The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1860-09-18
MIR. shannon's Reply.

l{3&$1 Tile duOpClOn ol IDC We'll hHoHh
s. eciated "Majority Platform" with
E + i8 ion upon it, as a great triumph
s 4; the part of the South, and sin
That it may prove one in great
a hnphs. The principles Of the plat
s j as they relate to the great qurs-
ER& day, contain all the elements Of
s s honor to the South; and these cali
embody and represent these principles
I'D names that have wortllily won and Worn
sullied honors on the battlefield and in the
knate House.
~ Second lin the event of the election Of
Lincoln and Hamlt,, would you favor the i'm
#yeeiiate secession of the Southern States, or
kprefcr to wait for an overt act'!"
- 7 -anhesitatingly reply, that ! am in favor of
= sinsmediate formation of a Southern Con-
aesscs, ason the happening of any such con-
8fngcncy, have so felt and 50 expressed my
elf ever since tie FIRST nomination Of 4 Black
Republican candidate for the Presidency
covert Acts generally prtceele a declaration
8ok war, and surely, in this case, We have had
akoyert acts" enough. The murdcrous invasion
l3bf yirgiuia by the myrlnidons of this party
|he refusals OF other States to give up to JUS
5 Ice parties implicated, and the more recent
onspiracics in Texas and other States, would
have furnished cause of war between any OF
Lie civilized powers of the world, aud cannot
tolerated without yielding everything dear
In free people Nor is the declaration Of war
hitting; the watchworls Of this .mefarious
BIZ, are afrcedom to the slave" "the knife
be MASTER" and the platform of the party
carry death and dcsolation over the
South. The Lexington and Concord of
56B war have been passcd-lct lis have al
ding peace, or let Bunker Hill and Fort
ultric ensue
What shall VIC wait for' The inauguration
Black Republican President, with a Con-
( bof his party-places the army, the navy
tLe Treasury at his disposal-pledged to
destruction, while the occurring vacancies
he Supreme Court will be filled by Black
ahlicans, and this !a.leposl,cs our last bull
and can sec Es Sasive for postpone
9: the issue, os-z% the tlnd one OF
of danger instinct with the
9lfe 6StaaaSS a!S hitS its, ESanS s!a!.
4 Ne be so craven asItNc adjourn this question
to posterity, and, Instead of the heritage OF
freedom which We received, transmit to our
children chains and shackes Impossible.
The South cannot consent to exhibit the hrst
instance of entire degradation of the Anglo
Saxon race. One thing further / must say, as
have often said during the past year, or
anorc: 1t is most unfortunate that any pnOllc
suan should counsel submission to Black Rc-
nublcan rule Such course is worse than
voting for Black Republican; it is worse
than an Abolition vote; and it is certainly tar
worse than disunion vote; for who suPposcs
for an instant, that the North would dare to
elect Black Republican President, If they
supposed that disunion would be the consc-
.auencc' and who among lis doubts that dis
union must and will be the necessary eonse-
quencel And yet public men at the South
counsel waiting AMI watching, and every sncli
letter or speech is published all over the North,
giving aid and comfort to our deadest foes,
causing hundreds and thousands to vote for
Black Republicansm, which as disun'o",
who dare not do so, but that they calculate
upon this encouragement given to them by
the timid counsels OF Southern men. Could
any man do so much harm by roting for a
Black Republican President:
These preceding questions l have hurrIcdl',
but mcst cheerfully, responded to. They are
the great questions Of our age, and in them arc
cnrolyed the destiny, not only Of our country,
ourselves aud our children, but of the human
family. But l must confess that come to
) the consideration Of the remaining interroga-
tories with regret and pain. | cannot sec why
they have been introduced into this canvass.
Not only have all the candidates been fully
committed upon the matters concerned, but
the geographical position Of each, with the
evident interests of far the larger portions OF
the District. surely point both to the interest
of the individual and the duty of the Repre-
sentative. Further, at this time, regard the
discussion of this question as probably idle, as
in my Judgment, the. impending political and
financial difficulties will settle these matters
for some time: but as they are brought into
Consideration, have taken position upon them
ms candidate just as | did as an individual,
sorI find no divided duty | shall class and
ansyer these interrogatories together, for, al
though Interpretations now come from other
s5arties, yet the question: involved are almost
iieatical with those considered; in this connec-
ZION, carly IN Spring and Summer, and I have
no views to express other than those then en-
tertained.
Sd. sWiIl You vote for charter, and with
it aid from the State, to build the projected
Central Rail Road of South Carolina!"
4th. "Arc You in favor Of granting charter
to the contemplated Rail Road from Gourdius
station, or any other point on the Northeast
crn Rail Road, to connect with the Charlotte
s. South Carolina Rail Road at or about Eidg
way, riu Camdcn?"
If the proposition contained in the first in
terrogatory should come before the Legislature
unembarrassed by other complications, it would
be, in the event of sufficient funds existing to
insure the building Of the road, difficult to find
tenablc grounds to resist the application for
q cltuyter but when a rival scheme is present
ed, which proposes to build road to Lancas
ter and tile North Carolina connections, in
such manner as will benefit five-sixths of the
population of the District, and yet am expect
ed to @yote for charter and with it aid from
the State" to road destructive to the inter.
,csts of very large portion of the District, |
must be allowed, respectfully, to say that, with
my opinions ON this subject, would be false
TO the convictions of my mind and to the
promptings of duty to do so. | know neither
principlc nor precedent that would justify tax
ing the citizens of the northern, middle, south
crn and western portions of the District, to
ths;r own detriment and for their own ruin,
for the benefit Of the extreme eastern portion
or The District; nor have any idea that or