Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-10-10

these advantages to pursue phantom enana-
ting from n di,tempered abstract sentiment.--
Be this as it may, ], for one, am willing to haz-
ard the consequences, if the slave States will
rn US in setting up for ourselves. have no
f.als of tn interference oil any foreign Govern
ment, and no dread of u contest with our neigh
bors.
Amongst ourselves our ght to secede from
| the United States, if the Government shall vlo'
late the conditions contained in the bond OF
our union, is admitted by both ofthe great par
, ties that have unhappily sprung up amongst us,
and first and last by, believe, all the slave.
holding States and some others; and 1t would
.. be unpruftable to discuss It here where we all
agree. The right of the citizen 10 resist lnJus-
lire and oppression at the hands The Govern
ment, is universally conceded, and with that
concession, it is of no consequence by what
term the right is designated. Call It rebellion,
revolution, insurrection-what you Will, 1t Is
the same in its resuts-and Secession but ex-'
presses the same idea-emancpato from op-
preston. Both parties agree, also, that the IN
iures we have suffered, and the dangers with
which we are threatened by the Obvious ten
dency Of the course Of the Federal Government,
and the avowed purposes of the dominant par.
~ in Congress, demands Of u.s. as means OF
self preservation, prompt, decided, and uncon'-
promising resistance. They differ only as to
the necessity of waiting for the Cooperation
OF the other slave States. The party which
is designated by the term Secessionsts, main
tain that, having the right to secede, the Gov
ernment of the United States will not dare, IN
the face Of the world, to oppose us, il we think
proper to exercise it; and III any event, South
Carolina will be able to sustain herself against
al the power she can bring to bear upon u.s.
These positions present the alternative OF
peaceful, bloodless separation, or one OF force:
Let US suppose irst that the United States Did
us 20 in peace; and freed from the trammelS
of the federal compact, we take eur station
among the other nations Of the earth. Ian
we sustain ourselves, surrounded, as we Shall
be. by all the other States, united as one body,
and nnder the control of majority, who, with
the civilized portions of all Europe, are COM
bucd against US, on the very point on which
we differ with the United States! Does his.
tory furnish no examples Of the utter impoten.
cy of small and feeble States to resist the en-
croachment of their more powerful neIghbors!
Is there no warning voice in the suffering cries
Of Poland aud Hungary still ringing in our
ears We, nevertheless, take our position, con-
fident in our own strength and resources. Our
own government must be re.modeled to suit
this new state of things and, without descen-
ding to minuiip, we must have all the para
phernalla of a sovereign, independent govern.
ment. Ministers. or other agents, to represent
,h-o,l Nnvr m
if we would have any; an Army, to protect us
against the petty insults and lawless violence
OF our neighhors, and both ght be necessary
to secure us against the crusades Of the tanat-
les of every portion of the globe, made with a
view to liberate our slaves | will not suppose
our immediate nciyhbors capable Of it, but 1t
is not without the range Of possibilities to con.
lecture, th,t individuals might be found who
would be inclined to strengthen their plantation
forces by occasional drafts from our sable pop.
ulation. There Is no data from which to es-
innate the necessary expenses Of this new or
der of things. but to put it down at live times
the amount Of our present expenditures would,
in my Judgment, fall greatly short Of our actu
al wants. Will our people, can they, bear this
in the (orlu of direct tax Who of Us las
not heard Il buzz Of discomfort run throughout
the State, OH account Of the addition Of 4 tax OF
few cents on each hundred acres Of land or
slave? Can impost duties be relied on TO sup
ply any dciciencyl The most sanguine can
not hope tllrt the United States will allowus 10
import for them, and unless we become Il ma
tion Of swindlers and smugylers, our imports
must he limited to our own necessities, and If
the duties on them is limited to what would be
bearable the amount must fall greatly below
the demands upon our treasury. Men have,
and may ag lin offer up their lives Oil the altar
of patriotism, but they cannot subslst on that
alone Want alone will drive thousands and
tens of thousands of the most wortl y Of onr
citizens to seek 4 refuge in the neighboring
States from these burthens. We say let them
go-thev are unworthy of the blessings of free.
dom. Will that help us2 Will not that i'm.
pose still greater burhens on those Of US who
remain, and drive off another colony, aud then
another! Let US look at all the consequences
before we take another step in the progress Of
reform.
Even this state Of things, gloomy and forebo-
ding as verify believe them to he. is merely
suppositons. By the same rule under which
we claim the right to sccede because the Uni
ted States have violated the stipulation and con-
dlon of the Constitution, the other States, col
lcctivcly or individually. have the same right to
determine whether we have not violated them
on our part; and if we differ, in the construc-
ton of a treaty between independent nations,
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