The southern press., 1851-09-03
Letter from The Hon. d. Wallace.

USroE Aug Is, 1851.
GENTLEMEN am this moment in receipt
of your letter of the 1lth inst, inviting me in
behalf of tbr. Auxiliary Southern Rights Assoca-
ton Of st. Philips and ST. Michaels, to address
public meeting to be held in Charleston on
the 25th inst, upon the subject of our federal
relations.
| For the honor conferred upon me BY this mark
of confidence, | beg you to accept and to con
vey to those you represent an expression of my
grateful acknowledgements. 1t is my misfor-
tune to be unable, without violating previous
engagements to be with you at your meeting
Nothing could be more agreeable to me than
the pleasure of meeting advocates of resistance
to federal tyranny, in the ancient city of Charles
ton, upon no occasion so well calculated TO en-
kindle the liveest emotions oi sympathy and
concord in every patriot heart
| In the earliest stage of the revolutionary
struggle, South Carolina ed an attitude
of resistance to the usurpaton of the British
crown and Charleston placed herself in the var
of the defenders of constitutional freedom. You
but follow the example of your fathers, in un
furling the flag of resistance to federal tyranny
in cause which now, as then, involves every
right dear to freemen.
The majority of the North has usurped the
standing upon the ruins of The Constitution
rules with despotic sway the destiny of the
State. BY this union of the North against the
South, the Constitution is repealed, and the re-
public virtually overthrown. OF all the fruits
of the revolutionary struggle, despotc Union
unchecked by the restraints of constitutional
law, alone remains. State sovereignty lies bleed
ing at our feet-strcken down by a robbei
crew, who, If not arrested in their destructive
career, will destroy our form of civilization, and
cover our hearth-stones Z" with ashes, tears, anC
blood"
The muzzel of hostile cannon are pointed a
the homes of our people--and yet zoe pause.
When the issue of lbertv or bondage is thus
presented, Charleston. the soil of which is made
classic ground by the achievements and suf
ferings of her people in the cause Of constitu.
tional freedom, wiH mol be slop 10 take The posi-
tion ,ohich honor md duty alike demand
The descendants of her ancient heroes ,oiH be
true 10 their lineage, and piH defend 10 the las
The homes and The grares of luir fathers. And
Charleston will not be Mosco,o until its ashe,
fall unheeded upon the graps II lis last defender
| need not remind you, gentlemen, that vor
will not be left to meetyour fate unaided TIL,
State will share your fate, be il veal or woe
The hour has not yet come when this despot,
Union can be held together by the sword
The first bugle-blast of the robber-clan whcl
Is sent forth To light up the blaze of civil war
will be answered from the seashore to tn
J mouutains by the responsive shout of indionan
defiance, by many patriot heart ready to bee
with you in the same holy cause.
The sword once drawn will not again b
returned to the scabbard until constitution,
, freedom is re-established upon sure basi
\ Let federal minions and myrmadons menace
they dare not strike. The cur may growl an
fret, but he cannot break his chain.
shall not attempt TO record the wrongs "
Q suffer, or those which are impending over u
{ They are written upon every heart. The remed
for these wrongs is the subject which now d,
mands our grave consideration.
q IL South Carolina be in fact n province of
e consolidated empire; If the republic be one an
( indiuisible; If State sovereignty be extinct. an
the will of the majority paramount to the Cor
stitution, then revolution by violence and civ
9 war is indeed the only mode of redress. Bu
we deny the binding force of the authority b
9 which this fundamental change of our republ
can system is claimed TO have been accomplished
We reprobate and denounce the despoti
doctrine of the indirisibilify of The repubii,
= We are still republicans as our fathers wer,
and demand form of government which shal
be compatible with our genius and our princi
: pIea- We still assert that the Union as forme,
by the Constitution in confederation of indi
vidusl and equal sovereigns, and that Soutl