The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-09-16

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specimen Of the forcing process: and
its result, now in course of exhibition
here at home.
When the Legislature Of this State
last assembled, the attention of the
people as mass, had been directed
alone to the combination among the
Southern States aimed at, through
the agency Of q Convention at Nash
vile. The hope entertained from
that movement was. 1st, That Con-
sress, then engaged upon the terrific
rial questions, might be restrained
from a threatened spoliation and in
suit to the South, and an infringe.
ment upon our rights: or Cd, failing
that, some concerted measure, look.
ing to redress and protection, might
be commended to the several States
aggrievcd. The scheme Of uncon.
certcd disunion by South Carolina
alone, had been entered into but few
heads, though it had taken possession
Of some. When the Convention bill
was passed, it was assumed, that the
temper Of the people was up. or could
be raised, to this line of exalted in
tensity; not from any evidence, | ap-
prchcnd, given at the polls in Octo-
Der, 1850, but probably, from the
testimony of newspapers and rcsolu-
tons Of Southern Rights Associations.
The unsatisfactory lcthargy thought
to be discovered i'll the Nashville Com
vention-thc disappointment of cx-
pcctatlon from Georgia the incipi-
mcnt movements in Mississippi, and,
not least, the vehement rhetoric Of
debate, aggravated by difference
between the two houses, in the first
instancc-detcr!nined a majority Of
the Legislature to adopt a singular
measure, which, at one and the same
time, provided for representation Of
this State in Southern Congress,
which was courtcd for concerted CO.
operation, and for Convention to
consider of tie recommendations of
such q Congress, ana alsc-s'for tie
further purpose OF taking into ccnsil.
Grafton the grncra' wc!J,rc Of this
State, i'll view Of her relations to Tie
laws and government Of the United
States, and Mcrc"pon to take cure
Mat tie COMMUNICABLE Of .SouM
Carolina shuW suffer no Retyilucnt."
1t was further provided, that if not
called together, by the Governor,
prior to the next session, in consc-
quencc of the action Of Southern
Congress, "this General Assembly
shall, by majority Of votes, fix the
time for the meeting of tho said Con.
vention.
Now We hear it affirmed, that the
State is pledged to separate secession
through the Convention. Where is
the evidence Have a majority Of
the members Of that body made the
pledge? | am not aware Of it, nol
do believe it. Some Of the wisest
among them have, | know, made no
pledges at all. Whoever did make
any was, i'll my opinion, not wise in
that act-and this (very probably)
is his own opinion now. Some, as
learn, thought Gas matter of individ-
ual sentiment at the time) that the
State ought to take final action, but
reserved a free vote upon the course
of policy: Some may have entered
the shamblcs. If so, l ask with
what propriety? Each political di-
vision Of the State agreed, by the
act calling the Convention, with eve.
ry other, that it would send delegates
to Convention to do what? TO
vote the State out of all conncxion
with every other State in the Con
federacy? BY no means; but to con
slider with their compccrs sent from
other districts, the general welfare
OF this State, in view of federal re-
lations, and 'to take care that the
Commonwealth of South Carolina
shall suffer no detriment.' Was this
contract faithfully executed by that
political body which pledged its dele.
gates to vote only for separate scccs-
sion? But no matter what pledges
were executed or givcn-I again in
quire, what proportion Of the voters
of this State have endorsed them?
Nobod y will deny that meagrc mi.
nority only voted at the polls, which,
IN many cases, was itself much divi-
dcd. Did those who remained at
home, acquicsoc in the doctrine of
separate secession Why, it is by
no means clear that those who carri.
ed the election were in favor of that
measure, or are now. a process Of
developcmcnt is now going on which
will manifest, think, that MAORI.
ty OF this State are not in the posi-.
ton assigned to them by writer's and
orators on secession-.that in fact they
arc neither for separate, issolated in.
dependence, nor for abandoning the