The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-12-28

states. Those states assumed the right of
deciding upon the propriety of our domestic
institutions. They denied the rights of pro-
perry established in fifteen states and recog-
nized by the constitution. They have de-
nounced sinful the institution of slavery;
have permitted all open establishment of So
cieties whose avowal and object are to dis
turb the peace and prosperity of the citizens
of other states; they have encouraged and
assisted thousands of our slaves to leave their
homes, and these who remain have been in
cited by emissaries, by books and pictures to
servile insusurrection. Twenty Eve years
this agitation has been steadily increasing,
until they have secured the power of the
common government. Observing the forms
oithe constitution, a sectional party has found
within that article, establishing an executive
department, means of subverting the cons,i-
tuition itself. A geographical line has been
drawn across the Union, and all states north
of that line have united in the elevation of a
man to the high office of president of the
United States whose opinions and purposes
are hostile to slavery. He is to be entrusted
with the administration of the common gov
eminent, because it is declared that a gov
eminent cannot endure permanently half
slave and half free, and that the public mind
must rest in the belief that slavery is in the
course of ultimate extinction. This sectional
combination for the subverson of the con-
stitution has been aided in the states by ele-
waiting to citizenship persons who, by the ST.
preme law Of the land. are incapable of be-
coming citizens, and their votes have been
used to inaugurate the new policy hostile to
, the South and destructive to its peace and
safety. On the 18th Of March next, this par
ty will take possession of the government
| 1t has been announced that the South shall
be excluded from the common territory; tina,
the judicial tribunals will be made sectional
that war must be waged against slavery until
it shall cease throughout the United States
The guarantees Of the constitution will then
no longer exist-equal rights will be lost
the slaveholding states will no longer have
the power of elt-government or self-protcc-
ton, and the federal government have be,
come their enemy. Sectional interests and
animosity will deepen the irration, ard al
hope of remedy is rendered vain by the fac,
that the public opinion of the North has in
vested the political error with the sanction
of more erroneous religious belief
We, therefore, the people of South Carroll
na,by our delegates in convention assembled
appealing to the Supreme Judge ofthe worlc
for the rectitude of our intentions, have sol
emily declared the union heretofore existin.
between this state and the other states of
North America, dissolved, and that the stat,
of South Carolina has resumed her position
among the nations of the world as free
sovereign, indel endent state, with full powe
to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances
establish commerce, and do all other acts ant
things which independent states may of RICH
do; and for the support of this declaration
with firm reliance for protection on Divir
Providence. We mutually pledge each othe
our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honol