Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-12-08

sponsiblc duties of the Office are not perform |
cd by the one chosen by the Legislature on !
account of his fitness and qualifications, but
by man chosen by the Urcasurer, and res
ponsible to him alone; aud although the
Treasurer for the faithful perfoI hancc of the
duties of his Office, yet the mischief done by
the deputy may be irrcmcdiablc, the State
suffer, and the officer be ruined
The law prohibiting masters from permit
ting negroes to hire their own time and
make contracts, should be so amended, and
such penalties attached to its violation, that
no one would venture to disregard it, With
out suggesting the particular penalty, would
recommend that both the owner of the slave
and the party that hires him or her. should
be punished by fine or imprisonment, accor-
ding to the mitigating or aggravating cir
cumstanccs that attend the case. Some in
convenience will no doubt arise from such an
enactment, and it may be necessary to make
some exceptional cases; for instance, the ex-
press or Implied contract with a black porter
to carry your trunk or carpet bag, or 90 on
an erund; but this may be DONE and yet
much good result from the general law on
the subject.
1t not unfrequcntly happens that slave
mechanics hire white men to work under
their direction, and for their benefit. and thus
instead of exercising control over that class
OF population, some are placed under oulica-
tons to them This state of things should
not be permitted there must be Il distinc-
ton between the races, as marked us their
! different colorS, it must be distinctly and
universally understood that the white is the
governing race, without an exception, and
without regard to disparity of intellect, merit
or requirements
The general rccogntion by the citizens Of
South Carolina of their allegiance to the
State, and that obedience to the Federal
/ Government ceases as soon us the State with
draws from the Union and asserts her SOW
crciguty, satisfies me that she will have no
traitors in her limi,s; but IA wise prccaution
can result in no harm, aud may be the means
of advertising our people that if any of them
should be SO iorgcttul of their duty to their
sovereign and so reckless of her displeasurc
as to disregard her ordinances, or obey any
other commands than those of the constituted
authorities of the State, they will be dealt
with as traitors OF the State, they will be
dealt with us traitors and punished accord
ingly In vicw therefore, Of such contin-
gcncy, some Legislation may be necessary in
more particular deiiying treason to the State,
ii0d HHi&ihg tie propGr TIIiishrHTSGEfT for the
offence. South Carolina must insist unon
the implicit obedience of all her citizens
both native and mtulaized and no one can
be permitted to put his individual constuc
tion upon the relation he bears to the State
OF his birth or adoption The obligation of
the citizen of South Carolina to obey the
laws of the Federal Government was created
by the act of the State entering the Union
under the compact entered into by the SOW
creign parties 70 it, and it follows that unon
the Withdrawal of the State, the obligation
is no longer binding. The secession of a
State cannot, in the proper use OF the term
be called revolutionary movement 1t is
true there will to some extent be change of
government, such as dissolving n compact
between sovcrcignS in which it was stipulated
that the citizens or subjects of each State or
nation should perform certain duties. which
before the agreement of the high contracting
parties, they were not required to perform,
or abstain from the exercise of certain RIGHTS,
which they have previously enjoyed; but
this dissolution of compact does not imply
rebellion, which, if successful, is revolution,
and which, If unsuccessful subjects the cit
izcns to punishment for committing treason.
why arc sc at this mom"nt citizens of the
| United States. Because South Carolina in
hcI sovereign cdpaclty maze us so, by COM
pact entered into with the other States.
which, when united, were called the United
States, and it follows that when the power
that ordered us to obey the Government of
the United States, and which alone had the
| right to create that relationship, release MS
from that obligation by Withdrawing from the
league, our obedience is no longer due to that
Government, and our allegiance to the State
as our lawful sovereign is unqucstionable and
undivided.
The introduction Of slaves from other
States, which may not become members of
the Southern Coniederacy, and particularly
the border States, should be prohibited by
Legislative enactment, and by this means they
will be brought TO see that their safety de-
pends upon withdrawal from their enemies,
and an union with their friends aud natural
allies. If they should continue their union
with the nslavcholding States, let them
keep their slave property in their own bor
ders, and the only alternative left them will
6e emancipation by their own act, or by the
action of their confcderates. We cannot con-
sent to relieve them from their embarrassing
situation, by permitting them to realize the
money value for their slaves, by selling them
to us, and thus prepare them, without any
loss OF property, to accommodate themselves
to the Northern free soil idea But should
they unite their destiny with us, and be-
come stars in the Southern galaxy-membels
OF great Southern Confederation-we will
receive them with open arms and an entlusi |