Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-10-08
Senator Chesnut's Speech.

We are grlti6cd to present IN c.cicnso
the speech of our cstccnclan distinguish
cd fellowcitzcn, Senator Chestnut, deliver,
cd oday, in compliance with the request
of his old personal and political friends of
the Town and District.
We are Indebted to the courtesy of the
honorable Senator for the opportunity of
presenting his speech to our readers at so
early period. He very properly gavu
his District paper the preference in its
earliest publication, and we are pleased tl
give the first and official announcement of
his views aud sentiments, as embodied in
this very able aud excellent production to
which we cheerfully and confidently invite
attention.
1t is hardly necessary that we should at
tempt an elaborate review, either by way nf
comment or illustrations 1t is too good a
whole to be disscctcd or hashod up. let
all read it, and Judge fur themselves. We
may, and perhaps ought, to give, however,
some of tho impressions formed upon our
mind inrclutivr thereto
In the first place, it is phinly evident
that Senator Chestnut is not of tho Nation
al Union ut all hazards school of politics
not ono who discovers no sigma of alarm
and near approaching dangcr--and who
srcady to cry peace peace when there
is no peace. llctlocs not believe that
We arc sailing OH sumnor's sea, with not
aripplc on the waters save that which DASH
cs from the Prov, as we press onward with
swelling sails, in the track of safe and
prosperous voyage" NJ. he cannot shut
| his eyes to the stubborn fact that breakers
I n ah nIf hot kl,n
ming storm are plainly VISIBLE" storm
whose raging may prove sufficient to crack
every rib i'll tue good old ship, to dash it
in pieces, and drive the diJcctu nnn,6yn
to exhibit new aihnities and assume new
powers"
! With statcsman's hand he sketches
the early history of our country, from its
embryo confcderacy, the obstacles which
met the trainers of the Constitution at the
Threshold of the Union--.the necessity
which even then existed for firm and per,
s'steDt dctcncc on the part of tho South,
OF her prrMiior tasttiHiiOn+---the mutual
concessions in order to eject the Federal
connection, and the very carly jealousics
and struggles between the two wings of
the American Union.
He successfully c1nbats the " old trick"
and sIandcr against the Soutl, of an enrly
AMI deep Justification, MS if tn a Constitu.
tional Union, and is wiiing tn let 3facts
! prove the trutlr--that our record is SECURE.
The South has always boon true to tho
letter and spirit of the Constitution, and
for the hope of peace aud to preserve the
Union, has submitted to gross injustice and
repeated outrage, until the North has come
to regard it as right to. do as her policy
and interest dictate. Tho Missouri. Com
promsc---swindlo it shonld be called--was
the boaycst blow which the South has ever
received ;it .wastrulya " degradingstigma,"
an "ignoblc Sacrifice" yielded and offered
up TO sAve tho Uhion. $40 propitiate n
grim idol, gave the incense of broken
Constitution and prostratc power"
by the result of tho controversy. the
STAKEHOLDER was forbidden to 60 with his
/ property North of tho limo established.
while the non-slayo- holder was permitted to
20 on either side; and: TO soften the dis
grace, the arrangement was called COM
promise. This was the first great triumph
of the foes of The Constitution and the
equality Of the States. The South having
the~p0wer to prevent, but weakly yielding,
must bear its full share of blans.' ,1s
Ever since, our foes have been gathering