The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-09-07
COMMUNICATED.

sweri,s through the same medium Unayoid.
able engagements have prevented reply at an
earlier date.
fully recognize the right of the people to
know the political sentiments Of those who pro.
pose to represent them; and ain ever readv
and dwilling-occopyng, as do, the position of a
candidnte-upon all suitable occasions, to Civ. .
full and candid expression of my views upon tho
| political issues of the day.
But while admit The right of the votera to
Question the canddaec,' and the duty of the can.
dida'e to answer yei it does not follow as a
necessary CONSEQUENCES that the response Of the
candidate is to stand against him rs an uncondi-
tonal pledge. If go, then would be opposed
10 answering any question that might be pro.
| posed 1t to. your Legislature would cease to
be delihera,ive body. but an ujsemblape met
ior no other purpose than to do what they NAV
have been Instructed to do; or what thew stand
| pledged to carry ont.
| My answers to these nterroga tories are what
my views are to-day-hot what they may5be in
! the unknown future. hold myself always omen
| TO conviction. and am not 80 tranmeled by A
foolish pride of consistency as not to be willing
| to follow the truth wherever it may lead With
these remarks hasten TO answer the uuest,ofts'.
lst- lnterrogatory: "Are you prep ared to cast
y"nr vote for The nominees of; The Richmond and
Baltimore S"cediDg Constitutional Conv ventons 4"
answer that, If ain honored with a seat
! IN the next Legislature, will cast nv vote for
B7nckinrihga and Lane belle ring as + do. that
upon their election dcpen Is the perretuity of tho
Union, and above all, The safety of the South in
the Union. believe that by establishing ths.
P'a'i"''t, of principles upon which these gentle
men stand as the settled policy of the couriiry:.
the Republic an party, which now threatens us
with fesom OF destruction, would be numbered
With the Thugs thut were-that US q political
party u would be 80 shattered aud torn that it
woald never present itself ngain before the coun:
Try as formidable party organi1a,icn.'. Then. +.
would say, let South Carolina joih heart and
hand to bring about cpnsumma,ion 80 dc 1bhtIvs
to be wished.
I'd. 1hterrogatory =" Tn the event of the eIec..'
iion of the Black Republican candidate TO tbe
Presidency will y"n decide at cnce for Southern
Contederncy, or will you submit to the victorious
domination T.
l answer that have long since decided in ac
cordance with the veil known principlea Of South
Carolina; that is to say have long since decided
or Southern Confcderacy, and now look to
the time when the Black Republican party shall +,
have been pnced in the possession Of tbs Gov
ernment MS the day VIXEN the Southern States
Will become nnit i'll sentiment OIL this Gitstiou.
have been driven 10 this conclusion by the
ideas, the principles and the inevitable tendencS
of The whole politics Of tile Republican party for
the last fifteen years They are necessarily aud
inherently, and essentially hostile to the Cons,-
tuition, and to the rights and interests of the
al,
and II they believe slavery to be, what tlley as
sert it TO be-a crime against God, and against
bunanity-if they believe il to be curse to So
cicty, and that it contains The fruitful seeds Of
mmedicable woes. it is az Idle to talk Of mode
ration and the Constitution, aud non. interfer-'
ence on their part, when once in power will
the rights OF the South, It would be to expect'
change in the malignant hate OF the Devil him
SELF Iu the event of the control of the Govern
tnent being obtained by n party actuated bv'
such hend'sh impulses, and contemplating such
hell'sh purposes, | ask, in all candor, what
true southron eau hesitate to strike for South.
ron Confedracy.
Sd. Interrogatory: In case the formal union
and confederacy Of two more Of the cotton
States should prove impractcable will YOU or
will you not espouae, in Gods strength, the So
cession Of South Carolina separate and alone.
BE it further resolved, unanimously, that we
viii support no candidate for the Legislature
who either refuses 10 respond to The above inter-
r0gat"ries or fails to answer them uneauyocally'
in the Affirmative
IN answering this question shnlI make no al.
lusion 10 the drawn dagger which hangs over it.
in the shape of threatening resolution, further
than to say that my answers to these in,erroea-
fnrIn
would have been, had no such threat heen made
n man is tit to represent the intelligent people
of Abbeville District, who could be frightened
from the honest expression of his opinions Cd all
questions affecting tho common ealtb, by any
snch threats Of prescription.
l think IL unfortunate for the South that this
question should be urged at this time The
South is engaged with the conservative men of
the North in one last desperate struggle to roll
back the black tide of AboItiouisn which threat.
ems to engulf Us. and to save the Constitution
aud Union Of our fathers aud humbiy believe
that the forcing Of this issue at this time will
have tendency 10 weaken our strength, aud
will bo indirectly giving aid and comfort to our
common enemy. The Time has not yet come for
the decision OF this question. No Que can now
tell all the circumstances that will 20 to make
up the issue.
But the quessi on has been propounded, and I
have no alternative but to answer. This shall
do frankly and honestly.
My opinion is, if the South 10 defeated, and if
the Black Republican candidates are elected, we
should immediately declare for a confederacy Of
all the Southern States. If this should be imprac-
t'cao'e' would be ip favor Of, and should sup.
port the co-action of the cotton States; aud h
This should fall then would favor the the secss-
''on Of South Carolina, with the co operation of
one, two or more Of the Southern States But
in no event, with tho views now entertain.
would 1 sanction the policy OF separate State
action, save as a means of bringing about tho
cooperation Of the other States-the probable.
ties Of which result no omsn could predict at this
1istance from the real state of thi,,us a. tha~