Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-09-25

=
he personatcs.
In ctfectng a change in our relations to- GoI-s|
crnnicnt, when the powers adverse to US Sareso
mighty and overwhelming, it would be worse
than weakness, it would bc,sin truth, suicidal,
for the Convention to attempt to secede without
the concurrence and the sympathy of a majority
of the State. 4
My Cooperation friends may be assured, that
the Secession party of South Carolina will never
be guilty of the arrant stupidity Of severing our
connection with the other States, when they are
not sure Of majority of this State. And if they
should retain such a majority beyond question,
mo power beneath tlc sun can bind them to this
rotten Confedcracy. Then, it will be the duty
;ofsevery man, who has heart in his brcust, to
fcomes6p to the battle array, and hcarken TO the
Tar-cry ofhis gallant old State, that has fostered
him by her generous bounty and made him
proud Of hIshativit globe.
For Heavens sake then lsegs'hsar no more
ofsece.sion against the vii Of the majority. No!
such thing is contemplated. y ;aWmSsef a Sc.
ccssionist altogether, and would sanction: no:
such folly. But.when the majority does coun-
sci a separation, as trust it certainly will, Lam
prepared TO embrace death, and see all that
love on earth destroyed by the blighting curse of
civil war, rather than wear the infamous badge
ofnleriority, and, in meak submission, bow down
under any infictons my hateful tyrants may see
fit to impose.
But fellow citizens, in order to ascertain the
wishes Of our people, we must pursue our in-
qu:rcs in a spirit Of great frankncss and candor.
I have read, with establishment, 4 letter purport-
ing to have cmanatcd from distinguished Jurist
oi this State, Judge NITnERs, in whicl, the l,h
article of our Constitution Of 1890 is referred
to as indicating the mode by which we should
proceed to the call Of State Convention. This
ntimaton adroilly, but I'M judiciously thrown out
has been seized upon, by the admirers Of that
gentleman every where, and I have recently
heard in our own district, something called an
Exposition, which, while abounding in various
ornate and graceful expressions of discomfort re.
commends to the cooperation party, that aftcl
the observance Of certain plan Of conduct ,,they
sustain the action of the State, in case that ac
ton is taken by t,ro-thrds Of the citizens thereof
Now the very beginning of this llth article
alvcrtcl to by the learned Judge. prescribes th'
manner of calling Convention of the people, il
these words-"No Convention of the people
shall be called, unless by the concurrence Of two
thirds of both branches of the whole reprcsen
tation." That manner was strictly observed b,
the Legislature in calling your Convention elect
and no conscientious man can deny the fact
You will see that the same formula is not re
quired for the call of Convention, which is re
quisite to amend the Constitution, for the yer.
obvious reason, that the action in relation TO tn
latter is final and conclusive, while in relation t.
the former, it is only initiatory When we AS
the people to assemble together, We are on
paying the highest Difference to their judgment
possible, and convokng them to the rescue g
the State, when the wisdom of the Legislator
! feels inadequate to the task.
A simple majority of the Convention is com
the Convention is Tie iie psop fla m rd thr It'd ida Rt1 FIJI
= theory Of our government, which is based upo
, the supposition that tic majority shall rule Til
f only purpose Of ,rritten Constitutions s to cor
rect the extravaganza of majoritics, by imposin
limitations and restraints upon the exercise
their power
In the whole framework of our government
we have adhered so closely to the principle, tha
the majority shall rule, that it is possible for til
majority to do anything, which in consonanc
with our polity, it is competent for the whol
people to do. a simple steady majority in onl
about two-thirds of the Districts, can cIcarl
amend the Constitution. For when a qucstio
is made majority from each District, can cleo
the whole of the delegates from such Distric
and it might thus, by bare majority in each
the Districts constituting the two-thrds, elect t
the Legislature, the two.thrds necessary t
amend the Constitution, or to perfect any mcu
sure of which dclibcrative body can take cog
nizaucc
can easily conceive how single man of in
tcllgence, in the wild vagarcs OF disease
fancy, may assume the ground, that the act 4
Secession must be performed by two-thrds q
the whole people of the State, but it is neom
prchensiblc to me, how respectable portion a
the corporation party could so easily tc dcluic,
into such belief. But such and worse is, never
thelcss the case. l have lately listened, witt
amazcment, to an open vindication cf the Com
promise, and to an earnest cxllortalirn to ac
quiesence in past aggrcssions. 1t will not b,
long before some of the same party will shou
hosannas to the g glorious Union"
ltmust be our care to provide, that such mis-
guided, or such spirtlcss SONS shall find no sym
pathy in the bosom of their kind mother, whom
they would thus shamelessly degrade, and whose
rights and interests they would aid to trample ir
the dust. COMMON REASON.
FOR THE ADVERTISER.
Mr.. EDITOR Permit ME to ask for the pub
lcation in your paper of the subjoined merited
and just compliment from the Carolinian &
Telegraph: A SUBSCRIBER.
"TnE EDGErIELD ADvERrIsER.-Among the
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