Columbus Democrat., 1851-03-15

This document has attracted much attention
in he South. The writes Is native Of SoutA
Carolina large slaveholdee--one 9 sAs four
Bishops Ol the Methods. Episcopal Chureh,
SOslh. such letter, from such man, must
have It's Influence.
70 ty Fsllae, caisens Of S. Caroliaas
lake tho liberty Of addressing you, through
The newspapers, on subject Of a different char.
acssr from what has hitherto employed me; aad
I do 50 The more readily as my life guarantees my
sincerity, and, on your pars, personal good wills
4 Its lhe first time that have ever telt i my
duty to express publicly an opinion on aHy mat
ter Of State policy. Once, iadsee, during the
eEIreme excitement which prevailed in Charles.
lAou, on the subject Of nulligng law of Con.
the instance Of some venerable citizens, to con.
slider whether there was any Thing which we
might possibly do, IN our sacred character, 10
promote peace. But i resulted IN nothing. =
We fund nothing IN our power, but cur prayers
for The people. Ministers II religion have very
Slittseto do,at any lime, with matters of State,
more than pray for Gods guidance and bless,
ing ou he people. Nevertheless, ministers are
tnen --afe citiaeuss and il may be expected
once ii a life time Of three score years and more,
for administer 10 appear Ia his character as a
4 lcxen. and not as q minister. Suffer me then,
4 4orlhis one time, 10 asser, my citizenship, aAd
calnmune with you freely On The state Of public
asfairs. lam citizen a son Of citizen \
born on tie soil of South Carona, hot long az
Ter il bad been won, ID part, BY the sword otmy
father.
Afer an absence af ahoa; fise months, on my
J sacred duties in Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisi
! ana, Alabama aud Georgia, cannot express
! how painfully il has shocked me 10 be told on
| my return home, thai the great State measures
{ now on foot, look solely 90 secession from the
! United States. BY This State alone lhatthe con.
venton shortly 70 be held is il order TO do This
and that the only question 70 be open there II
! one of time; whether 10 secede At once, or
await the issue II lhe Southern Congress, and
then secede
To secede at once, or at future time, alone,
must be 10 sccede from the other Southern States
. no less than from the Norlhern. Il mast be a
putting af The other Southern States in laull--a
SORT Of branding them as deficient in knowledge,
az courage, or patriotism, or all these together
They are Involved ia all respects as we are
touching The injustice Of the late acts Of Con-
] gfsss. Ne,may rta held ourselves wiser nor
/ better than they ase, hrt as equals only and
4 lhey are many, while @c are comparatively few
Aud what III such circumstances, will 20 the
I probable Judgment ol mankind respecting our
! aciiOn, should wc srcede
q II Iinay place any rslianca on what has
& come lnlier nay observation, during any long
4 iouineY fhroughfise uf the principal Sos'ihefn
i States, II Il not probable shata Southern Cons
4 press, sepFasenilng the SMuhern people. can bs
b had 1t ail nor. II IA should be had. hal iiWCud
= do lnach. If anything, more than the Georgia
Convention dld. AS 10 secession, | haxe nd
I ,pubt tIiat three fprths of The people would op
\ \ pose IL Il te present sims. The reason 0f this
I ] apposilion, have understood ID be, that they
Il dpnol consider The acts of Congress y hs Z
. violation oi Tie constitution, and In their opiA.
q ion nothing less should justify secession. up.
da lsiaiia tito be tie opinion of our people b
South Carolina, tiat Congress has violated he
consultation. Almost, then, itis mooied rcint
md not assetlrd aci; We entertaining one slew
Iof Il. wiiile majority of the wise and yirluoal
i ri other States, greatly 0,isnumbeEng us, llple
Y the opposile Do wc owe them nothing isi
I moi exess Que solnur own sellfespect 10 FegieN
u u The snaiter 6ugelywe should knoss that w
4 are right, heyond dispute, before We should pro
{. ceed to.a final act the most Iea,iil import.
= And ougbs we mol ic consider consequences
Y Patriotism damand6 not pf Us 70 run rnadly on 4
Z 5as c.,lsisf stiis; ana secession BIZ our State
g ,lipl,e ss,,tel arore ftiiileus What though N