The southern press., 1851-07-08
SUBSTANCE OF THE
Remarks Of Hem. william Colceek,

ell kc@oYkn 81 uons Wlit8m V0sCScA,
! Delivered before Ms Convention ef Soufhsr'
, RiQhis Associations, assembled IN me Mtirfdr!
Hall, Charleston, s. g. May 7, 1881
coScLUDED
Mr. President, sometimes fear that beth th'
right of secession and the Importance OF th'
G measures when adopteda re underrated. it
:, nv mind this right is Of peculiar and incalcula
ble value TO every member OF a sectional mi
. norty of oonfederated States To US, who
are, as our senior Senator says, "proscrlbed
political communities" it is the last anchor O
hope--the last shield Of our defence. Sectional
. majorties need 10 such protection. They can
always take care OF themselves, and hence they
seldom seek or permit amendments to consti-
tutions, for they can always take more by
usurpation than they can obtain by amendment
In my Judgment secession will never be resorted
to except in defence of the institution Of slavery
i All other subjects of difference may be adjusted
without appealing to this remedy If this
government, the creature Of the States, formed
chief to take care of our external relations,
can deny this right, aud by the mere power OF
its arm hold "a sovereign State Of this Union,
| like victim to the stake, then the sooner we
know it, the better. II is surely high time, at
the end of seventy years, to know the form of
government under which we are living Let
no one suppose that the secession of South
Carolina can be looked upon with indifference
anywhere. Politicians and venal presses may
denounce and deride it, but it will stand forth
before the world as most impressive event.
The great popular heart Of the South will be
moved to its inmost recesses, stripped Of all the
DISCUSSES with which false issues may sur
round it the naked fact will be presented to the
people that South Carolina has made her choice
between slavery and the Union! That, nur-
tured in the doctrines of Virginia, stimulated
by the doctrines Of Georgia, encouraged by the
example of Mississippi, and sustained by the
love Of Alabama she has planted herself in the
pathway Of the Abolitionists, and resolved to
defend her institutions, at every hazard and to
the last extremity" A spectacle like this, by
every law and instinct Of our nature, must
command the sympathy and respect of ever free
people. Our sister States mny say that we are
rash, that we are preciptate; but, If they them
selves have fixed limit to their forbearance,
can they say that we are without justification,
| or that our cause is unworthy of success! A
new issue will be presented 1t must be met
and decided right as dear to them as to us,
is at stake. It will be the first struggle in that
conflict which, all admit, must sooner or later
take place between abolition and slavery. The
manner in which, the contest is begun, whether
by too hasty movement On the right, the
centre or the left, will soon be forgotten, and
all hearts will be turned to the great issues
involved. Yes sir, be assured that the secession
Of single State Of this Union will bring up
for judgment the mightiest questions of a
modern age. Statesmen, sir, not venal polit
cans, not hireling presses tpensoned libellers,
but statesmen will find materials for the ex-
ercise of their highest ntelligence-their pro-
foundest wisdom.
But, if am still told by our friends that they
cannot concur in these views--that they cannot
believe in the sympathy of the Southern States,
then submit that my arguments against coop
Grafton before secession are as potent as theirs
against cooperation afterwards, and that if nei-
thcr is to DO obtained, and South Carolina can
not maintain her separate existence as they also
contend, then submission, hopeless, helpless, alb
ject submission is the doom of the South.
But. again, it is asked why should South Caro-
lima be further in advance than the other Statee.
This is attributable to several causes. ltmust
be remembered that from our earliest history,
South Carolina has been one Of the strongest
| pro-slavery States in the Union. The history
of the Congress of the confederation, and of
| the convention which formed our present Con-
stitution, affords abundant proof of this fact
| And this is one cause of the peculiar hatred al
ways exhibited towards her by the Abolitohsts,
and why they would rather see slavery crushed
| through her than any other State.
Again She has larger slave population in
proportion to her white than any other State.
But the chief cause for this state Of forwardness
on the part of South Carolina is the entire alb
sence of party division within her borders. This
| gives her an advantage over her sister States,
and is not set up as title to superior merit.
| Not at ALL Every one knows how party divi-
sions and party contests color and control all
questions. In our sister States the people have
| been drawn away from the calm and unbiased
consideration of great federal questions, and
have been engaged in eager strife for party as
cendancy. But with us there has always been a
unity Of sentiment" which has emphatcally
constituted us one people" Hence we have
been able to look at these great questions
through clearer and more correct medium, and
in this way the popular mind has been sooner
informed and sooner set in motion. But South
| Carolina has manifested no disposition to aspire
to the leadership of the South. Let the records
of her legislation for the past fifteen years be
searched, and it will be found that she has in
variably preferred to give the lead to others
Good taste, as well as sound policy, required this
fciently far in the van to forbid her voluntarily
assuming that position again, and acc rdingly
she has ever exercised all proper Difference and
respect towards her sister States, and is even
now doing so, by inviting them to meet her in
Southern Congress.
| The truth is. that South Carolina is less re-
sponsible for the present agitation than almost
any othN Southern State. Virginia, Georgia,
Mississippi, and Alabama were certainly in ad-
vance of her. II then she now appears to be
in advance of others, it is the result of causes
for which she is not responsible. But freely
admit, that if she retres from her present posi-
ton, she should always, in future, preserve the
dignity Of silence. She must now act or " for
ever after hold her peace"
Again, il is said, that the cause of disunion is
making progress, and we ought to be satisfied
with its present advance and wait for further de-
velopmeuts--that a few years ago there was no
disunion party in South Carolina, whilst now
| there il scarcelv anv other To this I rcplv