The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1851-07-16


"Slavery is but question of time. It ia
scarcely possible to conceive that hundred
years hence there will be one slave in the
United States, not to say in the whole con.
tinent Of America. The slave owners sea
the ramparts rising, the trenches opened. .tba
communications established, and the block
AIDE closing around them, that is one day to
reduce them 10 unconditional surrender.
We doubt not for an instant that our chill
dren's children, will see the chains drop in
slaves. The Fugitive Slave bill is onlyA lat
legislative effort against that which 5 fhoss
powerful than legislaturcs-the progss 0fs
human affairs. Every acre added Ia tks
territory Of the Union, every freeboFn eljEH
added to its population, and every iisisasl sSsta
that lands on its shores, is another weight to
the scale of abolition. Then why, except
because they are demented and doomed, do
the slave owners take no steps whatever to
prepare for the great day Of reckoningi
Why do they assume the perpetual stability
of an institution at variance with the whole
tenor and course of modern civilization9
We do not hesitate to advise them to set
their house in order. If it is harder to do
so now than it was seventy years back, in
stead Of being easier, as the great statesman
Of that day hoped and expected. If time
has hitherto aggravated rather than remov-
ed the enormous difficulties, what will be
the case thirty years hence, when perhaps
there must and will be abolition without
either the slave or his master being prepared
for the changea The choice lies between
gradual and sudden abolition, and it is for
the slave States themselves to choose which
of those two they will have-for one they
mustl"
Behold this picture and say if it is truei
If it is, then let me ask you, will delay tear
down these rarnparts, close these trenches,
raise this blockade, and save you from un-
conditional surrender! Ye are men, answer
for yourselves. have thus, Mr.. President,
endeavored to give my views on the pres
ent deeply interesting condition Of our pub
lie affairs / am sensible that I have per-
formed this dutyevery imperfeotly. have
purposely abstaincd from any attempt to
stimulate the counsels Of this assembly, or
the popular mind, by appeals TO pride, 10
passion, or to prejudice, trust l feel too
deemly the heavy responsibility which rests
upon me, to address myself to any other tri-
bunal than the calm judgment of an intelli-
gent people. have endeavored, too, care
fnlly.to avoid the use of anv thing like the
language of elimination or censurc. know
too well that such language only closes the
door to reason, and opens the windows to
passion. Ideprecate from the bottom of my
heart any thing like angry dissensions with
in the State. Our enemies are watching our
councils, and will rejoice at our divisions
Let lis give them no such Triumph
Let US tell them, once and forever, that
though we differ we will never divide
For one, I do not regret the introduction
Of this discussion. II has been. said that
your Convention was elected before the ques-
ton Of secession was discussed. H this be
so, then let the argument be heard before
the judgment is pronounced. Free Discus
sion never bindercd any cause. On so grave
an issue as that which is now presented to
the people Of South Carolina, there cannot
be too great deIberation as there should be
great unanimity: In tfe hour Of her trial.
the State will needall her sons. Letus. req.
son together with fraternal CONFIDENCE and
respect, remembering that whilst we differ
as to the means, we all seek a common end.
ga government established on the bars,
Of justice, liberty nnd equal right"