The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-03-16


themselves to mind were ac0uie,
ence or revolution Before revolution
was resolved upon, felt it to be m,
duty to examine in what manner tn,
bills were passed, and against whom
the war was to be levied. Th,
result of that examination PROVED
that If wrong had been done, tht
South as we'll as the North had par
ticipated in it, and that if secession
was the remedy, we must sccede
from Southern as vel. as from Nor
thcrn States. l intend to take
up those measures one by ono, and
show the manner III which thcy
passed into laws, not for the purpose
OF importing any information to the
Senate, but mainly to place upon
the record, in convenient form for
reference, facts which l sincerely
wish were i'll the possession of every
man III the South. Let no man at
tribute to me any special design TO
conclllatc Northern men by What l
am about to say. l have said the
sam, things where there were no
Northern auditors, no Northern
sympatllzers. It is not at all nv
purpose 20 defend the North. !
have no intention Of removing from
the shoulders Of her people one fcath-
cr's weight Of blame which Justly at
tachcs to them. They have some.
tunes exhibited a rapacity for The
public spoils which no one has con.
de'nned i'll stronger terms than |
have. But while | will not assaiI
without cause. | ilitcrd TO be
just to them, as | hope to receive
justice at their hands. The alnis.
SION Of California, however wron. in
itself, however bancful in its innu.
chccs, was no case Of Northern ar.
sresson. | know the charges has
reiterated, until it
nce" 'teratrf sSSs4gEshlae- sMllA--
ern portion Of The tcItintnt; but that
ONLY proves the 5cnacity with Which
men Will cling to q cherished false
hood. Let mf recapitulatc the
iacts. The admission OF California
Was first recommended by South
crn Democratic President. Jas.
*. Polk sent for the Senator from
Illinois, (Mr. Douglas,) and re-
uucstcd him to draw up ii Uill for that
purpose. 1t is true, the bill pre-
pared by the Senate: from Illinois
was Il better bill than the one which
finally passed; but that docs not at-
feet the present inquiry. 1t rccog
nised, it did not establish, the prin-
ciplc that the people Of any part Of
the public territories have right, un-
der peculiar circumstances, to de-
mani adn.ttaicc into the Union,
without amy previous law Of Congress
authorizing them to adopt a consti,u
ton, and without any cnumcl alton OF
inhabitants. 1t practically asserted
that the only question Congress was
bound to ask before admitting a
State was, SIS her constitution re.
publican!" and that all ire ynlarities
might be waived when the public
good required it Congress did not
act as Mr.. Polk desired. The next
step was also taken by q Southern
President. Gen. Taylor came into
office, and recommended the admis.
sion Of California as she is. Up to
this time the North had manifested
no cagcrncSs to bring in California.
Southern men only had moved in the
matter. Nor was there even at any
time anything like unanimous oppo
sltion on the part Of tic south.
When the bill was finally passed,
eight Of the fifteen Southern States
furnished votes for it. kcm;uckv V
gave seven out of ten, and Tennessee
seven out Of eleven III the House Of
Representatives, thus showing de-
cided majority in both States in IA
vor Of the bill. With What appear.
ancc Of truth, then, can it nov be
asserted that this is an mmitigatcd
case OF Northern aggression, and
that we of the South have been
robbed Of territory acquired mainly
by Southern blood and Southern
treasure. No two States III this
Union acquired more glory during
the Mexican war than Tennessee and
Kentucky. Each one Of them fur.
nishcd .our regiments Of volunteers
exclusive Of their due proportion o.
regulars, and both Of them maintain
cd on every field the high charactc,
they had won i'll previous wars. Tho
bones Of many gallant Tcn.e jscar
now lies bleaching beneath the
walls of Monterey and the pass o
Ccrro Gordo, and the field Of Bucna
Vista was made red with the bcs
blood Of kentucky. Can it be DO
s,vcd that the people Of those States
Who's! dauntlc55 courage has ahnos