Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-11-10
From tho Charleston Mercury.
SPEECH
HON. JAMES II. HAMMOND,
BARNwELL c. H, S. c., OCTOBER 29, 1858.

uEL1FE AL
BARNWELL c. H., S. c., OCTOBER 29, 1858.
thank you very sincerely for this kind and
cordial reception. To stand here and speak to
tie people of Barnwell reminds me Of times
long gone by. have done it, believe, but
once in more than twenty years. But those
were stirring times when, quarter of centu-
ry ago, so often spoke to you here of the Con-
stitution and the Union-of your rights and
wrongs in this oonfederacy. No, not to you,
but to your fathers. I am, indeed, happy to
recognize in this sssemblage many who were
actors in those scenes; but many, many more
have been summoned hence, while you have
grown up to supply their places. The gallant
spirits who then surrounded me here, and whose
kindling eyes and heaving bosoms animated and
responded to my speech, have for the most part
passed away; but the theme is still the same;
and it is my part to-day, adherng with un-
changed conviction and undated zeal to every
principle then maintained, to discourse upon
the same great topics. Our battle then was for
the Constitution and our Rights, in the Union,
if possible-out of it, if need be. And this is
our battle now.
The lapse of thirty years has brought much
experience to the survivors of those who enlisted
for this great cause in South Carolinn. The
veil of what was then the future-a future COW
cred with angry clouds and doubt and darkness
ehas been removed, and looking back, we now
see the events of long years which were unknown
to US. The hard fought fields; our chequred
fortunes; our victories; our defeats; the dead,
the living, all then deep buried in the womb OF
time, are now all clear and palpable. And to
those of us who have been spared to make this
retrospect, it is proud satisfaction to know,
that time and events have proved that our prin-
ciples were true and our cause just; to recog-
nize the unAinching courage and over-powering
ability with which they have been so long
maintained, and to feel renewed assurance that
they must finally and fully triumph.
Your fathers copfded in me from the first
moment that we met upon thiSspot. They took
me in their arms and lifted me into all the high
places that were within their reach; and have
had many proofs that they taught you to con-
16de in me as they had done. For this great
and generous and abiding confidence and trust,
/ never knew but one reason and that was,
that always told them the truth according to
my best knowledge and belief And as dealt
with them, shall deal with you. Sr
The last Legislature Of the State conferred on
me the high honor OF q seat in the Senate Of
the United States, and during the late stormy
session Of Congress, inspart represented you
there: You will expect me 70 gIve< you some
account of tho proceedings there, and most
especially Of those which occupied four-tifths of
the time of the session, and produced such great
excitement throughout the country. alludc
to the Kansas question. And Us no exception
has been taken, so far a: know, to any act Of
mine, save my course on that, will take this
occasion to give my views in full upon it.
When, four years ago, the Kansas and Ne
lbraska act was passed, giving governments to
those territories, was, like most of you pri-
vate citizen. was earnestly engaged in reno
Yating old lands, and creating new out of mo-
RAISES hitherto impenetrable, and | had as little
desire or expectation of ever again taking part
in public affairs, as the least ambitious Of you
here present. made up my mind then that
this bill wa; fraught with delusion and trouble
to the South, and so expressed myself on all
suitable occasions.
The bill had two leading features in it. 1t
enacted that every territory, in forming its con-
.stitution for the purpose of applying for admis-
establish its own organic or constitutional laws,
and come in with its own institutions, with the
single condition that they should be republican.
Why, unless our constitution is mere waste pa
per, all our institutions shams, and our theory
of selfgovernment fallacy, this principle and
privilege is their essence; lies at the bottom OF
the whole, and constitutes the corner stone. 1t
Is the very right for which our fathers fought
and made a revolution. l might not have TO-
fused to re-affrm it-but it was supererogato-
~; it might we'll weaken the whole structure
to dig up, for the purpose of verifcation, its
foundation.
he other feature of the bill was the repeal
oe .ho Missouri Compromise line. That was
o,,saJ,, I -. pealed. 1t had long fulfilled its mis-
s;a 7. /, calmed the trouble waters for a
s;uD suu' r. n,as ,bseete until the annexation Of
Taxas T. whon ws nceded to the demand to ex-
tend it through the nortnern oeser1S S.Se Gl tnat
State. But when Cal. 'faa calleLoaoll,a . -, oiama
that should have been, n,ay yes ~. uo, s.a.e
State-and we demanded to, !enu 49, tuas I'M ',,ie :"
the Pacific and thus secure l, LUG ,""Lasod UvI.n
portion of tue magnificent terrific. p.sna.u -"
in palt by her blood and treasure, - "as ~.
fused. Then that line was blotted ou. 'seay
where and forever. 70 repeal it was n,eIe Isi'.
formality. The Supreme Court has rece..
pronounced it unconstitutional, and SO the II
peal was, in no respect, of any Importance.
But this bill, with these two features, neither
of them of any practical Importance, lnagnified
and exaggerated by orators and newspapers into
great southern victory, led the South into the
delusion that Kansas might he made slave
State, and induced it to join in false and use
less issue, which has kept the whole country in
turmoil for the last four years, and gave fresh
life and yigor to the abolition party.
Through the most disgusting, as well as tragic
scenes of fraud and force, the Territory Of Kan
sas at last came before Congress for admission
as State, with what is known as the Lecomp-
ton Constitution, embodying slavery among its
provisions. But ut the same time the conven-
ton, by an ordinance, demanded of the United !
States some twenty-three millions of acres OF
land, instead of the four millions usually allowed
to new States containing public lands. 1t was
almost certain that majority of the people OF
Kansas were opposed " this constitution, but
would not vote on it; and this additional nine
teen millions, which, if allowed, would proba-
bly, have kept them again from the recent POLLS
was what the South was expected to pay for
that worthless slavery clause, which would
have been cnnulled as soon as Kansas was ad-
nitted. [ confess my opinion was that the
South herself should kick that constitution out
of Congress, But the South thoughtOtherwise.
When the bill ior its adoption was framed, with
what is called the GREEN Proviso, strenuously
objected to it, and felt very much disposed to
yo:s against tho whole, but again gave up to the
.S,uth, which accepted it by acclamation. II
lat proviso meant nothing, and SO interpreted
it, it was nonsense and had no business there,
being without precedent. II it could be made