Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-09-23
aDistrict Meetings"


"Ata public meeting held in Camden, March
8, l849, Capt. Thomas Lang, Chairman, to res
pond to the Southern Address, an able report was
read, prepared by Committee, OF which Col.
James Chesnut, Jr. was chairman, recommending
non-intercourse; also, seven resolution<-the first
saving, in substance, that the Union OF these
States was formed for the liberty and welfare OF
aIl-that when it ceased to fulfil these objects,
they ceased to revere it,"
g. That when the Constitution was violated
deliberately and Systematically, this government
became one which ruled by fraud and force. To
such Government. zoe are ready to oppo;e our
lires and fortunes"
g. That the intermeddng by the Free States
and General Government with slavery in ths
! slave States is violation OF the Constitution 10
achich roe iDiH not submu.
4. Resolred, That in the recent action OF Fir-
ginia, we recognize the conduct of State every
way worthy to lead the van Of battles against ty-
rants and tyranny, and that in her efforts to main
tain The liberty and equality Of the States, we will
stand by her in every change Of fortune
5. TO which special attention is invited Re
solved, While zoe anriDls To associate m1ih,
and act in conc ri wih other States, WE CONSIDER IT
THE DUTY OF CAROLINA, ASSOCIATED OR ALONE, TO
UPHOLD HER POLITICAL EQUALITY AS STATE.
These embrare the Resolutions of moment
offered at the first Southern Rights meeting in
Kershaw Disrtict since the late in agitation Of the
question; We have put in capitals and italics those
parts, which breathe the strong Secession doc
lyne, in order that attention may be especially di-
rectrd to them Our correspondent, "kershaw.'
in his No. 9, endeavors to show that the District
is not pledged 10 Secession by any Resolves which
we have heretofore made upon the subject. Here
we take ISSUE We cannot conceive however,
that the question of the right or policy of seces
sion is touched here at al-whether Kershaw
District has pledged herself to secession or moi,
does not affect the issue iota But if as we have
already resolred, that ''Ue ,ciH mt subnW,' We
find that we were in too great hurry, and think
it wrong to adhere to this pledge, is pledgeD
as honest men, who are disposed 10 do right, We
must reconsider, re-resolve-determin to sub
NIT. If, on the contrary, We had resolved to ac-
quiesce on the same principle, wishing to do right
and occupy just and true position before the
world, we must again resolre and determine that
a,ce ,ciA moi submit" Therefore, whether we have
resolved or pledged to secession or cooperation,
it makes no difference, unless we are disposed
10 dhere TO that position noir.
The presumption we think, a very reasonable
one. that the passage of these resolutions by the
meeting in Camden, March 8, lS49, although ear
neslly desiring (as every good sa eessionist does
at this day) the cooperation Of oqr qr/sister South
II States, never contemplated TO submit. How
could it be so, when it was positively and absolute.
IL Rssolred that we were "ready o oppose our lires
and fortunes" to government, whose Constirn-
ton "was violated deliberately and systemalicai-
lv'' and was fast becoming one TO be "ruled by
fraud and force" AS strong secession doctrine
as ever any advocate Of separate secession could
DESIRE is contained in the Sd and 9th Resolution,
passed at the aforesaid meeting TO wit: "That
the intermeddIing by the Free States and Gener-
al Government with slavery in the slave States. is
violation of the Constitution 10 ,ohch zoe wiH MT
submit" and that "while we are anxious TO associ-
ate with, and act in concert with other States zoe
consider II The duty of Caroltna, associated or
alnne, to uyhod hp political equality as State."-
These Resolutions we are told, were "ably sus-
taiued." Whether the Journal or Mr.. any body,
considered the District "pledg' d" by their adop-
ton, it strikes US, as not eAec,ing their spirit or
! force. There they are-and they speak for them
selves as plainly as tho English language can
make them and, according 10 our understanding,
decidedly in favor Of secession as final resort.
Now the question is, will we stand up 10 our "Re
solvesr Are we ready 10 "uphoid The polhical
equality Of Carolina as State either "H'soc'ot'd
or nlone!" If we are not ready to do 70, then
our "Resoives' and our meeting turns out to be
all smoke and no fire.
So far as relates to the Southern Rights associ-
a,ion we think it quite plain that in signing the
document, we pLrdg'd ourselves to sustain South
Carolina in any immergency, and to sustain any
course which the constituted authorities of the
State may zee fit to adopt. If then the members
of the Convention-"the constituted authorities
of the State"--determine that the State of South
Carolina must secede alone from the Union, we
as good citizens, who stand ipledsed" 10 sustcio