The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-07-24
From the Albany Evening Journal.
Was it a Libel?

Was it a Libel?
"Mr Sumner, | have read your speech
twice 1t is libel on South Carolina and on
Mr. Butler, who is relative of mine
Charles Sumner did not libel South Caroli
na. Representing Massachusetts,, which fur
nshed TO the Revolutionary war, 83, ,O92 Con-
tnental troops and Militia, against 5.5O8 (?)
from South Carolina, it was suitable that in
repellirg the stale assumptions in behalf of
the latter State and her sister slave labor com.
munities. that republican liberty was won bv
the arms and treasure, by the patriotism and
good faith of the South, he should tell the
truth as it is in the keeping of history.
The record of the revolutionary stru ,gle
shows that South Carolina slavery weakened
South Carolina so that she was drag upon
the fight not only, but a perpetual point of
danger to the common cause--a constantly
open gateway tor invasion and general disas-
ter. Then, as now. she held foe in her bo-
som which crippled her capacity for offensive
war, and weakened her power of defensive
action-a foe dangerous to the Union, in its
exceeding dangerousness to an assailable
member Of the Union.
Mr.. Sumner two years ago gave the Senate
proof Of the imbecility of the Slave States, in
asmuch that in 1865 the six South Carolina
regiments, composing with the Georgia regl-
ment, the regular force of the Southern de-
partment did not muster oUer eight hundred
men. Ii was wholly impossible 10 fill their
ranks. In 1879. the Governor Of the State
which now grows Buffers, and produces
Brookscs and ketts, offered to stipulate to the
British commander the neutrality OF Cardinal
and leave it to the issue of the contest to set
tie whether she would belong to the King of
Great Britain, or to the Americans. After the
fatal u ut 10
battalion Ia the field in three Southern States.
The exaggeration of the resources of the
Slave States-their desItution--the savage
animosties existing among their people--theIr
social disorder and confuslon-the want of pa
triotic feeling among them, constituted the
themes of Gen. Greene's bitter and almost de-
spairing letters to members of Congress, to
northern Governors, and to Lafayette. Album
dant testimony upon the incapaclty and back
wardness of the Southerners in the revolution
ary conflict could be adduced from the North.
Partial it will be called, but no question Of
the veracity of Slave State witnesses called to
the stand on this point. Here they are:
There is not gentleman on the floor who
is stranger to the feeble situation of our State
when we entered into the war to oppose the
British Power. We were not only acahout
money, wihoW an army military stores.
but ace tcere feac IN number, and likely to be
ent0ngled wih our domestics in case the enc
my insaded us''-4Speech Of Burke, Of s. c.
-innaEs IF Congress. Vol 2, P. l484.
The committee appointed to take into con
sideration the circumstances OF the Southern
States, and the ways and means for their safe
ty and defence, report that the State OF South
Carolina Gas represented by the delegates OF
said State, and by Mr. Huger. who has come
here AT the request Of the Governor of the
said State, to explain the circumstances there
of is unable to make any etfectual effort with
the militia. by reason of the great proportion
of citizens necessary to remain at home, TO
prevent insurrection among the negroes, and
to prevent the desertion of them to the enc
nv: That the state of the country. and the
great number of these people among them,
expose the inhabitants to great danger from
the endeavors of the enemy 10 excite them to
revolt or desert '--Seeret Journal Continen-
tai Congress March 90. 1879, Vol !, p. 105.
Every addition they Georgia and South
Carolina) received to their numoer of slaves,
tends 10 weaken them. and render them less
capable of defence. ."--Hr. Madison IN De-
bate-4anals Of Congress, Iol /, p. $40.
The forces under command of Gen. Provost
marched through the richest settlements of
! the State, where are the fewest white Inhabl-
! tants in proportion 10 the number of slaves.
The hapless Africans, allured with the hope
of freedom forsook their owners, and repair
ed in great numbers to the Royal army. They
endeay ored to recommend themselves to their
new masters by discovering where their own
ers had concealed their property, and were
assisting in carrying it of. ."-Ramsay HIS
tory of South Carolina, Vol, 2, p. 5l2.
But the number of negro slaves dispersed
throughout these States was very great, SO
great as to render 1t impossible for the clti
zens 10 muster freemeD enough to Withstand
the pressure of the British arms. ."-Jtdge
Jotnson's (of s. O. Life Of Gsn Green.
! South Carolina is not peculiar in the cir
cumstances of her slave labor society which
made her so weak during the revolution. and
her whole territory open avenue of danger
10 the Americans struggling with Great Brit
ain for their freedom Il is the inseparable
and inevitable incident of slavery
The Hon. Philip A. Boiling, Of Bucking
ham spoke in the Virginia House of Delegates
ness OF every Southern man in respect to the
social insecurity resulting from the unnatural
relation Of master and slave: Nor does this
want OF confidence and feeling of insecurity
result from any craven fear. No sir. Ii re-
suits from the nobleSt feelings Of the human
heart. and is no partial feeliag but is felt by
all. Who that has mother. WIFE, sister oil
child, that has not felt when rejecting on thi:
subject, pangs little short of death9''
Republicanism in Kentucky.
The Hon c. B. Smith, of this city, made Re
publican speech in Richmond. Ind. few night
4 s;rre The next morning \ stranger s,eppsd up I.