Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-09-20
CHARLIE WILDWOOD.

ChAnAAH w 4ADWOSD'
SOUTHERN DECLARATION OF INDEpEN.
DENoE.-A writer in the Mercury, in reply
to Col. Perry, who asks if the South has
sufficient causes for disunion, answers as
follows:
The history of our union With the North
ern States, is history of repeated injuries
and usurpations, all having direct object
the establishment of an absolute tyranny
over these States. To prove this, letfacts
be submitted to candid world. = -.
They have overthrow the constitution
which binds us together, and constitutes
the terms Of our union, by total disregard
of its limitations ..-.
They maintain that the Congress of'the
United States, under their control, is as
omnipotent in its legislation as the British
Parliament claimed to be over our ances.
tors.
By disregarding the sovereignty Of the
States, and establishing a will4of a major
ity in Congress as the rightful authority in
its legislation, they have set.up ,oversthe
South an odious, dangerous and remorseless
despotism. ~
They have rendered Representations in
Congress of no avail to protect the interests
of the South, and thus taxation withoutre-
presentation is practically enforced over
US. =.
They have destroyed our foreign com.
merces by the most unjust Navigation Laws,
and the most unconstitutional and iniquit-
Gus Tariff laws.
They have exacted taxes from US, not
only to support our common government,
but take their property from the people;of
, the South and give tito the people Of the
t North 49,. -.-.
They deny to us common property in
our territories, acquired equally BY, our
, money and blood, on the ground that the
people Of the South, with their institutions,
are not worthy to colonize them. IS
They have assailed, for more than thirty
} years, the institution of African slavery in
the South, and have made our common leg.
!, islature of the Federal Government graads
instrument for incendiarism and abolition
They have compelled US to separate from
them, in our churches and other religious
institutions. -
They have passed laws in their State
Legislatures, nullifying the laws2of, Con.
gress providing for the recovery Of fugitive
slaves: although solemnly adjudicated to
be constitutional by the Supreme Court Of
the United States.
They have organized associations to steal
our slaves and to prevent their recapture,
and have murdered their masters seeking
their rendition. z
They have invaded our homes and killed
our inoffensive citizens, to raise our slaves
in insurrection against their masters. &
They openly declare their purpose to
emaucipate our slaves by the powersof the
Federal Government, and that they will
put US to the sword if we resist. 4
And, to carry out these hostile and iend-
ish purposes, they have organized a Sec
tional party at the North, to take possession
of the Federal Government; and are burn
ling our towns, and striving, by distributing
arms and poison among our slaves, to desc
late the South by fire, insurrection and
blood.
In every stage of these expressions, We
have petitioned for redress in the humblest
terms. Our repeated petitions have been
answered only byrepeated injury: A peo.
pie whose character is thus marked BY every
act which may define tyrauts, are un6tto
be the confederates of free people.
Nor have we been wanting in attention
to our Northern brethren. We have warn
ed them, from time to time, of attempts, by
their legislation, to extend unwarrantable
Jurisdiction over us. We have reminded
them of the circumstances of our emigra-
ton and settlement here. We have appeal
ed to their nature, justice and maguanimity;
and we have conjured them by the ties Of
our common kindred, to disavow their usur-
patious, which would inevitably interrupt
our connections and correspondence. They,
too, have been deaf to the voice of justice
and consanguiuity. We must, therefore,
acauiesce in the necessity which denounces
our separation; and hold them, as We hold
the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in
peace friends.