The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1860-12-06
cnuEpM0R,s MESSAGE.


inc upon Federal affairs:
In obedience to the Resolutions passed
bv the General Assembly Of this State at
the last regular Session, expressing the
opinion that the eslaveholding States should
Immediately meet together to concert
measures for united action, and instruct
ing the Governor to appoint Commls-
sioner to Virginia, ''to express to the au-
thorities of that State the cordial sympa-
thy of the people of South Carolina with
the people of Virginia, and their earnest
desire to unite with them in measures of
common defence" and also to transmit to
all the Southern States an invitation to
meet in Convention, to consult and mature
measures for the safety and security OF
the South and their institutions, l imme-
diately appointed to that office the Hon.
G. G. Memminger, the mover of the Res
olutions, gentleman not only of high
character and literary attainments, but
who was generally regarded as the expo
nent of the opinions Of the conservative e
portion of the people Of this State. IL
was thought desirable to send Commls- Il:
sioner who would not only have the ablll-
ty to explain our position, and place us
in q proper light before the Legislature
and people ofVirginia, but who would by
his antccedcnts, convinced them that our
great aim and object in asking for con-
ference with our Southern sisters, was not
to plan dissolution of the Union, but to
save it, if possible, by insisting on salts
factory guarantees from the North, that
we were in future to be unmolested in our
persons and property, acknowledged as
equals in carrying our slaves to any ter
ritory belonging to the United States, ,and
having protection by the Federal Govern
ment against any attempt to interfere in
any way with this property. Mr.. Mem
minger was kindly received, Hospitality
entertained, and listened to with much at
tention, but his mastery and unanswera-
Bile argument before the Legislature and
people of Virginia failed to convince them
of the necessity of concerted action on the
part of the Southern States in Convention.
The State of Virginia thought proper to
decline the proposed conference Of the
Southern States, as will be seen by the
resolutions Of her General Assembly, here
with transmitted, and only Mississippi
and Alabama, of all the slaveholding
States, acceded to the proposal.
No such meeting Of the States has tax
en- place, as it was thought the number
agreeing to meet was too small to effect
the desired object, by producing that NOR
al effect which would unquestionably have
resulted from general meeting of the
States interested One of the Resolutions
adopted by Virginia in response to the in.
vitation Of South Carolina and Mississippi
to meet in conference, expresses the opin-
ion that "Virginia does not yet distrnst
the capacity Of the Southern States, by q
wise and firm exercise of their reserved
powers, to protect the rights and liberties
of the people, and to preserve the Federal
Union,' and for this purpose she desires
the concurrent action :" of the Southern
States; but she adds 'that efficient coop
GRAFTON will be more safely obtained by
such direct Legislative action of the screr-
al States as may be necessary and proper,
than through the agency Of an assemblage
which can exercise no legitimate power
except to debate and advise"
Thus we see that although Virginia had
strong hopes atthat time of preserving the
Federal Union, she was unwilling to re-
sort to any other way of effocting the OBJ
ject than by the separate action Of each
State, which, would have the effect of pro-
ducing the concurrent action Of all the
States Interested If, therefore, Virginia
is right us to the best mode of redressing
wrongs and obtaining the concurp 1T ac-
ton Of other States, it follows that the
seperatc action of each is the best method
ofgetting cooperation or concerted action
of the other States in any movement, and
it would therefore be wise in South Caro-
lima, in imitation of Virginia, to decline a
representation in "any asscmblage which
can exercise no legitimate power except
to debate and advise;" and in no assem-
blage whatever until by the ordinance of
her Convention she. has seeded from a
Union she once acceded to, and which
has proved q curse instead of q bless
ing.
The effort ofSouth Carolina to assemble
the Southern States, in the hope that the
North might be induced to pause and re-
trace their steps, by an earnest and unan-
imous protest against the course pursued
by them, and a notification that unless a
change of policy took place, the South
would be compelledto take the redress of
her grievances in her own hands, failed
on account of the refusal Of Virginia to
ioin in the movement; although her bor-
tders had been recently invaded, and, her
citizens murdered incold blood by band
of abolitionists, instigated to the deed by
the teachings of men of controlling infiu-
ence in the North. All hope, therefore,
of concerted action by Southern Con-
vention being lost, there is but one course
left for South Carolina to pursue, conss-
tently with her honor, interest and safety,
and that is. to look neither to the right