Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-01-15
EDGEFIELD, Sea j JANUARY Is, 1852.

independence.
But the politicians of this age have lately
discovered that there is just about rs mucf
virtue in honor and courage rs Sir Johr
Falstaff supposed, and they have adopted
the same principle that always actuated thai
redoubted captain of Shrewsbury field. Mer
that we have habitually respected for their
rcputed wisdom have used arguments to de.
terthrir fellow-eitizens from asserting rights
which the speakers themselves confessed had
been violated and annuled. They have at.
tempted to bctray an heroic people into pa
tient endurance of wrong, if not into abJect
submission, by their unmanly aud timid
counsels. If such statesmen were fully
aware ofsthc scope and tendency of their
own reasoning, and if they had an aim to
lull the State into afatal security, and to
gradually reduce her pride, | am prepared 10
look down upon them with abhorrcnce, |
care not to what emincnce they may have
been raised in the estimation Of the credu-
lous and unthinking multitude.
When McDuffie, and Turnbull, and Har-
per were living, and wien the bright genius
of Calhoun was blazing in its glorious efful-
gcnce, the loathsome doctrines that have re-
Gently been inculcated, to dcudc our State
into an humble attitude, and to stifle the
spirit of patriotism in the hearts of her cili-
zens, found within our borders no tongue
that ventured to utter them, and no bosom
that gave them response. In the days Of
those iIustrious patriots, liberty was esteem
cd by us dearer than ife-our escntcheon
was without blcmish, and the lofty tone of
South Carolina excited the envy of surround
ing States.
But, Mr.. Speaker, l am trespa ssing upon
your patience, and upon that kind courtesy,
which so emincntly distinguishes your own
bearing, and that of this House.
| now undertake more grateful task,
which is to insist that the meeting Of the
convention is essential to harmonizc the con-
tliciing parties i'll the State, and to unite all
true men, both among the co-operationists
and the secessionists, into solid phalanx,
devoted to the preservation Of the indcpen-
dcncc and ancient rcnown of South Caro-
lima.
When all the various intellccts of which
that convention is composed shall be brought
together, and combined in their efforts TO
serve the State, it is impossible that any
pallry considerations of rivalry and tempo
rary self-aggrandizcmcnt, can prevent their
union on some common ground of resistance.
There is no vital principle that separates
them, and / am sure that those generous
any uTprC uTrUrpHcg or puTlcy, rrrst nug ur-
vides and distracts the rounscs Of the State.
If the convention shall succeed in accom-
plishing this noble end, and in producing
unity of purpose among our leaders, and in
restoring unanimous sentiment OF rcSls-
tance throughout the State, it will have de-
served well of the country and mertcd
place in the history of the times. am GER
tain, that union among ourselves is ga con-
summation dcvoutly to b. wished" and can
sec no possible obstacle to its being effected.
If my most sanguinc hopes are verified, the
deliberations of the convention will have
been more valuable to us than gold-thcy
will have doubly paid their expense, if il
amounted to million of money.
For one. | desire that every member in this
House shall bear witness. that pledge my
self to support. with all the ardor of my ma
turc, any measure of direct action prescribed
by the convention, though it fall far below
what the exigency Of the State demands.
The cooperation party will have the sole
control of that assembly, because the scccs-
sionists intend to be instructed by the will
of their constituents, and they arc resolved
not to thwart the action of their brethren,
by any f,ctious opposition, or by any oppo-
silon whatever. Let our friends give us Il
single rallying point, 4 solitary motive TO
cffort;- let them raise single flag with the
inscription of libcrty-and Liberty and In
dependence being our watchword, we will do
battle under il, as proudly cs if it had been
run up BY our own standard-bcarcr.
would have chccrrully assentcd, the oth-
or day, to the amendment of my honorable
friend from Abbcville, (Mr McGowenO which
provided for the acceptance, by the Governor,
ofthc resignation of Delegates, to the convcn-
tiun and for the issuing Of wrts Of election to
fill vacancies, in order to have giventhc COOP
erationists fair oppt rtunity to have secured
majority at the first assembling of that
body, had it not been transccnding the an
thority given us In the Constitution. He did
me the honor, not only to consult me as 10 its
propriety, but TO request that it should be Of
fered by myself. sincerely approved of the
main objects of his amendment, but, after Sc
rious reflection, became satisfied that We had
no power 10 make it, and therefore returned it
to him, that he might exercise his own dis
creton in the matter.
The act of the last session, to provide for
the appointment Of deputies to Southern
Congress, &C., has this provision in relation
to filling vacancies " And, in case of any
vacancy occurring BY death, resignation, or
removal from the State, or refusal to serve,
of any person elected Il delegate to the said
convention, the presiding officer of the said
convention shall issue his writ, authorizing
and requiring the managers of elections, in
the election district in which such vacancy
may have occurred, after giving due notice
thereof, to open a poll and hold an election
to fill such vacancy, as in cases for the cleo
ton of members of the Legislature"
From this, it is very clear, that the modifi-
cation investing the Governor with power to
accept designations, and to issue writs to fill
vacancies, would have been substantial al
teraton of the law, and would therefore
have required two-thirds of both branches of
the legislature to have enacted it. 1t would
have been an easy matter, then, for those
opposed to the call of the convention, to have
defeated it entirely. Besides, in the simple
provision of the constitution for the call OF
a convention of the State, l see no authority
| e 49, ,,J ,,,o,J;or, fron, oncciosi