The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-05-04

- v, W A''oy bSSOhiS, IHJu
rlous to our opn people, but not be-
cause Us, OF its injury to another people.
These maxims Of policy have guided
us thus far to honor, dignity, and
strength. Under them the country is
prosperous ut home and respected
abroad. To abandon them now,
would, be in the very wantoness of
power, to hazard in speculative phil
anthr"py, thc peace and welfare Of
whole people,
Gov. MEANS, in taking the chair, as
President of the Convention, delivered
the following very appropriate and
patriotic speech
Gentlemen of Me Conpcnton:
Although am fully aware thai |
am indebted more to my official sta
ton than to any merit of my own for
the distinguished honor you have con-
icrrcd upon Inc, yet must be permit
ted to express my profound gratitude
to You for having llouorcd that station
i'll my person. Cnaccustolncd as am
to parliamentary us;lycs, | should be
disposed to shrink from the position
you have assigned mo. but that feel
assured that will be sustained and
assisted in the discharge Of its duties
by the same kindness which has
prompted you to bcstow it upon me.
| While am fully alive to its response
bilit!os, | trust | feel still deeper the
solemn responsibility which rests upon
me rs 4 member OF this Convention.
We have met together clothed in the
sovereign power OF the land. The
voice of sthis Convention: when it
speaks, nNst be potential for good or
for evil. How much prudence, how
much caution and delibcration does it
become US to use before We actl 1t
Is useful for me to enter, into detail
of the peculiar circumstances under
| which VIC have met; Il mere allusion to
them is sufficient to bring to your
minds the fact that they are full Of en-
barrassmcnt. We certainly have Il
most delicate part to act; one Which We
cannot perform with credit to- our
selves, Or with honor to the State, un-
less we are buoyed by u devoted patri-
otisni above the petty considerations of
party STRIFE, OF personal ambition, or
which is even worse' and more to be
deprecated, vindictive feelings to each
other because We dulcr in\ opinion.---
The external circumstances by Which
We are surrounded ieariully adnonish
us that VIC have no strength 10 waste
in internal teuds. The very dangers
OF our position call loudly upon us to
be united. 5But, unfortunately for us,
and the grca. cause OF the South, we
are not unite. We have been divi-
dcd and dis'5acted by the eonvulsive
throcs of pan y strife. The great qucs-
ton of our Irongs has been forgotten
amid our wf"nSiinSs as the remedy.
While this state OF things exists
amongst us, the licndish tlnaticisn of
an abolition spirit, which tralnplcs all
law, both human and divine, under foot,
IS steadily moving forward towards the
accomplishment OF its end. If we in
tend not bascly to desert the cause in
which We have been 50 long engaged,
and finally submit to our degradation
and ruin, this tide of tlnaticsln must
be sooner or later met. AS dark as
arc the dangers which surround us,
still more gloomy are those Which
threaten us iroll our internal conlmo-
tloIs. II we are united, we need fear
no danger. The Justice of our cause.
and our own strong arms will be suili-
cicnt to protect us. Bat it. in the mad
aess of party strife, We fail upon each
other and forget the common enemy,
an easy victory will be accomplished
by them: IL victory which will bring
rum and disgrace upon us. The very
first object OF this Convention should
be to heal these divisions. will not
presume to suggest the course which
VIII he proper Tor YOU to pursue to nc
complisll this great object, and to main
tain the honor and dignity Of our be
loved State. This must be Il matter
OF consultation and dclibcration. The
intelligence, the patriotism, the digni-
~ Of this body is an earnest that their
course will be one Which will involve
II" sucrifce Of principle; one, the OBJ
Jcct o!' which will be to promote the
best interest of our State a deep
devotion to "ur country and its insli-
tntons should be the polar star To
guide us in our course. The arm of our
State, which Was recently strong and
ready To strike has been pur.Iyy,d
alone by our disscntions. Let us teal
them at once that with firm and united
strength We may meet the cnclnics of,