Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-01-21

was one incident, late in the proceedings however
which reflects much light upon the share that Soutl
| CaioiI bid in tn S great work, whilst it does homo
TO the cdndor and llberay OF one OF those OF her c
| zens whom that day she delighted to honor, thai
we cannot refrain from copying it entire.
| Mr. Charles Pnckney having moved provision thai
"no act of Congress for regulating commerce with TO-
reign Powers among the several States shall pass
without the assent OF two-1hirds OF the Members o
both Houses" General Charles Cotesworth Pnckney
said
at was the true interest of the Southern States te
have no regulation OF commerce. But considering ht
loss brought on the commerce OF the Eastern States
by the Revolution, their liberal conduct tOcafds tn
pieos Of South Carolina and the interest the weak
Southern States had in being united with the strong
Eastern States he thought better that letters should
| be imposed on the power OF making commercial regu.
ations; and that his constituents, though preudlced
| against the Eastern States would be leconciled
to this liberaliy He had himself he said, prejudiceS
against the Eastern States before he came there, bu
| would acknow ledge that he had found them as Hbera
| md cdndid as any men ,DhateUer."
Nothing be more conclusive as to the satisfaction
OF the South, and especially OF South Caronlans, a
the conduct of the Northern States, at the terms o.
the union into which these States entering with
! them, than this really touching incident.
| No candid mind indeed, can rise from peIusal o.
the authentic and deeply instructive narrative oil the
Proceedings of this great Convention, without entire
conviction of its members having almost literally toll
lowed the advice OF Washington in the Letter OF 1883
to which we have adveed; and, in dong so, forgot
ten for their local politics and preludces, and
made those mutual concessions requisite to the success
| OF the general object.
principles OF compromise This may be trte saying
but it is not the less a true one.
And arrived at this point, let enquire, have the
South duly considered the whole compromise the
subject Of Slauery? To the South accorded the
representation in the Government OF three fths OF their
slaves; and equivalent for this it agreed that
direct tares should be apportoned among the respec
tive States in the manner as representation. AT
that period it generally supposed that the revenue
for the support ofhe Government must be derived prn-
cipav from direct taxation. Under this compact, the
South gains about twenty members in the House OF
Representatives, and in the election of Chief Magis
trate exercises the same proportlonae power But the
equivalent of taxation has only been realised by the
saveholdng States in the way OF direct taxes, Tor
very few years. that is say shortly after the organi
cation OF the Government and during the time OF tie
war of 1872 in all not more than five or six years ont
OF the sXtytwo that have elapsed since the Consl-
ton went into operation. We do not mention this as
matter of complaint the part othe free States direct
taxation has been found more unpopular in the free
than in the slave States. And we only now advert to
the subject to remind our trends IN the South that there
were compromises on both sides.
The reclamation of tugltives from labor was deman-
ded as an indispensable constitutional provision by the
South, not as an equtUatent for any concession it
had made but as an;act of Justice And we wish that
we could say that the North in this respect, had been
faithful to the Constitution as we believe they have
been in every other We shall see, in the sequel, whether
there not circumstances which may at east to some
extent paate the excuses oil the North on this sub
ject
After a long and arduous conflict Of the friends and
adversares of the Constitution before the people, IN
VIII ich all the great intelects and almost all the pas
of the country reused into action, the as
sent OF eleven of the States by the means OF Conven-
tons in each having been obtained, the Constitution
took effect: elections for Members of Congress
forthwith held and the First Congress OF the United
States assembled the city of New York on the 18th of
March, 1889.
To this Congress South Carolina lost no time in send
ing her contribution ofRepresentativesh her hon
ored citizensgentlenen distinguished by birth, wealth,
and approved public service ito the Senate, Pierce But
Ter and Ralph lizard and to the House of Representa-
tives Edanus Burke, Daniel Huger, William Smith,
Thomas Sumpter, and Thomas Tudor Tucker. She
thus gave every indication OF the appreciation by her ti
zens OF the Constitution which she had lent her aid 10
build up.
Nor did she for forty years thereafter exhibit in this
respect any change or shadow of turning.