The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-10

4. Rssokst, That Ne President n ibis con-
vension apP6int sCommlttss Of = " PsePsre an
Address "a ths Southern Rights Associations
Of The other Stskss, inviting them to neet " In
A.
Sr. HELENA REsoLurIos---l. Rssslved, That |
10 the opinion Of this convention. the institutions
Of South Csrolina are no longer safe under the
nor in the Union.
2. That the concert OF the Southern States, |
in any systematic and decisive resistance to the
power THE federal government,has been hither-
to sought In vain.
8. That the only effective call upon the South,
must be by the appeal ofa practical issue.
4. That the Committee to whom these res0-
lutions are referred, be instructed, in the name
Of the convention, TO memorable the legislature
Of the State, to convene the State convention ut
the earliest period practicable, after the lat Of
Feb, 1852, for tho purpose of declaring South
Carolina All independent State.
The following committee was appointed to
supcrintend tho arrangements for the future
meetings Of tbs convention: A. G. White. J. C.
Walker, w. Banding, J. F. Poppenheim, X.
w. Hare, A. N. Manigault, J. NJ. Caldwell, w.
4. Martin, &. N. Reynolds.
On motion of Col. Maxf;y Gregg, at II N. the
took recesa until 4 Pm.
On re-assembling, the president announced
that the committee Of arrangements had ap-
pointed Mr.. A. w. LAYTON, messenger, who was
at the servicexof the embers of the convention,
and that his honor ID mayor, had ordered two
doorkeepers 10 atk nd at the hall during their
deliberations. Mr.. G. A. Trenholm announced
that he had receive letter from Hon. Langdon
Cheves which, on motion, was read BY him,
IL - To ko o1 Nhn
letter is as follows:
PLAx1ArIos, (Ogeechee,) LIST May, 1851.
My Dear SIR | have been appointed dele
gate Of the Southern Rights Association OF st.
Philips and St. Michaels, and also Of the In
dian Land Asso chiffon, Of York District, to the
convention to lie held in your city on Monday
next; and it WIS my wish and intention to have
attended the convention in obedience TO these
calls, but can not do 80 without neglecting pri-
vate busin ess of my own of Importance, which
admits Of no delay, and which cannot be well
accomplish led without my personal attention
This bust ness, however pressing and important
should have been superseded by the public call,
il could have believed that my attendance at
the convention could be of any material import
ance, b at am we'll satisfied that it could not
My &c aeral views of the grievances Of the South,
and Of the subversion of the Constitution of the
Unite d States, are fully known to the public, and
will weigh for what they are worth, as effect
ual' " as If were again to declare them. The
OBJ ,ect of the convention, understand to be, to
d. clare whether, in the opinion of the conven-
t Ion South Carolina ought to secede from the
Onion alone, and without the concurrent action
of any of the other Southern States. My Opin-
| ion on the propriety of the separate action Of
one Southern State, and particularly of South
Carolina, has been long known. There is no
| man in the country who feels more sensibly
| than do, the danger, the dishonor, the infamy
of the condition of the Sonth
No man is more entirely convinced of the jus
tice, the constitutional right, and the political
expedicncy of the withdrawal of the Southern
States from the Union by which they are en-
thralled, and which cannot fail, while it subsists
to bring on them further and future danger, OPP
preston and infamy | am satisfied that history
furnishes no example of such disputable sub
omission as that which they now exhibit. The
philosophy Of liberty is jealousy. The proper
action of patriotism is the earliest possibleresi
-tence to the slightest encroachment on the pub.
lie rights The lovers of liberty snuff the tainted
breeze of tyranny in the distant gale, and do not
wait for the overwhelming power Of the storm.
But we tamely endure the full blast Of the in
juries and insults 80 profusely poured upon us.
We hug our chains with something approaching
to fondness, and submit to be governed by our
bitter enemies-and yet it is only necessary to
will it, TO rend those chains and to be redeemed,
regenerated, and disenthralled As citizen of
the South, ! feel Inundated into the very dust.
Yet am not of opinion, that South Carolina
should secede alone. Nor do think thus on
account Of the dangers it may provoke, or the
sacrifices it may require. No dangers and no
sacrifices can be too great in such cause. But
one State of the South cannot stand alone in
the midst of her sister States. These States
form one family in interest, in blood, in feeling,
and in endearing, social and historical relation,
and recollections, and such ties ought not to be
broken but by dire necessity. South Carolina,
know, has been grossly slnndcred and vilifed
for what no dspassionate man can say is rash
or unwse. She has done no more than proclaim
the Southern wrongs, and who can deny them,
! and to express desire to unite with her sister
States in resisting them. She will be wrong,
| however, in my poor opinion, If she separa tes
| alone from them in her measures OF resistance.
But it may be said they have not proposed to
do what the honor and interest Of all require to
| be done to redeem the character and to sustain
the rights of the South 1t is most true and
deeply to be lamented, but we are but one men,
| Der Of this large family, and have no right to
dictate authoritatively, to the other members Of
| the family. We must wait upon them and in
treat them to move. We should use no Ian
guage of irritation We must look with forbear-
ance on their hardness
"Be to their faults little blind,
Be to their virtues very kind,
And put paddock on their mind" as to the past.
| The people of four Southern sisters are brave
people, whose fathers tonight for liberty, who
themselves were born and nurtured in the en-
joyment Of it, and who, therefore, know the
value of it. 1t cannot be believed that such a
people will long consent to be governed other
wise than by government in which they shall
enjoy equal rights, equal power and equal hon.
ors. They have been deceived and betrayed.
They must and will hearken to other counsel
Tors than those to whom they have hitherto list
ened. TheSouth must and will rouse from its
slumbers and mainly rely upon the Democracy
Of the country. The Democratic party once al
ready, under the guidance Of Jefferson in 1898,
saved the South from the ambition and tolls of