The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-10-07

est evidence Of the fearfulIy trying circum.
stances, which surrounded them.
That great interest should bs felt and
manifested, upon the discussion OF impor,.
tant subjects in the Convention, and that
this should be productive Of some excite.
ment was to be expected. But in body
protesting for it's purpose full. free, and
friendly interchange of views and opinions
IN subject OF common interest and among
men, whose aim and desire ostensibIy was,
full reformation on that subjcct-that the
wise, the brave and the yiriuous should be
debarrcd the priyiIedge Of speech, If not by
a written or printed rule, yet by necessity
quite az inexorable-and where any did
rise above tho thraldom. that ,hoy should
be forced 10 utter their speech in fearful
ness and trembling, and 10 use the language
Of very supplica,ion, this is the marvel But
the spiri, of tile minority still more plainly
manifested itself in the action taken on Mr.
ORR's substitute, (for he was one who rose
above his circumslances) the Resolution
reported by the minority. 1t is substan-
TALLY AS follows: That the Convention has
entire confidence in the constitutional or
gans Of the State Government and in the
wisdom and fidelity of the Convention elect
ed under the Act passed at the last l,egis-
la,ure, and submitting the subject OF
IN
perfect willingness to abide its final action.
To any body Of men under the sun, not
fatally bent on prcconcertcd course, n
Resolution. like the one offered by the mi
nority Committee, expressing so fully and
frankly and fairly the only proper objcc.
for which such body could be called to-
gcthcr, and defining the duties Of its various
mombers and expressing its willingness in
nee thereto in terms so uncxception-
al would have been hailed with accla-
nations Of joy. And yet what is the fact
Opcn-mou,hcd uproar greeted its loss.
Docs not all this CLEARLY mark depart
ure from the spirit Of the object Of the
Convention Ifno,, we should like to hear
a departure defined
The majority, having thus succeeded
in departing from, and beating down the
spirI Of the true object ofthc Convention
did not stop there, but went forward en-
massc the eonsummation Of their prc-or-
daineed, but hitherto siIen, purpose. They
resolved that il was not a Convention for
comforting in free and friendly way, nbon'
.'Souikern = wrongs and the mode and meas
ures Of redress" but begging Tho question
yi ct armies. they declared the true Object
,D he, the separate secession Of South Car
olna-ard neither speech nor language
from mortal man. however good or great.
was 10 be listened to in opposition to it..
II is plain from the address and Resolutions
adopted, but still more from the iu,erpre.
tatiop put upon them hv sh"i- ~somincnf
.ps.:.s.e uu,n lnen and since, that they had
,tots hope of Cooperation with tho other
Southern States, and us a necessary COMO.
qucncc, il they were honest, they were for
forcing The State 10 do battle alone. This
was the true concerted purpose Of tho ma
Jority. Who can deny il? Judge CnEsys,
anticipating by some means or other the
course intended 10 be pursued. advised
against it (ihis was the nnkind cur, and }
predicted the consenuences-thc division
of the State. II has so happened. And
who would have expected any thing clsc,
but proud and dominant majority, flushed
with their success, and infatuated with III c
profoundcst sentiments OF their own inral.
libli,y or Of the midnight stupidity of every
body o!se!
During all tins time, il we mistake not
you we're here at home. Ii is not unknown
to you how greatly surprised, a large intel
l'gent and respectable portion Of the Gil,
izens of this District were, at the action o
the Convention. II they had been pre-
pared for the course adopted by the ma.
jori,y, there could have been no such th:nn
as surprise.
Just here, matters stand ,hus--,hc Sc
parn.e secession party adopted in their Con
vcntion certain measure Of almost infinite
! importance--thc merits and consequence,
of that measure had never been brough
home TO the people, whom they were in
tended TO affect; numbers were surprised
at it. Now, Sir, we appeal to your know,
candor, and to the candor OF every reflect
ing mind, if there was not one, and bu
one obvious, natural and proper course 70
that party pursnc--it mas TO- so to hei
homes, aud among their friends and neigh
bors, and both in prirnte and public TO see
10 pour !igM upon them They should hav
proclaimed upon every house top, that the
had utterly despaired Of securing the &c
operation OF the other Southern States in de
fence of Southern Rights, Gas they all pro
fcsscd to believc) and that the only practi
cable and wise and ctiectunl remedy 70
Southern wrongs. was tho Separate Ma
,ional,y Of South Carolina--that com
wha, might, Hungary OF no Hungary, thi
was the only measure left. This was tn
proper conduct. Was it not!