The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-05-30
From tie Lexington Telegraph.
nti.Refail Convention.

Our neighbor of the Caroilna Times has
written two long articles about this Convention,
in which he makes the broad and unqualified
assertion that, the proposed plan Of action laid
down by it, is unconstitutional, aati.rcpuJHcan,
and utterly at war with the long established
usages of Legislation in our State. Grave
charges these-in fact they seem quite startling
when it is known, that the lead of the Conven-
ton is the President Of the Appeal Court of
South Carolina, and of acknowledged legal
ability. Add to this the names of many gentle
men who belong to the legal profession, and
who stand deservedIy high in it, and who it
would seem ought to know and understand
something about the constitution, and as we
before said, We have startling announcement.
We think it little premature to express an
opinion as TO what will or what will not be
Constitutional, so far as this body, as yet have
shown their hands. If we understand anything
of it's action, it is, that committee has been
appointed, whose duty it shall be to memorial.
ze tie Legislature uyon the subject matter
which called the Conven ion together" In that
memorial we expect to see certain propositions
laid down, which we hope and believe will be
Constitutional, and which will be signed by
those citizens of South Carolina who will do
so, and then sent up to the Legislature. That
memorial we expect will contain the substance
at least Of Law which the mcmorialist desire
should be submitted to the popular vote Of
South Carolina.
And why object to the settlement Of the
question in this way! Because, says the Times,
it is unconstitutional and anti republican,
Better say, Mr.. Times, because it is antiaristo
crat. Strange system of reasoning we think
the Times submits in relation to what he be-
leves to be republican" that the people must
submit the making of all their laws to agents
by them constituted, in order that republican
ism should be preserved in its purity" and yet
he admits, that the people are the source Of
all power" The people we submthave right
to determine this matter for themselves. They
are the source of all power-they are the State
they are the Constitution and they have
the perfect right tomorrow if they see fit to
tear that sacred instrument into shreds and
scatter it to the four winds. We hope we
have as much veneraton for that sacred iustru-
ment as any man, but it is too late in the day,
to set up a paper and say to intelligent men, it
matters not how holy or just your cause, this
will stop you-t matters not whether blight
is passing over the land, leaving nothing but
desvlation, and death in its course, your efforts
to stay it are stopped by Mis-and if your
strong men should Le destroyed-your young
ones lured and enticed to ruin-your jaiis-
aims houses-poor houses and penitentiaries
filled with inmates-your wives made widows
and your children orphans, yet you must not
move for your hands are tied.
Ii it were indeed unconstitutional, where is
the man who has his country's good ut heart,
and in view of this mighty desolation which is
sweeping over the land, would not lat once say,
destroy it-let it no longer exist.
But suppose the people of South Carolina in
view of the deaths. which frequently occur by
Yellow Fever in our seaports, should hold a
convention and pass resolutions determining
10 memorable the Legislature to submit the
question to the people whether or not vessel
with the disease on board should be permitted
to land in Charleston o. at snr ai cur norsa-