Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-01-15
SPEECH OF JOSEPH ABNEY
g..,l -. =. OF EDCEEJEIO

South Carolina, Monday, Lee. 8, 1891
4On the Report Of The Commiltee Of III
p Whole House, recommending the rejection
7.;oof Bill 10 repeal so much Of an act 4
proride for the appointment Of Deputies Il
Soutllsrn Congress, and 10 call Con
rention Of thc People Of this STATE, passec
on the 2eth day IF December, A. d., 1850
as authorizes and relates 10 The call gt saic
Conrcniion."
Mr.. SrEAKER The opposition of mem.
bers TO the report of the committee, ut ,his
stage of our proceedings, is made Tor, the
purpose of taking the sense OF the House
ON The convention bill, preparatory TO further
opposition on its fnal passage. The whole
merits of The bill, therefore, arc thus brought
up for discussion, and il is rcrtcciIy admis.
sable that should present my'siews Of It's
entire policy.
1t is proper, though, before. entering, fully
upon the main questions, TO premise thai, IN
my Judgment, The bill vf the honorable men,
ber from Pcudielon, (Mr. WiIkes,) Tor the
repeal of the convention act, Is altogether
contrary to the constitution of this State, as
well o.iheprece edenls and usage furnished
us by the seVer:il SLases s0i9t,ierepuotic.
Ti,e article OF The Constitution providing
for the call vf a convention Is IN these
words: "No convention OF the people shall
be called, unless BY. the concurrence ot lWo-
thirds of both branches of lhe whole repre-
s.ntatiun." Ii is plain, therefore, that power
is granted to The Legislature to call confel',
ton ONLY by two-lhlrds OF both Houses a,'o
that there Is no provision, whatever: Tor Inc
rep.al of such al act, after 1t has once been
n,s..d. Who can tell whether, II II Oe con-
s,;,u,ional to repeal it 1T a., IL should be done
nv a simplc majority of both braches, or Oy
two-th,rts of both! Tins very question
snnr.s,s the difficulty that would cnbarrass
US, IN uudoing, al this session, "'.''' WAS
dn,,. 1t the last, aud in attempting, in so III.
formal :. manner, 10 annul Tile most solemn
decree that can bc made by The Gcl'cr'l AS
scnbly Of the Stale.
Many pcn,lcucm, eminent for their ac'
ouir.u,culs. and for their political ability
have even, maintained llGat the convention
already created, could assemble without be-
inu called together by any other ac' "t lh'>
LEGISLATURE. lu ub,iatc the embarrassment
then that might arlsr from such Il con'ic
lion. and 10 prevent all conflict OF opinions
ON The subject hereafter, IL Is umqucs'lonably
the duty OF this body 10 appoint lhc I'm,
for the assembling vi the delegates elect Il
the couvcnlioil.
Sucl, :, course is necessary, in order TO dc
t,rmiur ,he cxislc,,cc vi ihtt body; for by
the act calling it into being, IL Is positively
stated that It's iunciVEs may not ceasc ulili
twelve months after lis iirSl meeting.
Though would not urge lnIs latter view
on my own responsibility, yci Ii Is due TO In
RESPECT we have for the delegates themselves
and for our own dignity, and llc dignity q
the Stale, that The convention Should U
forthwith assembled.
AT the last session of this Legislature, tn
.yiucncies of the country were deemed sulil
ccnliy urgent TO authorize lie passage OF al
act under which dupuiirS were elected 10
Southern Congress, and delegates chosen t
u convention OF tEe State. Now, II We, III
ter all this delibcraton ana preparation 10
action, should entirely surrender our poslIio
itwould cast ridicule, not only on oursere:
but on the delegates elect, and on the peopl
Of the State of South Carolina. | am III
willing to insult the good men, who hav
been selected 10 represent US III convention
lam unwilling TO hold up my native State
an object for The derlsion OF The abolltlohlsi
and for the jeerings Of our sister States; III
powerless and humble us We are, am vi
willing to blur the honor Of this Assemoi
and degrade its spirit, by public admlsslo
of our inconsistency, and Of the fact til;
our people have determined to abandon III
bold attitude they had assumed towards I'll
monopolists and abolitionsts of the Norl
who have plundercd them without mere
and DISTINGUISHED them OF their most sacrc
rights.
agree fully with my honorable fricn
from !Abbcville, (Nlr. McGoweD that III
Stale has not yet instructed us to reced
from any advanced position we have take
If we have been ordered to pause, refur
our line of battle, and proceed with great
crcumSpection, and more moderate pac
we have not yet heard the hateful order
retreat sounded in our ears. If we hay
been suddenly checked in our career of bl
lie, and humliated in the last degree by It
command to reserve our fire. thank God, the
is vet no apparent necessity for our retirir
,ltouethcr from the field. | ejoice to co
cur with my accomplished friend, in Il
oninion that the convention 10 assemble IN;
do something to retrieve the honor and mai
t.in the character of South Carolina.