The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-10-07
T'ts the People Of the A.T Com
.;t.s- ETCssiOilaB District.

;: 10 the People of the 1fT Com
- ETcssionaB District.
Fellow. .Ci,izcns: Having b"en in.
;. G,rmed thu. lherc is some uncertainty
.xisliRy, as 10 the opinions entertain
.nn. the question Of tic right Of a State to
sseeede from the Union, il becomes me,
,ff,is one Of the nominees Of the Co.opcru.
ss,,on party, 10 place before The pu,lic in
~ tangible shape, nn exposition Of my
s sentiments on thu. subject. In June
n Inst, Ishad tho honor 10 place before nv
!: constituents marlborough, circulur,
in which that doctrine wns no, only re-.
cognized, bu, was assumed us prevail.
ing oil through the Southern country.
The denial of.such right, at once
\ ,robs every State Of its sovereignty, and
Clements them almost ndissolubly to a
grand consolidated government, the "
ranny of which could only be resisted
by a revolution. The Union, is one Of
sovereign States, rcseryiug all powers
no. expressly granted away, or ncccs-
sarily in those that were grantcd-and,
of course, reserving the righ 10 with
draw Whenever circumstances, in the
Judgment of any one State render thu,
measure cxpedieDt.
This, | imagine, will be explicit
enough on that point. ] do not under.
stand ,ha, there is any considerable diff:
Terencc Of opinion amongst us, as to the
right to secede, but the main difference
arises as 10 its exercise under eriSiing
circumstances. am amongst those
who believe that such stop would in.
lure no one Immediately. bu, ourselves,
]. and utterly ruin a cause that is common
10 all the Southern States, and in the
defence Of which they ought to be con.
suited. 7 -.
+3si'hose WHO have watched the pro-
\ ses sS s2yi.I ave lis-
seoye 4. "a ..,a 10 Southern in.
ssliiAtions, making gradual approaches
1 on every suitdblc coppoT.uni,y 10 destroy
their existence. An institution that is
expressly sanctioned by the Creator
himself, and which has proved com.
mon blessing 10 the bond md the free,
has awakened nn uncommon interest
in the tender conscienccs Of those, who
can see no profit 10 themselves in the
competition OF free and slave labor.
Asa consequence Of this holy feeling,
we are denounced ns dealers in iniqui,y
by those who are subsistinG upon the
money received by their pious parents,
from the sale Of that very propcrlyi tha,
only became sinful after they.werc
fully paid for it. Aclua,eJ by this
Divine scptimeni, they have refused 10
assign portion of the Mexican ter.
ritory for our exclusive occupation,
and have abolished the slave trade
ip the District Of Columbia-,o say
nothing Of the fraudulent admission Of
California as free State, in order to
rive more weight md influence to them
in the national councils.
For these cncronchmcnts, there is
but one feeling in The State of South.
C.rofina, that is, Of resistance, IN my
manner than cun be cNcciuai. Bul u
liMlc time since, this feeling was not
o.cullar to South. Carolina, bu, pcrva.
I'D the whole Southern country, and
.,ics mode OF resistance contemplated
WIS the formation Of q confederncy OF
States, having all the elements OF
prosperity, in times Of peace. md
all The means fdclcnce, IN time ofwnr
t,nc after another Of the Southern
States have allowed their apprchensions
;uturc danger TO bo qnie.cd, aud
Lave consented to forgive the past
SAnh.Carolina is left alone, unchanged
rs ioIier nnticipntions of wha, is yc, be.
;nrf us, and with n burning desire &c
relieve herself from the insults she ha,
already endured.
Ia ihis position Of things, her gullan,
.,ns,n ore divided in opinion as to the
course she onght 10 pursue. One por.
ia, Of them, reckless Of all. conse
n, nccs, arc for asserting her sovcr
fisn1y, and relying upon the justice O
h.r cause, 10 sustain them. Another
r5aiol, regard sucl, course as utterly
Obstructive Of The end in view, and
centending Tint physical power is a
necessary elemen, in national greatness
insistlhat South -Carolina should not ye
'l}sift hcr sister States Of tho South, bu,
rriniin with them, keeping Southern
'-vhS.hcfucy Co'lSth't'y 'hHIe"' un'ii u
is'atEctel, or until fnnaicism, becoming
utterly intolerable in its future course
will incline us 10 any action, however
desperate II may be.
In this latter class, my judgment
l''acles me. is 10 be found The true policy
"f Suuli-Carolina, under existing cir
rnmstenccs. My reasons for this con.
sJusion, are brienythese:
l$t. Tho Secession of South Carolina
rill not reyerse the admission of California
Is free State into tho Union, nor fix the
nNof-36 80, ,asthe Northern boundary OF
e slave States, nor restore the integrity
p EaSas,,nor repeal the act Of prohibiting