Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-08-25
To EpIroR KEowEE CouRlER.
Address of Hon. R B Rhett,

OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
TO the citizens of Beaufort and Collcton Dis
tncts. upon the subject Of abolition Jan
unry 80, 1888
Fellow Citizens: In private and friendly
letter to the Editor of the Charleston Mcrcu,v,
amongst other events accompanying the me-
morabIc secession of tho Southern mcnbcrs
from the Hall of the House of Represents.
tiyes, | stated to him, that | had prepared
two resolutions, drawn as amendments to the
motion of the member from Vermont. whilst
he was discussing the institution of slavery in
the South, declaring, that the Constitution
having failed to protect the South in the
peaccable possession and enjoyment Of their
rights and peculiar Institutions it was cxpc-
dlcnt that the Union should be dissolved; and
the other, appointing committee of two mem
bers from each State, to report upon the best
means of pcaceahly dssolving it," Many
of the newspapers in the Union have thought
proper to pass structures upon this letter, as
you will perceive, by the following extract
IRON tho EOc"iny Sur of New York, OF the
9th inst. " Has the Charleston lcrcury any
objections to state who was the member of
Congress who wrote the above letter, and who,
he declares, WAS about to propose in Congress
to dissolve the Union2 The people of that
State, and the friends of the South, and of
the Union, have right to know who it is .
as have no private opinions that am afraid
opcnly to avow; and have ever recognized the
right in the people to know them upon all
matters affecting public interest or honor-of
course could not hesitate promptly acknowl-
cdglng the authorship of the letter referred to-,
and communicating to the public, the rcsolu-
tlons, which had shown to many of my
friends, and WIS prepared to offer in my seat
and maintain in the Congress of the United
States. You will perceive, that writing cur
rent calan,o to u friend, did not correctly
describe their whole purport such as they
are, however, the public are welcome to them,
IN answer to any question or demand touching
Say right, real or imaginary, in the premises,
which any portion of the poop Of the Unitcd
States, cast, west, north, or south, may be
supposed to possess. [ am, however, more
Immediately responsible to you, and seize
the opportunity their publication Offers OF
addressing you, as your representative, upon
the momcntous subjects they involve Had
presented them in the House, | should have
given my reasons at large for presenting them;
and'in submitting them now to your considc
ration, trust you will bear with mo, whilst |
submit to you some of the reasons which caused
bReIn 20 exist
Before entering upon inc merits of the re-
solutions, however, permit me to remark
(Which suppose might be apparent to all, }
that had no expectation of passing them, or
OF even taking. vote upon them They were
intended as amendments to motion, to refer
with instructious to report, bill abolishing
slavery in the District of Columbia. ex,
pccted them to sliarc the fate, which inevta-
blyawaited ihe original motion, SO soon as The
floor eoald have been obtained, viz to be
laid upon the table. My designin presenting
them was to place before Congress and the
people, what inmy opinion was the true issue
upon this great and vital question; and TO
point out tho coarse of policy by which il
should be met by tho Southern States. The
resolutions are as follows:
-"and the Constitution Of the United