Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1855-12-06
NO.. 4S.

within her limits, such police laws as she may
deem essential to the public safety, is right
which South Carolina will never submit tothe
arbitramcnt Of any tribunal on earth. She
does not Eoll this right By virtue of written
parchmcnts, and she recognises no restraint IN
its exercise but such as is imposed by her own
sense Of justice and propriety. So long as this
right was questioned, and any disposition man
il;,s i to interfere with its exercise, South
Carolina resolutely maintained her ground;
and both the principle and the law stand fully
vindicatcd in the public estimation. Now that
the subject is free from the embarrassment
which the proceedings referred to threw around
it. and our right to pass the law is no longer
disputed, trust that the public mind is prepa-
red to consider the question calmly and dlspas-
.ionately 1t is not necessary that L should
recur to the circumstances out of which this
law originated, nor remind you Of the very
great change which has taken place both in our
ability and facility to meet the very emergen-
cy against which the law was intended to guard.
However much it may have been demanded
by prudence, or justified by necessity, do not
think that our safety requires law of such
unrclenting and indiscriminate severity, and L
have no idea that our cherished institution
would be endangered by its modification. If
the object of the law is to prevent the intro
duction Of an inccndiary element among us,
then it would not be difficult to show that in
its practical operation it furnishes an easy
means for its creation and Development
AS the law now stands, colored aeamen who
may visit our ports, either in the pursuit Of
their lawful vocations, or be driven into them
By stress of weather, are seized by the sheriff,
conveyed as felons through the public streets,
and finally incarcerated in the common Jail, to
await the departure Of their vessel, whether it
be immediate or deferred. While in prison
they are brought into contact with our own re-
fuse population, 1t would be strange indeed
if men thus summarily deprived of liberty and
comfort, without the pretcnce of fault COM
mitted, did not inveigh against a state of socie
ty which thus degrades them, and endeavor to
excite the refractory spirits among whom they
are thrown. Viewed in this light, the law
certainly fails of its end. The remedy is worse
than the disease it seeks to cure.
recommend that the law be so modified az
to permit colored seamcn, the subjects of for
eiga nations, to remain on board their vessels,
to be allowed to land whenever the duties Of the
vessel may require it, upon their receiving
written permit to that effect from the Mayor
of the port and that while on land they be
subjected to the ordinary restrictions applied
to the native colored population. Such mod
ifcation would relieve the law of all its harsh
ness without compromising our right or en-
dangering our domestic quiet. Should our
confidence which comedies thus much to those
who seek to cultivate friendly relations with
us, be abused, and the modified law be found
to work badly, it will always be under the con-
troll of the Legislature, and can bf as easily re-
peaed as passed. Slavery has fddrcer assaults
to guard against than any likely to arise from
allowing few colorcd cooks and stewards to
land on our shores 4; and We weaken rather
than strengthen the institution by attempting
to hedge it around with any such feeble props.
While white aboitionists are permitted to come
and 60 among us with impunity, we may tol-
crate the occasional or accidental presence of
a few free negroes from "eign countries who
have neither the intelligence nor the disposi.
tion to harm or disturb US The efforts which
fanaticism has made to overthrow the institu-
ton, have thus far served but to strengthen it
in the confidence and affections of our people.
While We continue to discharge our true obli-
cations to our slaves, their loyalty and fidelity
will remain unshaken. The colorcd hireling
who may visit us willsee much in their condi-
ton to envy He may realize the important
truth that liberty, shorn of all its rights, is but
Il miserable boon compared with their substan-
tial comforts and happy existence.
herewith transmit resolutions from the
States of Rhode Island and Connecticut. 1
received certain resolutions from the State of
Massachusetts, which returned to the Gov
ernor of that State Had Massachusetts, con-
fined herself to resolutions expressive of her
feelings and purposes in relation to slavery,
impertinent as [ may have regarded them, I
would have received them with indifference,
and transmitted them without comment; but I
consider the acts of her late Legislature as an
insult and an outrage upon every member of
the confederacy, who has right to demand
the enforcement of tn Fugitive Slave Act
y State whose Legislature deliberately, un
blushingly impiously, violates her constitution
al obligations, and whose people resist the exc
cution Of law, even to the shedding of blood,
is not entitled to comfy from us and 1 feel
that / would have betrayed the dignity of my
trust had [ hesitatcd to afix on such conduct
the seal of my official condemnation. The in
terchange Of civilities with people who feel
it to be no dishonor to prevent the recovery Of
stolen property, will hardly reclaim the faith.
less, and is incompatible with the respect
which honesty owes to itself.
The agitation in relation to slavery contin-
ues to increase, and is rapidly tending to its
bloody termination. Measures which it was
hoped by some would give quiet to the coun-
try, and dignity to its deliberations, have SER
we'd but to rcdoube the efforts and augment
the power of abolition. Civil war is direfuI
calamity, but its scourges are to be endured in
preference to degradation and ruin. The peo.
pie of South Carolina are alive to the issue,
and are mindful of their obligations They
are calm because they are prepared and self.
I'M