The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-04-14

peachment Tor any crime, simply because
he has honestly and faithfully enforced
that lsw.
If the Southern States were to pass
laws, prohibiting any citizen of Massa
chusetts from recovering any debt or 9th
or property within their limits or with.
out such law should remove from office
every Judge who should rend : judgment
in suit in favor Of citizen of Massachu-
sets, Massachusetts, could not complain, but
the Union, with Massachusetts, would be
dissolved. Is i. not dissolved already, If the
Southern States chose so TO regard il? But
this is not all though this is enough to ex-
pose the danger; and the true question
ia, shall the South wait until the danger
overtake her, unprepafed then 10 meet i.
fully, and ward off its evils. Again
You are painfully sensible of the pro
tracted and excited struggle which has,
for several years, been in progress in re-
lation to the settlement and government
of the territory of Kansas. Finally, the
struggle seemed to have been terminated,
by the adoption Of Constitution for the
territory, 10 constitute it q State as soon
as admitted into the Union. With the
details Of that controversy we do no, pro.
pose to deal. We shall speak only .of.e
suits. When that Constitution was adop.
ted, it was transmitted to the President,
and, with noble patriotism, coming rs
he does from the North, aud with a faith
ful adherence to the constitutional opin
ions of tho States Nights party, he sub
mtted it to Congress, with the recon-
mendaion that it should be received by
it, and the State Of Kansas left to correct
the errors, il any were committed, or re
dress the wrongs, if any were perpetratcd
Of the territory Of Kansas; aud thus re
move the agitation Of slavery from Cor
gress, to whom 1t in no wise belongs to
deal with the question of slavery in any
form, and who can meddle with il only
for mischievous purposes, and in violation
OF its constitutional duty.
The consequence Of this act has been
the re opening not only Of all the sluiccs
of abuse aud ietraction of the South.
from more than one quarter, and espe
cialiy from the represen,i,e Of the great
State Of New York in the Senate, bv
whom it has been proclaimed, without
rebuke from any Northern Senator, that
we, the slaveowncrs Of the South are 10
be pursued from Maryland to Mexico,
and, if need be, in order TO strip us of a
home and shelter, across the Gulf Of Mex
leo into the Island Of Cuba, by the insa,i
ate appetite and voracious demands of free
labor; and the Supreme Judiciary is
20 be corrupted and degraded because
the present ilustrious bench has been
true to its oath and the Constitution
thus tn make our bondage sure by secu.
ring Az infamous approval Of vicious and
unconstitutional laws by currupt and
plant judiciary.
II these things shall continue, and he
persisted ia, every man mus preceive
that the alternatives presented to the
South will te rain, disgrace and bondage
on the one hand, or independence OF her
prosecutors and Oppressers on the other.
She will be compelled to assert her ina
lienable right, and refuse longer submiss
ion to the laws Of perverted Union pre-
tended TO be passed under Constitution
which has been not only desecrated but
destroyed. Whether the spirit which is
indicated by these events, will finally pre-
vail, and its purposes be consummsted
as far as Congress can consummate them
we will not, because we canuo!, predict.
We would humbly pray to God that they
may not not, for we would, If we could
'erpetuate the Union Of the States. under
he Constitution. as its immortal foanders
made it. We would prefer to die as we
nave lived, under one flag, with one
name; with the Constitution which our
oretathers conquered, and consecrated
With their blood, like the rainbow spar
hing our beloved country, still "the land
IF the free and the home Of the brave"
But it cannot be disguised, and must
not. Il it could, that the Free States, as
hey are called, constitute now the ma
ority, and upon their will, upon their
wisdom and patriotism it depends and
aot upon the will of the South, whether
he things which we have indicated shall
be done or not. But this we may and
must say, that the South is now forewar
iet, anu she VIII DO FecreHnL 10 herself,
and all the great hopes OF liberty andhap-
piness to the white man, and responsible
Tor much Of the i'll which may follow, If
She be not forearmed if she does no,
proceed, without delay, to provide all the
peaceful! and constitutional means within
her power, to place herself in condition
to meet the cricis when il comes.
First among these is the restoration Of
her commerce, and the encouragement OF
her own manufactures.
We urge you, therefore, most respect-
fully but most earnestly. to send dele
ga:es TO the approaching Convention at
Montgomery, and let them be Of your
ablest best tried, and most trusted sons
for the presence Of such is demanded
by the distempered state of the times and
the magnitude Of the interests to be con
sidered. Let not the sneers or denuncia.
tions ofyour opponents or your enemies
deter you, and shrink not under the cry
Of "Disunion."
The Convention will not consider the