The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-10


COATED upon the difficult questions between the
South and the General Govcrnment II shall
do ~, have no doubt the action will be unfortu
Of the STATE into pares instead Of presenting that
unanimity which now docs II much credit and
will probably, under future contingencies. Eve II
much strength The great activity and zeal 2! ooutn
iuence. That zeal and activity we're not condemna-
BILE in Themselves, but, under actuaicircumstances
were impolitic Il was slanderou:ly called ambition.
and adcsire TO dictate and excited the jealousy OF
other States Measures right and proper and
patriotic were condemned simply because they
came from South Carolina; and every bastard has
sinndcrous condemnation. II South Carolina be
wise she will wait upon her sister States yet long
WHILE Let her be prepared to act, but leave other
States time TO deliberate and Determine for them
selves. Great changes must take place in the SEN
tiInents of the southern people, history " hc
ton and the nature OF man has changed. Let
South Carolina be prepared to join other States, but
she cannot 60 foremost without injuring her own
and the common cause.
There has been, think, another error in the
management Of our great controversy, (not pecu-
liar to South Carolina.) We have had too many
only proper, on great occasions, whom the sense OF
the people 10 doubtful In almost ALL II not ALL
other occasions, the organized power Of govern
msnt z the safest ground q rs',sncs a. par
ton and tyranny ON tho part Of the General Gov
srnment, and our wise ancestors, with great jea-
lousy, reserved and secured the Independence OF
the States - . proper power TO control the ambi-
ton Of the Federal Government when it might
arise; and our great error and misfortune has
been, that we have allowed the State governments
10 be virtually nulified by not calling them early
and vigorously into action. A concert between the
State governments il the great want Of the south
at this time and this great object will best be at
taincd by e. legislative and executive junction
aries Of theft 9spective governments
The letter was then ordered TO lie on the
table.
Mr.. GREGG, from the Select Committee Of
Twenty one, submitted the following resolu-
tions as expressive of the sentiments Of the con-
vention, and an address to the Southern Rights
Associations of the southern States:
RESOLUTIONS.
1. Resolued, That in the opinion of this meeting
the State of South Carolina cannot submit to the
wrongs and aggressions which have been per-
petrated by the Federal Government and the nor
thern States, without dishonor and ruin; and thatI
Is necessary 10 relieve herself therefrom, whether
with or without the cooperation OF other southern
States. - 49,
through the proposed Southern Congress, or in any
other manner, is an object worth many sacrifices,
but not the sacrifice involved in submission.
8. RssoIued, That we bold the right Of secession
20 be essential to the sovereignty and freedom o.
the States of this Confederacy; and that the denial
Of that right would furnish to injured State the
strongest additional cause for its exercise.
4. Resolved, That this meeting looks with comb
dcnce and hope to the convention Of the people, to
exert tho sovereign power OF the state IN oeience
OF it, rights al tho earliest practicable period and
in tho moet efSectual manner; and 70 the Legisla-
ture, to adopt the most speedy and efiectual mea-
sures towards the same end.
ADDRESS
aions Of South Carolina, assembed in Cherlsstcn,
to TIE Southern Rights ASSOCIATIONS Of The other
Southern States.
Having met to take counsel together, and hav-
ing agreed upon that course which We think 1t
right and necessary to pursue, we wish to lay De-
fore you the considerations by which we have been
governed, with that frankness which our respcct
for you, and desire to merit your good opinion
We regard the position Of the southern States in
this Confederacy a. degraded and ruinous. The
manifest tendency or those Systematic aggressions
which they have suffered for many years past Is 70
subvert the institution of slavery. If those acts OF
hostile domination, which have been rendered more
insulting by mockery of language, under the term
of . Compromise, were final in their nature, and
we should still regard them = outrs ges 70 which
sovereign States, possessing the spirit OF freedom,
ought never to submit. But those measures only
form part of system. gradually commenced, stea-
Oily carried forward. gathering strength frsm DC.
velopment, and proceeding with fatal momentum
il end That end il the abolition OF negro slavery
in the southern States and tho lowering OF the free
with that agrarian rabble, which, already strong
and dangerous, seems destined, before very long,
to be the controlling power in the northern States
~ zee mo aRS no Inow that in this
differ from very many citizens of the other southern
States, spirited and intelligent, having the Same in
terests, and suffering under the same wrongs, with
ourselves and who cherish the hope that the rights
of the South may be vindicated and secured without
dissolving the existing Confederacy. In this diff
ference it does mot become W to assume 70 dc
tate, and we hope TO stand free from that bchargc
Up to this time tho citizens of South Carolina.
that popularity of political position, arising
from past events, rendered certain reserve on their
part prudent and proper, have studiously avoided
every thing which might look like assuming tho
lead in the defence OF southern rights. They de.
sired to act because they believed that safety and
honor required action; but they hoped that they
might find leaders in other States whom they
might follow in defence of tho common cause.
When the ancient Commonwealth Of Virginia, the
proper leader of the South, declared her dctermi-
nation to resist at all haxards and TO tho .ass ex
tremity, hostile measures then threatened, South
Carolina with all Alacrity, stood ready to support
Virginia in carrying out her high resolution.
When Gcorgin-whOse former resistance TO Fedc-
raj usurpatiOn. under her heroic statesman Troup,
gave promise Of unfinching frmness in any con-
Test in which she might engage-proclsimed her
determination to make stand Tor the rights OF the
south. South Carolina reloiced At the ProspeGh. OF
her young and gallant sister, Mississippi proposed
the wise measure of Southern Convention, Tor
tho purpose OF cndeavoring to unite the eontueih
States in maintaining their constitutional rights,
and 1t the same time preserving, If possible, the
existing Union South Carolina heartily entered in
to this measure; and she has carried out the recon-
mendation of tho convention assembled at the
instance of Mississippi, by providing for the cleo
ton Of delegates to Southern Congress, to whose
meeting she still looks with anxious interest
In all these proceedings we think that the citi-
zens of South Carolina have evinccd all proper
anxiety to avoid the appearance of arrogance or
dictation to act in concert with the citizens OF the
other southern States. and to do nothing separate
ly or precipitately And now, strongly ~ we have
expressed our belief that there 10 no hope for the
South in the existing Union, we are prepared to
give trial, fairly and in good faith, 70 any cec-
tual plan which may be proposed by any sister
State Of the South for obtaining redress for the past
and security for the future, without dissolution
Of tho existing Union, if there DO possibility of
such . contamination.
But we find ourselves forced to considcr the ulte-
rior question, what We are 70 do if we find that
there 10 reasonable hope of the corporation Of
.px othor ans,fharn State in efT6ctual DI0u OF