we secede2
If may place any reliance on what has come under
my observation during long journey through FIVE Of
the principal Southern States, it is not probable that
Southern Congress- representing the Southern people
can be had at all; nor if it could be had that it would
do much if anything, more than the Georgia Conven
lion did AS to secession, have no doubt that three
fourihs of the people would oppose it at the present
time. The ofthis opposition, have understood
be- that they do not consider the act OF Congress TO
be violation OF the Constitution, and, in their opinion
nothing less should justify secession.
ii understand it to be the opinion OF our people OF
South Carolina, that Congress has violated the Con-
stution Al most then, it is a mooted point and not
settled fact; we entertaining ons view of it, while
majority Of the wise and vruous OF other States,
greatly outnumbeIilr us, hold the opposite. Do we
owe them nothing is il not even due to our own sell.
respect to review the matter? Surely, shou know
that we are right beyond dispute, before should pro-
coed to final act of the most fearful import
And ought we not to consider consequences Pa
rosm demands not OF US to run madly on to our coun-
rys rnn and secess on by State alone, must prove
runous What though no hostile army might invade
our SOIL the United States must and will oppose u.s.
Charleston will be shut from the rest OF the world
her commerce perish her merchants leave her in des
pair: while from her very suburbs our Rice and Cotton
shall be carried to Savannah and Augusta for market
Even now the rivalry oil Savannah is not to be con,
emned but let our State secede from the Union, and
Charleston must become desolation.
Nor will the blight fall on Charleston only, but on
all the State while taxes increased seven fold, and
the heat of the present agitation cooog off, our very
leaders il they should prove too proud to be found
knocking at the door ofhe Union for admission, sha
Join in the many thousands ofour povery-steken peo-
pie in their flight from their ruined homes to more la
yored parts Can patriotism demand the sacrificed
Patriotism demand the sacrifice OF the State No,
never r.
Let us then, feow.citzens review our ground, 1t
Convention must have, lett not be Convention
OF bows and hslf-msde men, but Of the wise and sober
minded There is no battle TO be fought for glory, by
secession but fearful struggle with poverty and high
great ard sore humiliation. And may God grant US
ae!iyeTanee,