Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1860-12-07
VOLUME VUI.---NO. 81.

j., o.s.nlJ,oe whatever. until by the ordi-
n..nr. If b.r Convention she has s,ceded
fr',,,, Ir,;on which she once acce,leA to.
49,, ,,,,i,l has nr,v.d a curse instead of q
,,I.ss;r,,
Th. r,r, nc S,u.b Carolina to assemble
IN. S,,,,I,.r, S..,.s in the hone that tho
N,,..h ,,,;,,h, H., ;,,,,n,cd IN nausa and re-
,r.,,.. ,,o;r .,,,s hv nm earnest and uuani.
! mons nr,,es, n,nir,t the cvnr:e rurued by
them and y arc,i,.i;,t:.n that unless change
Of ,oli,v tool, plar.,h. South would be com.
| p.Icd 10 axe H.. ,c.I:css Of her s-rirya,ces
| in her own hands, failed on arcoun, Of the
refusal Of Virginia t. join in the movement;
) although her borders had been recently in-
va,!rd and her citizens murdered in cold
hlood hy band "f al"lniouis's instigated
! to the decd hv the teachings of men Of
c"nirolt;ng influence in the North. All
hope, therefore. Of concerted action by =
Southern Convention s'"lng lot. there IS
bu, one course left for South Carolina to
! pursue, consistently with her honor, in
ter"st and safety, aud that is TO look neither
10 the right nor TO TIE lett, but 20 straight
| forward to the coasut.i:na;lon of her pur-
pose.
1t is too late now to receive propositions
| for a confer. nee and the State would be
waiting in scfrcspec,, :.i:cr having delibe-
ratelv decided on her con,se, to entertain
any rrn,,u>,,iou looking To :. continuance
in the present Jnin. We can get no
better nr safer guarantee than the present
Constitution, and that has PROVED; i,npo,ent
to protect us against the lanaticisn of the
North. 1he Institution of slavery must"he
under the exclusive control OF those directly
interested in its preservation, and not left
to the mercy af those that believe it to 10
their duty 10 destroy II.
The tone Of tho Notlern press has great
ly chrged since the unanimous aud deter
miucd action Of South Carolina. Hereto.
fore. it was supposed by our enemies that
we were divided a;tl distracted a: home,
and that in consequence Of our division the
scenes OF 1851 would be reenactrd. and
the STATE would finally acI1iesce III Black
Republican rule, or at best, that some>
thing les than secession would ce adopted
and our energies exhausted, in fru'tless ex-
re1'ents and unav;ailirg threats. Now
that the nnwelcome conviction forces its-
'olf upon them that we have counted the
cost and find nothing so nto!erahle as
voluntary slavery, and that we are not to
tie deferred !.om tie assertion and maln>
tenance Of our rights by the threats OF
Federal hnyunets, or the unmeaning and
>enSe'e-s aiSnlav Of Wide Awake proces.
slons, formldahle only to the capitalists
and conservatives of their own sactlon,
they begin to change their tone, and ap.
peal to ,s, rather as pnpp'iants than aa
. conquernus. TO save a Union from. which
; iley Lave reapel rich harvest of profit
and honor, and the South has OILY Known
by its "xactions.
Thev havo bhen deaf to the voice Of
reason and consaneuiuitv they have dis
. regarded the cnunsels of .heir wisest and
heat citizens. Their Neros, in the persons
OF Seward Sumner, and others had been
h'ldiing while tile Consritutionhad been
tramped under foot, and higher law
inaugurated in its stead. in accordance
with their reasonable advice and teach
ing and nv the crowninG act of cleo
> ting Black Republican President to car
~ out their long cherished designs against
the peace and prosperity of the South they
have declared open war against us.
What cou,se, then. is left for tie South
ern States to pursue for the maintnance of
their rights aad the security Of their pros
perty, hut separation from such open
and und,senise1 enemies, and the establish
ment Of Southern Cenfederacy, with
every element Of greatness and every
means OF defence necessary tn protect them
from any enemy and command the res,
pect aud admiration Of the world? It is
gratifyingto know that in the contempla-
ted movement South Carolina has strong
assurances that she will not stand alone;