Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1851-05-03
South Carolina.

Clal correspondent from this Office to
South Carolina, and the Southern
States generally, for the purpose of
canvssing public opmion'in ihoselparts
OF the confederacy and reporting the
progress ofthe great secession move
ment In that region, which was orig,
lhally set in motion by the abolition
fanatics of the North, and which, ac,
cording 10 present appearances, is
rapidly approaching a crisis. The
first OF our correspondent S despatch
es has already been given, and the
last two will be found in our columns
to-day. Ii communicates the impor-
tant fact that the first movement in
favor OF secession, or revolution. in
the Southern States, will be made in
the city of Charleston, by a convoca-
ti3n, or convention, of all the States
Rights Associations of South Caro-
lima, which is to be held early in the
month of May next, for the purpose
OF discussing the great question of
secession
The important subject is beginning
to "ttract the attention of the whole
world. Our readers may rest salts
fed that we shall place the earliest
and most reliable intelligence before
them connected with this subject,
having made arrangements TO pro-
cure it by mail and telegraph. We
phall publish in our columns, from
time to time, information Of the exact
position of the public mind of South
Carolina, and the Southern States
generally, as well as of all the steps
that may be taken, one by one, in the
grand national denOuement now i'm
process of development in that sec
ton of the country.
The declarations made by Senator
Butler, of South Carolina, recently,
and those of other public men in that
region, at different times, vary more
or less in detail, but all unite on one
common ground, that of the proprie-
ty and necessity of South Carolina
seeding from the Union, and setting
an independent nationality, without
respect to whether the movement is
countenanced by any other Southern
State or not. In this, all her speak
ers and public men agree, and their
opinions, accoro, lg to all appearan-
ces are entertained by the great mass
OF the people. In this region of the
country, politicians, as a general
thing, scout the idea that South Car
lima intends to carry into effect the
purpose which she has SO often avow-
ed to the world; but in doing so, they
show that they do not know the
character of the people with whom
they are dealing. Neither do they
properly understand the state of af,
fairs at the North, which is urging
South Carolina into secession and
other Southern States into the same
current. They do not comprehend
that a dissolution of the Union would
ruin the Moth, or that the Southern
States, from their vast agricultural
wealth, possess the elements of a
mighty empire within themselves
They do not comprehend that we are
dependent. on the South for our pros
perity-that two-thirds of the com
mercial wealth of the North hangs
upon our union with the Southern
States, as it now exists. The North,
regardless of oil these considerations,
and apparently reckless of results,
persists in a course ofpolicy towards
the South, which, if much longer
continued, will inevitable produce a
dissolution of the Union, and with L
the downfall of the prosperity of the
North. Notwithstanding the hostil-
ity waged against the South, large
portion of the people Of the States,
particularly in Georgia and Virginia,
are still loyal to the constitution, and
are willing, as far as in them lies, to
carry it out 10 the fullest extent. But
we cannot close our eyes to the fact
that an immense majority of the peo-
pie of South Carolina, and large ma
.lorities i'll other Southern States, are
fully determined to unite in seeding
from the Northern States, at some
early day, it the provision of the con-
stitution, relative to the reclamation
OF fugitive slaves, be not carried out,
in all its original strength and vigor,
and according TO the intent with
which it was framed. The proceed
ings and debates of the convention
Of States Rights Associations, about
to be held in Charleston, South Car
DINA, will be probably the most inn
nOrtant that have fakan nIaoo ~, aox,