Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-07-23
AFFAIRS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

The news first received from South Car
DINA after the fourth of July, gave very
unfavourable account of the state of feeling
there in regard to the important matters
which have agitated the country for some
time past. AT various places the orations
delivered and the toasts drank indicated a
state of public sentiment insanely bent on
secession and it seemed that the anniver-
sary of ournational independence, was gen.
orally observed as jubilee to hail the adj
vent of the independent nation of South
Carolina. But now we have something
Notwithstanding which looks like COM
mon sense, and which excites the hope that
after all, possibly majority Of the people
of that chivalrous State are not entirely de-
mented. Ten righteous men in Sodom
would have saved the city from destruction
we rejoice to learn that there are at least
four thousand Union men in S. Carolina--for
that many it is stated attended an anti-se-
cession celebration on the fourth at Green
VILE. Thousands came to Greenville from
all parts of the District and the surrounding
Districts-and as the Greenrille Patriot
says, uttered "a voice from the mountains.
YARDRY MCBEE, Esq, the landgrave ofthe
District, who was 'old enough and near e.
nough to hear and remember the guns at the
battle of Cowpens,' acted as Chairman. AT
ter prayer by Rev. VIM. CApERS, son Of
Bishop CAPERs, the reading of the Fare
well Address of WASHINGTON, the adoption
of the Report and Resolutions, and patri-
otto ode to the mountain men from the
Rev. THOMAS FREAN, an address of two
hours was delivered by General WADDY
THOMPSON, which the Patriot says, was
warmly received by the large audience"
The same paper adds:
"1he ball is in motion, and viii roll on till i,
passes through the length and breadth of the State
Sparanburg will give It a thousand kicks on sale
day in August. York and Chester will nllOw suit.
| The death knell of secession has been rung. The
| people of South Carolina have recovered from the
panic which passed over them last winter. In less
than two years secession will 10 laughed at in This
State"
| Letters were read at the meeting from
Mr.. PRESToN, Mr.. PoINsnTT and others,
and Report and series of Resolutions were
adopted strongly arguing and protesting a
gainst secession. The latter declare that
the members of the State Convention which
has been called, were elected by less than
one-fourth of the voters of the State, and
that should the Convention assemble and
determine to secede, their act will be treat
ed as nullity unless submitted to the peo-
pie for ratification or rejection. They call
for an alteration in the basis of representa-
ton so that the people in the different Sec
tons of the State may be fairly represented ;
and also for the election by the people Of
the Governor and Electors of President and
Vice President of the United States. The
last resolution recommends that an Anti
Secession State Convention be held in Co.
lumbia on the first Monday in December.
Thus it seems that the ''fire-eaters,"
Messrs. RHETT s Co., will not be permit
ted to have their own way. The State is
not yet "wholly given to idolatry there
are four thousand men in one District and
there -abouts who have not "bowed the knee
to Baal." THE people are beginning to ap-
preciate the ridiculous figure they would cut
before the world as sovereign nation =
Without the internal means of subsistence,
they would be at the mercy of other coun-
tries on which they would have to depend
almost literally for the food they eat and the
raiment they wear; and in short time the
gloomy state of affairs described in the fol-
lowing extract from the Report of the Green
vile meeting, would doubtless be realized:
As soon as the State goes out of the Union, eve
nv slave in il, and all their descendants, in all time
to come, will be- fixtures to our soil lfone should
chance be carried over the Savannah river, his own
er will forfeit, under the laws Of the United States,
ten thousand dollars and incur seven years impris
onment, and stand committed until the fine is pad
White persons may leave the State. but slaves can
not Their labor may be- valueless, but here they
must remain. In the course Of time their owners
will run off and leave them, and South Carolina
may become black Stale, second San Domingo,
by the wisdom of secession.