Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-12-24
south Carolina senators.

o-a,~1re-sSe South Carolina senators.
The Washington Correspondent of the New
York Courier and Inquirer, under date OF the
10th inst, writes as follows:
ID ..Judge Evans, who has been elected successor
to Mr. DeSaussure, as Senator from South ga
rolina. is a Union man, and conservative Demo-
crat. This is an important indication Of change
of sentiment in that State. He was opposed by
a Col. Chestnut, who was very prominent Sc
cessionist during the stormy period preceding
the enactment of the compromise laws. The
defeat of such man is a subject of congratula-
tion with all lovers of the Union. The new
Senator will form an addition to that band Of
conservative Democrats in the Senate from the
South who have continued in fellowship with the
party solely through the pressure of the slavery
controversy, and who are just as likely to oppose
as to second the policy Of the new Administra-
ton as soon as it shall become developed
- - We make nc. objection to this last statement.
Doubtless the Senators from South Carolina will
vote and act according to their conscience. They
are under no bonds to party and neither their
own principles nor the wishes of the State will
tempt them to support any Administration
blindiy.
But the first statements in the above extract
are about as wide of tile truth as they could be
made. Judge Evans is no "Union man" and
Col Chestnut was not "a very prominent Scces-
sionistp at any period of the late CONTROVERSY
he was prominent and active Disunionist, it is
true. and we have heard no ntimation that he
has changed from that position. But he was
also one Of the most active and influential lead
ers of the Cooperation party, who were opposed
to the separate secession Of the State, and advo-
Gated a Southern Confederacy. This also was
the position of Mr.. Preston and Mr.. Magrath,
who were brought forward by their friends at the
recent Senatorial election. Col. Pckens was the
only Secessionist among those who were named
as candidates We say "Secessionist," as mean
ing one of the party who advocated the separate
action Of South Carolina. In the broader sense,
they were all Secessionists. They all maintain
ell the right to secede from the Confederacy !;
and that there was full justification, in principle,
for the exercise Of this right. But they denied
its policy, and thoughtit would result disastrous
i. ly for the very objects we all had in view.
There were certainly Union mcn'in the State,
though they were but small fraction of the
whole, and thei number has not, as we believe,
increased, and no one, of those named for the
Senate IS to be looked for in their ranks The
position of Judge Evans has already been defined
in this paper. he was opposed to the secession
Of the State alone, as matter of policy; but in
all other respects he agreed with the Secession
lists. His position was that taken by the State
Convention affirming to the fullest extent the
right to secede, and only declining to exercise it
from motives of policy.
The congratulations, therefore, which the cor
respondent of the Courier and Inquirer offers to
the Union-that is, the general assembly of Office
hunters, spoilsmea, rnonopolists, demagogues and
dupes, who form the drapery, chorus, supeInu-
meraries, prompters and candlesnufers- of the
Federal Government the important change
in the politics of South Carolina indicated by the
recent election Of Senator, are altogether mispla-
ced. This whole mob Of sycophants and para
sites have gained nothing at all by it. Our
State is still as far as ever from being of their
feeding ground or making their interests the true
test of political principle. South Carolina is
where she has been on all the great questions
likely to engage attention, and if she has failed
in meeting all the issues that have been made, it
has at least not been until she saw herself deser-
ted by every one of the States that were as deep
ly pledged as herself to the redress Of wrongs
that equally insulted and threatened the whole
South Charleston Mercury.