The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-08-31
MISCELLANY.
Public Meeting.

In pursuance Of public notice, a very
large and highly respectable meeting Of the
citizens OF Charleston in favor of State
Rights, Southern Rights, and opposed to
the Political Association known as the A
american Party or Know Nothings, assem-
'blcd at lliberniau Hall, OH "Wednesday eve
ming, August 10, 1855.
w. Mckensie Parker, Esq. called, the
meeting to order, upon whose motion the
following gentlemen were elected officers:
Presidcmt.-W. d. Porter
picc P,rsulen'&.-lIon Jacob Bond
Ion, Hon. Wm. Aiken, Hon. $. w. Bark
rl, III. a. DcSaussure, Thomas Lclrc Hon.
1. l.. Hutchinson, VIM. NJ. Lawton, Geo.
IL. lngra'iam, Hon. Alcx'r Mazyck. Wn.
i. Finley, John Ii. Tucker, Hon Edward
Frost, II. W. Pcronncau, Hon John Schn-
erie, James NJ. Eason, james II. 1:apicr,
James NJ. Stockcr, Dr. f. Gcddin"s, DR..
Jhos. \. Sinons, VIM Lobby, Otis Mills.
Joshua Lazarus, Daniel II"ywarl, Wm. H..
Houston, w. Alston l'rn~lc, James b. Hey:
ward, w. Mckenzie Parker, Henry IiorI-
beck, Col. L. @. Elliot
iSccrctur;es.-C. Richardson Miles. +.
Tatnal Paine: L. II. Locke, G. A. F61lin.
Mr.. Porter, upon taking the Chair, all
dressed the n!cctin" at some length upon
the objects for which it had assembled, and
ably and scarcliingly reviewed the prnci.
pies aud purposes Of Know No,iIinyisln.
Hon. !. ". llayne rose, and after few
preliminary remarks. submitted for the con
si,leration Of the meeting the following hd-
dress and Resolutions
ADDRESS.
When South Carolina, after Il lou.. peri
'',l Of political excitement, settled past dif-
:crenccs, aud through consti;u,;ouu!Iv OF
,y'snzcI CONVENTION, proclaimed to the
world the principles which were held in
common by her sons, and in her sovereign
capacity defined her position in regard to
the Federal Union, VIC iad hoped that, for a
time at least, she mi ight be sparc. further
agitation and party distraction. To the al
]eyiancc OF her citizens we trusted for uni
formity Of principle at home, and we felt
assured that her sister States OF the South
would know where to find her in time Of
need. We desired only to keep the ship Of
State fast at her noorin@s. We did not
seek progress !; but simply to maintain stead
>fastly, the position taken by the highest au-
thority known to our Institutions. South
Carolina, we had hoped, would in quiet DIG
nifty, "biLc her time, for further action.
1t is now manifest, however, that party
organization has become necessary to re-
sist Il new political combination, known as
the Order of Know Noil,ings, but lately as
suming for themselves the name Of the ~
mcrican Pary'-a party which, i'll the IA
pidty Of its growth, and Success OF its early
movements, having outstrppcd the numcr-
ous fanatical developments in the Free
States, has reached our State, and has in
troduccd Into it principles and practices,
new, dangerous and dstracting Notwith-
standing its professions, it practically rcpu-
dates the fundamental principles of civil
and religious liLerty-rejccts the right Of
free diseussion--denics the inestimablc bless
;i1,g Of freedom of conscience e-s;,crficcs per
sonal independence the subvcr-
sion of the Rights of the States as sovereign
members Of this Coniedcracy-and, in its
assertion Of the indisputablc and rightfml
sway of the majority, annihilatcs the indc-
pcndcnce, safety, and welfare Of the slave
holding States.
1t then becomes as We, conceive, the I'M
pcrativc duty Of all WHO regard the prcscr-
vation and faithful construction aud enforce.
mcnt of the Constitution of these United
States, as high political duty, who are re-
solved to maintain the rights of the States,
and particularly of the Slayeitolding States,
as incidents of their sovereignty, and the po-
litical rights and privileges, as we'll Of the
people as Of the States, as set forth in the
Constitution Of the Union, and in that Of
the State Of. South Carolina, to array them
selves, not in secret, but openly; not bound
together by oaths, but by the strong ties
which unite those who have enjoyed the
rich blessings Of Civil Freedom and Reli-
gious Tolcration; not for the advancement
OF selfish purposes, but for the good of the
communities in which they live, and Of the
State to which they belong; not by the or
der of any Grand Council, but in obedience
to their own free and generous impulses :;
not subject to control, except sach as the
cstablishedlaw Of their country, and their
conscientious convictions Of duty, may sug-
gest-in opposition to this combination,
now styling itself ~Ghe American Party,'
in order that its course may be stayed; the
manifold evils it has produced, and will pro!
duce, be abated; its unwholcsome effect on
the moral character of our State be re-
moved, and the blighting curse of political
prescription, and religious intolerance, for
ever averted. : a% ~
RESOLUTIONS.
]. Resozucd, That ns citizens of the State
Of South Carolina, weIeeognize sthe# Ordi;
nance adopted by the People OF the State