The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-05-11

stances, and against the determined
opposition of those who have defeated
secession, could result in any good
to the State, he has, as a member
OF the Committee. nothing to recon
mend. He is willing to vote for the
declaration of principles contained in
the Resolution and accompanying
Ordinance: but he desires, at the
same time to leave on the record of
the proceedings of this Convention
his distinct declaration, that it is no
in accordance with his wishes that no
thing more Should be done to prevent
dctrimcnt to the Commonwealth.
NANCY GREGG.
Mr.. Mcmminger desired to state
in writing his reasons for concuriug
in the report of the committee, and
proceeded to read them, rs follows
The agitation in Congress on the
subject of slavery known under the
name of the Wilmot Proviso, excited
in most of the Southern States an
apprehension of common danger aud
a determination to resist. In March
1917, the Legislature of Virginia
adopted the following Resolutions
/. That the Government of the
United States has no control, direct
l.y, or indirectly, mcdiatcly or immc.
diatcly, over the institution of slave
ry; and that in taking any such con.
troll, it transccnds the limits of its le-
gltlmate functions, by destroying the
internal organization Of the Soycr.
eighties who created it.
9. That under no circumstances
will this body recognize any enact
ment of the Federal Government
which has for its objectthe prohibition
of slavery in any Te ss;tSsy 10 ,be ac-
qulred either by conquest or, treaty;
holding it to be natural and indefeasi.
Bile right Of each and every citizen of
each and every State Of this Confed-
eracy to reside with his property of
whatever description, in any territory
which may be acquired by the arms
of the United States, or yielded by
treaty with any foreign power.
3. That this General Assembly
holds it to be the duty of every man
i'll every section of this Confcdcracy,
if the Union is dear to him, to oppose
the passage Of any law for whatever
purpose, by which Territory to be
acquired, may be subject to such a
restriction.
4. That the passage of the above
mentioned Proviso by the House of
Representatives makes it the duty of
every slavcholding State, and all
citizens thereof, as they value their
dearest privileges, their sovereignty,
their independence, their rights of
property, to take firm, united and
concerted action in this emergency
The Legislature of Georgia, after
passing Resolutions rlrdginc that
State to resistance, did, in February,
1850, pass solemn act to authorize
and require the Governor of the
State Of Georgia to call Convention
of the people Of that State and to sp,
ptopriatc money for the same. The
following preamble and first section
of the act will best exhibit its scope
and object.
Whereas, the non.slavcholding G
States have, for a series Of wears,
pcrscvcringly intcrtcrcd most w1yng.
fully with the institution az SLAVERY
at the South, by such yaggrcssNt 7
measures Of intolerance 4 to rcnl' |
it no longer 1ucs' ion oF;sloubt, that
the Federal Legislature will soon
adopt such restrictive measures
against the institutions of slavery at
the South, by such aggressive meas.
urcs against the institution Of slavery,
as to trammel. fettcr and confnc it
within certain geographical limits
never contemplated by the parties to
the constitutional compact; and ,
whereas Georgia, in her sovereign
capacity as State, has delegated no
other power to the Federal Govern.
mcnt, than those found in tho Con-
stitution of the United States, and
believing that her best interest and
her honor as sovereign and inde,
pendent government, require that
she should meet all cncroachmcnts in
a calm and manly spirit Of resist
ancc:
Be it enacted 5y the Senate and
House Of Representatives of the
State of Georgia, &C., That should
the Congress of the United States
pass any law prohibiting slavery OF
involuntary scrvitudc in any territory
of the United States, or any law
abolishing slavery in the District OF
Columbia, or any law prohibiting the