Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-05-16
Ietter fro,l Ron. Lane.lon chsves.

ne IOlI0WlnS HUle lettef
and venerable statesman and friend of the South,
Hon LANGDoN CHEvEs, of South Carolina, was read
by Mr. TRENHOLM, on the 9th inst, in the Charles
ton Southern Rights Convention It speaks for it
self, and should be carefully studied
PLANTATION, (Ogeechee,) 1st May, 1851.
My Dear SRI have been appointed Delegate
of the Southern Rights Association of St Philip S
and ST. Michaes, and also of the Indian Land Asso-
ciation of York District to the Convention to be held
in your city on Monday next; and it my wish
and intention to have attended the Convention in
obedience to these calls, but cannot do without
neglecting private business of my own of Importance
which admit of no delay and which cannot be well
accomplished without my personal attention. This
business however pressing and important, should
have been superseded by the public call if could
have believed that my attendance at the Convention
satisfied that it could not My general views of the
grievances of the South and of the subverson of the
Constitution of the United States fully known to
the public, and will weigh for what they worth,
as efectualy as if | were again to declare them
The object of the Convention understand to be- to
decide whether, in the opinion of the Convention,
South Carolina ought to secede from the Union a.
lone and without the action of any of the
other Southern States. My opinion the propriety
of the separate action of one Southern State, and
particularly of South Carolina has been long known
There is man In the country who feels sem
sibly than do the danger, the dishonor the nfamy
of the condition of the South. No man is more en-
tirely convinced of the justice, the Constitutional
right and the political expediency of the withdraw
al of the Southern States from the Union by which
they are enthraled, and which cannot fail while it
subssts, to bring on them further and future dan
ger, oppression, and infamy. am satisfied that his
tory furnishes example of such disputable SUBJ
mission as that which they now exhibit. The phi
losophy OF liberty is jealousy. The proper action of
patriotism is the earliest possible resistance to the
slightest encroachment on the public rights. The
lovers of liberty snuff the tainted breeze Of tyranny
in the distant gale, and do not wait for the over
whelming power of the storm. But we tamely en-
dure the full blast of the injuries and insults so
fusely poured upon We hug our chains with
something approaching to fondness, and submit to
be governed by our bitter enemiesand yet it is
ly necessary to will it, to rend those chains and to
be redeemed regenerated, and disenthraled !" 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, the sacrifices it
may require No dangers and no sacrifices can be
too great in such But State of the
South cannot stand alone in the midst of her sister
States. These States form family in interest," in
blood, in feeling, and in endearng, social and hsto-
rcal relations and recOections and such ties ought
not to be broken but by dire necessity South Caro-
lima, know, has been grossly slandered and llifed
for what dispassionate man say is rash I'M
wise. She has done more than proclaim the
| Southern wrongs and who deny them, and to
express desire to unite with her sister States in re-
sisting them. She will be wrong, however, in my
poor opinion if she separates 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 mem
Der of this large family and have gh to dictate
authortatlvely to the other members of the family
We must wait upon them and entreat them to move
We should use no Ian guage of irritation. We must
look with forbearance on their hardness
'sBe to their faults little blind,
Be to their virtues very kind,
/ And put paddock their mind as to the past.
| The people of our Southern sisters are brave
people, whose fathers fought for liberty, who them
selves were born and nurtured in the enjoyment Of
it, and who therefore, know the value oft. 1t
not be believed that such people will long consent
to be governed otherwise than by Government in
which they shall enjoy equal rights, equal power
and equal honors. They have been deceived and
betrayed. They must and will hearken to Other
counsellors than those to whom they have hitherto
listened. The South must and will rouse from it.
slumbers and mainly rely upon the Democracy o.
the country. The Democratic party once already
under the guidance of Jefferson in 1913, saved the
South from the ambition and tolls of Federalism
We now contend against the people, but with
these differences The leading Federalists were
then high, honorable, able men, who were ambitious
to govern you, but whose ambition noble, anC
therefore a crime though dangerous to The
true principles OF our Union. 1neSe men nave gone
down to the grave, have been prescribed and dis
carded by their unworthy associates men with more
than their ambition but of their virtues or tai
ents. The object of the old Federalists strong
but honest Government. That of their successors il
an anarchical tyranny regardless of the provisions
of the constitution for the security of Southern rights
and animated by the principles Of abolition and the
frenzy of fanaticism.
Let the Democratic party, then, which rallied I'M
der the guidance and foresight of Jefferson and sa
we'd the South, again put forth its strength 1t EN-
braces the great power of the Southern States Ever
the Wings of the South are Democrats though in
false position in which accident has placed them
and freed of that they will appear under their OLE
flag. The Wing party is no longer that of which
they members. 1t party founded on th
details of the politics of the day, the comparative
" small measures of the moment, and upon the can
didates for Federal Offices. The present moment i
one of life death to the South, and that party
not contendng for these old objects, but to con
quer the South and abolish her most important ant
valuable institutions. If there are Wings at tn
South who will still adhere to them they are few
and can be spared. We shall be strong enough
true to ourselves without them. 1t is only necessa
ry that the Democratic party act vigorously zeal
ously, and perseveringly and the principles of tn
South will be triumphant If we have souls in on
bosoms can it be otherwise ?
The consummation so devoutly wished may not b
accomplished in day year, but let the party
the South persevere and the result is inevitable.
This will be true of Virginia and Georgia, we'll a
of other States Let one believe that the recen
acts of these States truly express the will and deter
mination of the people of these States. They viii
= take new COUNSEL and finally be governed by Mei
f old principles Let the question be distinctly put,