The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-10-10
Speech of the Hon. VIM. L. Yancey

Hon. VIM. l.. Yancey, on his way to
New York, was serenaded in Washing.
ton City, Friday night and in replying TO
the compliment, made speech. The
following is an extract, in which lie de-
fines the position Of the South in this
contest:
All that the South asks in this contest
is, that you shall observe the constitution.
al checks and balances with reference 10
her. She is not willing that her rights
shall be submitted to the will Of mere
numerical majoritics. For, remembering
her father, our ancestors, her great patri.
OTIS, we cauno. agree that il should be
otherwise. 1t was the written compact Of
our fathers that the minority should re,
ceiVe protection from the Constitution,
and not be entirely dependent on the
mere selfish and evanescent will OF n pre-.
ponderant majority. Parties divided
themselves originally in this country upon
that grea: principle. One party desired
that the majority should rule in ali things.
The States Rights party Of the country,
who desired that it should be different.
carried the day in the formation of the
Constitution, aud placed checks upon the
advancement of the majority. Ard this
written Constitution was the compact by
which majorities should restrain them.
selves with reference 20 The rights of mi.
norlties Majorites heed no protection
save their own power. Hence i. is easy
for the North to cry out for the Union a,
all hazards and under all circumstances.
1t is easy Cor the North with its maiori.
ties OF millions, TO say this Union, any,
how, no matter who may lie elected, no
matter what msy be done, shall be pre-.
served. 1t is well for the people of the
North still 10 stand to the Union, as the
great cause OF their property. Why
because even with no Constitution at all,
the Northern people can protect them,
selves by their predominant vote in the
country. But how is it in the South o.
How is it with the minority of the country
the minority States Of this Govern.
ment If they leave it to the mere will
of the majority, that majority will, as in
all other cases, seek its own selfish ap-
money of the Government among them.
selves, raise AS much as they please, and
do all for their own advancement, AT the
expense Of the minority. Mnorilies, gen.
tlemen, are the true friends OF your Con.
stitntion; because that Constitution is
their shield and their protection against
the unchecked and unlicensed will of a
IN ,o ha,
the country stands by that Constitution.
You DO not hear so much said on such
tiippant tongues there about the Union
as you hear about it at the North; but
you hear much said there about the Con.
stltution-about its strict construction, a
bout tie rigid enforcement Of its checks
and its balances in favor Of these minori.
Ties, because to them 1t is a thing Of life
and death. Within this Government
that Constitution must prevail, or the
minority will be placed as a lamb that j.
led to the slaughter TO be shorn. But let
that Constitution be observed, and the
rights Of all sections under that Constitu
ton be observed, and the South is con,
tent to abide its fate under the workings
ply to say to you tonight, that the
South, standing on nothing but the Con-
stitution, fears no aggression, fears no
section and that Constitution the South
Intends to stand by. If, in the progress
of party divisions, party dissensions, and
party elections, ;!iat Constitution shall Be
trampied under foot if,his temple Of lib,
erty, if the Government at Washington is
usurped if this temple Of liberty, based
upon that Constitution, shall be subver
ted, and instead Of constitutional gov
ernmert higher law government shall
be substituted, you will find, gentlemen,
that the Constitution will have friends
even in that hour. And il driven from
all other sections Of the country, and
there is no other spot where the ark of
the covenant Of our safety can rest and
be protected, it will be on Southern soil,
where the friends Of the Constitution
live.