The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1851-01-18

Inaugural address pronounced before N,
General Assembiy Of South Caroina by
his ErreHcnru John H. Means

Two great parties are arraNe@ N deadl
hostility against each other; and what is III
cause Of this hostility. II results on Il,
part Of the south lroi knowledge OF the luu
injustice which has been practisci agains
it--irom the insult, and injuries lich hav
been heapcd upon il by government whiel
was instituted for lis protection. aud 10 ih'
support of which il has ever contributed
more than It's Just proporion-ironi the III
'iignation which every true southern hear
must feel, tina, we are called upon TO shar'
I, all dangers, expenses, aud privailons o
It's conqnesis. and are permitted to ENJOY
none OF their benefits. The dissatisfaction
and discomfort of our people with their gov
eminent is just and natural. One of tn.
principal ends Of the government is the Sc
curity Of property; yet our property Is it
danger from no other power upon the face
Of the earth than from that which was insl
tuied for its protection. ! doubt il there
ever was n government, purely constitution
al in its character, which had made such
rapid strides in breaking down every con.
sttutional barrier, and in the prostration Of
the rights and liberties Of is citizens. 10
prove the trnth Of this assertion, need but
poin, YOU to the acts Of Congress for the
last few years lie must be wilfully blind
who does not see in them n settled deter.
minaton on the part Of Congress TO break
down the institution of slavcry-au institu.
ton the protection Of which is indeiibly
stamped upon the constitutional instiu.
ton with which nil our feelings. all our in.
terests, nay, all our hopes, are so complete
Is blended. that its destruction must carry
with il in its dreadful crash the ruin aud
downfall of our beloved country. The de-.
termination is shown in the manifest disre.
gard Of the rights OF the stakeholder under
the constitution il is shown in the acts
which deprive him of any participation in
the territories won upon batilc.liclds where
every sod is sprinklcd by southern blood.
and where every silent mound with burning
elogn.ncc tells that il contains the corpse oi
"a southern hero, still green and fostering
with the wound received while fighting the
battles OF our common country, aud III win.
ming that very soil il is shown in the indie.
cent haste with which new States are adj.
mittc'l, that the equilibrium Of the sections
may be DESTROYED aud power given it to
carry out lis unjust purposes against us; 1t
is shown in the open declarations ol the
aholtionsts, whose wild ianaicism has III.
spircd them with holiness to tell the truth
IA The conduct ofthai class politicians who,
contrary 10 their convictions Of right and
justice aud in direct violation of their sol.
cmn oaths to protect aud defend the e. -.
stiluilon. are swept along before the current
ut public opinion Of their sections like chat
before the whirl. wind; it is shown IN the
undivided public sentiment of the North
a public sentiment whose mighty waves for
the last ten years have been moving higher
aud higher, dashng thcir foaming crcsts
against our very Capitol, but heretofore
breaking ut it, feet These stormy waves.
warmed by no genial sunbeam OF humanity,
are fast becoming frozen into solid mass,
aud soon must come, like mighty
avalanche torn by the storm from its Al pine
hills, to crush aud bury US beneath their
weight.
Who can contemplate without sbndder
the consequences of the abolition of slavery
in the States. Their tcrrors are not alone
to be seen in the misery caused To the
STAKEHOLDER by stripping him Of his proper.
IT, bought aud honestly paid for by a lIe
of industry--not in the starvation OF the
merchan, or the mechanic bv the prostra.
ton of those who buy his merchandise OF
pay hin, for his ahor--not in the deserted
iicld and lccayng towns aud ylla.es-bui
in she still more diretul consequences re.
snlliug from, the coming together OF two
races, so entirely distinct in their geniu,
aud character, upon terms of political equal.
ity. One or the other of them must be AN.
elhilatcd, and that, too amid scenes oI ter.
rar, of anarchy. and blood, greater than
ANY which history records upon her dark
est aud hloodicst page.
Dni. even LAYING aside this great ques.
ton. we have suiiicicn, reason for d'ssaiis.
faction with the federal government The
whole tenor aud complexion of the acts
show tina, the Constitution. So FAR Ms the
rights of the South nrc concerned. affords
not the slightest protection. The VIII OF
the minority, irrespective o. its checks and
balances. il Ike law of the land.
Oar liberties, our prorcriy, our charters,
are To be submitted to the tender mcrcies
of n moio,ity. whose every Thought, feeling,
aud emotion, i. concentrated in one burn
ing focus OF hatred agaios, us and our in.
stiiuiions. Under these circumstances,
VIVA, are we To look for, or what are We To
expect! Through the dim vista Of the
dark and gloomy future before us, we can
see no cheering rny Of hope that our coudi'
ton will be bet;cr,d. but. on the contrary
sal visien of the gradual ruin aud sleca,
Of our State, until we are reduced to a con
dilion Of colonial va.salagc. far worse Than
that from which our fathers rescued them
Sad experience has proved that the safe
guards placed over the rights Of our countr,
IN the form Of parchment ARE bat parch
mcnt al last--,hat the only cifectnal hnl
wark which can lie thrown around then
is a bulwark Of men who know their right
and have the courage "a maintain them.
Finally. we are dissatisfied with the fed
cral government because it Inns utterly fail
cd in accomplishing the ends for which !
WAS created. The "harnony and goos
Ieclins il was designed to promote i~
tween the States. the injustice, the sanxfi
cisn,, the impertincncc uf the North, have
entirely destroyed. The general welfare
il WAS intended 10 promote has resulted il
building up one section upon the run o
the other. The domestic peace and tran
guilty /" il was intended To secure we hav'
never known, for under It's protection shos'
are actually supported and encouraged VIII
are setting measures on foot among US. tn
fatal termination of which can aions b