Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-04
From the Charleston Mercury, May LIST.
Adjournment of the State Convention

<1uJo~iHMtHt " Wc Aotutc COUUeH2On.
The Convention adjourned finally at quarter
past six yesterday evening. Its whole action is
embodied in the Report of the Committee of
Twenty-one, which we publish this morning in
the regular proceedings. That report, the tele-
graph informs US, adopted, by yeas 1876, nays
10. 1t embraces, 1st, a resolution to the effect
| that the State has good cause to secede from the
Union, and forbears to do so only from motives of
expediency; and I'd, an Ordinance, declaring and
ordaining the right of secession prerogatve of
the State, TOR the exercise OF which any time she
is accountable only to God and the public opinion
| of the world.
| 10 many, this may seem but barren result of
a session which has been1 so long looked for
ward to with solicitude, and WHICH was once
thought to involve the disruption of the Confede-
racy. Let us not, however, too hastily decide that
the Convention has not done all that was in its
power to do effectually. For no one will say that
there would have been wisdom or patriotism in
enacting measures that either aimed at no defined
result, or that carried within them the seeds of
their own sure decay. We do not say that this
was the character of one or all the measures that
had been suggested. But we know that it was the
settled conviction of many of the most earnest
among those who had advocated secession, that
any halfway measures would effect no valuable
object, and would bear the appearance of an at
tempt to hide the retreat of the State 1t is clear
orty of the party; at least, that they believed
more could be gained for S. Carolina by reconcl-
iation of parties the broad basis of solemn
actment, looking to her protection in the future
than by any imperfect measures of redress for past
wrongs. A decision made with so near an approach
to unanimty by the representatives of our party,
carries with it too much respectable authority, that
we should oppose it. This act of the Convention
is now the supreme law for us and for all, and we
bow before its authority.
In regard to the past, then, the Convention has
done nothing, only to make it the starting
pont-the occasion and the justification of its pro-
vision for the future. But in regard to the latter,
we look upon its action as full of import 1t has
ordained and enacted the right of State Secession;
and though this ordinance does not invest the
State with power which it had not before, yet
it gives new character and efficiency to itby put
ting it in the form of decaratory enactment and
thus clearly making it part of the supreme law of
the State. 1t is now one of the parts of our Con-
stitution, the guardianship and enforcement of
which is entrusted to the Legislature
Not only is this great step towards making the
action of the State free, speedy and effectual in
the event offuture aggressions, but it might even
be doubted whether in thus leaving the action of
the Legislature SO absolutely unrestricted, pru-
dence has not been slightly at fault. We take it
for granted here that the amendment of DIR. Bel
linger, which both required two-thirds vote of
the Legislature and previous notice to the other
States, was not adopted, althoug we have mol posi-
tive information. We think that amendment
was desirable restriction on the exercise of SO
momentous power as that of seeding from the
Union; but must rest in the conviction that SO
grave responsibility will never be used.