Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-12-06


South Carolina must insist upon the i'm
plicit obedience of all her citizens, both
native and uaturalized, and no one can be
permitted to put his individual construc-
tion upon the relation he bears to the State
of his birth or adoption. The obligation
of the citizens 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 sovereign parties to it, and it follows
that upon the withdrawal of the State, the
obligation is no longer binding. The Sc
cession of State cannot, in the proper use
OF terms, be called revolutionary move
ment. 1t is true there will to some extent
be change of Government, such as dis
solving compact between sovereigus in
which it was stipulated that the citizens or
subjects of each State or nation should per-
form certain duties, which, before the a
greement of the high contracting parties
they were not required to perform, or ab-
stain from the exercise of certain rights,
which they have previously enjoyed but
this dissolution If a compact does not i'm
ply rebellion, which, if successful is revolu-
ton, and which, if unsuccessful, subjects
the citizens to punishment for committing
treason. Why are we at this moment citi-
zeus of the United States? Because South
Carolina in her sovereign capacity made us
so, by compact entered into with the 9th.
er States, which, when united, were called
the United States, and it follows that when
the power that ordered us to obey the Gov,
crnment of the United States, ard which
alone had ;he right 10 create that relation.
ship, releases us from that obligation by
Withdrawing from the league, our obedi
ence is no louger due to that Government
and our allegiance to the State as our law,
full sovereign is un9es'ionable and undi
vidsi.
The introduction Of slaves from other
States, which may not become members OF
the Southern Confederacy, aud particular
ly the border States, should be prohibited
by Legislative enactment, and by this means
they will be brought to see that their safety
depends upon withdrawal from their
enemies, and an union with their friends
and natural allies. If they should contin
ue their union with the non slaveholding
States let them keep their slave property
in their own borders; and the only alterna.
tive left them will be emancipation by
their own act, or by the action Of their con.
federates We cannot consent to relieve
them from their embarrassing situation, by
permitting them to realize the mouey 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. Bat should
they unite their destiny with us, and be
come stars iu the Southern galaxy-me.n
bers of a great Southern Confederation
We will receive them with open arms and
an enthusiastic greeting. Should, then,
danger approach their borders, or an enemy
open or disguised, make war upon them
there is not doubt but living rampant
of freemeu, from the Atlantic to the Gul
of Mexico, would line their borders and
beat back the invaders.
To dispense with the necessity, as much
as may be possible, of resorting to lynch law
and illegal executions, punishins offender:
against the peace of society and the safety
Of our citizens, would suggest the enact
ment of a law, Furnishing summarily anc
severely, if not with death, any person tha
circulates inceudiary documents, avows him
self an abolitionist, or in any way attempts
to create INSTRUMENTATION or insurrection u
mong the slaves If some act of this kline
is not passed, the people, goaded to mad
ness by the frequent attempts to disturb
their quiet and destroy their property anc
lives, will not, under excitement, be yer,
careful in measuring the punishment the,
inhict, and it is to be feared that the inuo
cent may suffer with the guilty, aud scenes
of violence and blood-shcd too frequentl,
occur. With the kuowled ge that there il
law to reach the cases, the legal tribunals
of the State will be first appealed to, aue
10 most cases their decision will be salts
factory to the people, made, as it will be
under oath and with time for reflection anc
examination.
There are many other amendments t'
the laws that suggest themselves to III,
mind such as requiring white man tt
reside at all times on any plantation, with
out regard to the number of hands;
change in the road laws, imposing tax il
the place of days work-the repeal of the
Usury Laws, &C., &c. but these are com
paratively unimportant, in view of the now
certain action of the Convention soon t
meet which will devolve on you the con
Struction Of government suitable to the
new order of things, with all its ramfica
tlons.
RESOLUTIONS The Resolution of the
General Assembly directing the Governor
to communicate to all the slaveholdins
States certain Resolutions adopted uuani
mously, expressing the opinion they should
immediately meet together to concert meas
ures for united action, was soon after the
adjournment acted upon, and copies of the
Resolutions sent to every Southern State
Mississippi and Alabama we're the only
States that agreed to meet South Caroline
in Convention, and as no delegates hac
been appointed by the Legislature, die
not feel authorized to make an appoint
ment without there had been general a
greement of the Southern States to meet