The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-11-09
SOUTH CAROLINA.

THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
The following is an authentic copy of the Mes
sage communicated by Gov. Gist, on Monday last,
to the Legislature of South Carolina, at the open
ing of an extra session, and of which a summary
has already been published.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, !
COLUMBIA, Is. Co. Nov. 5. 1860.
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representa-
tires: The act of Congress passed in the year 1916,
enacts that the electors of President and Vice Pre-
sident shall be appointed on the Tuesday next after
the first Monday of the month of November, of the
year in which they are to be appointed The annual
meeting of the Legislature of South Carolina, by
constitutional provision, will not take place until
the fourth Monday in November, instant
have considered it my duty, under the author
ity conferred upon me to convene the Legislature
on extraordinary occasions, to convene you, that
you may tomorrow appoint the number of
Electors of President and Vice President to which
this State is entitled.
Under ordinary circumstances your duty could |
be discharged by the election of Electors rep
resentng the choice of the people Of the State, but
in view of the threatening aspect of affairs, and
the strong probability of the election to the Pres
dency of a sectional candidate by party commit |
ted to the support of measures which, if carried |
out, will inevitably destroy our equality in the
Union and ultimately reduce the Southern States
to mere provinces of consolidated despotism, to
be governed by fixed majority in Congress hostile
to our institutions, and fatally bent upon ruin,
| would respectfully suggest that the Legislature
remain in session, and take such action as will pre-
pare the State for any emergency that may arise.
That an exposition of the will of the people may
be obtained on question involving such momen-
tous consequences, would earnestly recommend
that in the event of Abraham Lincon's election to
the Presidency, convention of the people of this
State be Immediately called to consider and deter
mine for themselves the mode and measures of re-
dress
NV own opinions of what the convention should
do are of little moments but believing that the time
| has iyadyv hpn however humble
NAV be- should express his opinions in unmistakabIe
| language, am constrained to say that the only
alternative left in my Judgment, is the secession of
| South Carolina from the Federal Union. The
State has, with great unanimity, declared that she
has the right peaceaby to secede, and power
on earth rightly prevent it, If, In the exercise
of arbitrary power, and orgetul of the lessons OF
history, the Government of the United States
shall attempt coercion, it will become our solemn
duty to meet force by force; and, whatever may be
the decision of the convention, representing the
sovereignty of the State, and amenable to
earthly tribunal it shall, during the remainder of
my administration be carried out 10 the letter,
CARELESS of any hazards that may surround its exc
| cutiOn.
would also respectfully recommend thorough
reorganization of the militia, as to place the
whole military force of the State in position to be
used at the shortest notice and with the greatest
efficiency. Every man in the State between the
ages of eighteen and forty-fve should be well armed
with the most efficient weapons of modern warfare,
and all the available means of the State used for
that purpose.
In addition to this general preparation, | would
also recommend that the services of ten thousand
volunteers be Immediately accepted; that they be
organized and drilled by officers chosen by them
selves and hold themselves in readiness to be called
on upon the shortest notice.
With this preparation for defence, and with the
hallowed memories of past achievements, with ouI
love of liberty and hatred of tyranny and with the
knowledge that we are contending for the safety OF
our homes and tresides, we can confidently appeal
| IN tha nf To apds off trus
, our cause in His keeping. WEN. ii. GlST
, THE PUBLIC MEETING IN CoLUMBIA-sPEECH OF MR.
CHESTNUT.
The telegraph has already informed us that
public meeting of the citizens Of Columbia, thu
State Capital, was held Monday evening, ant
was addressed by several members of the Legisa
ture. Mr.. Chestnut is reported to have spoken, il
. substance, as follows:
He referred to the fearless conduct of the Ameri
can colonies eighty five years ago, when the Brit
sh undertook to bind them down without thei
consent the authority of the British Constitution
All knew the result. Thirteen free and indepen
dent States ushered into the family of nations
He alluded to the insignificant causes of that RevC
luton, compared with the issue now before tn
= country. That issue now was, Shall New England
ers-avowed enemies, without the Constitution
without their consent-bind Carolina and determin
' for the people in all cases whatsoever? Cries c
: | 'snever--never." Or shall Carolina be governed
by Carolinians? [Cries of "yes-yes."l This GOV
u cred all questions which now press for immediat
y solution. That it is the settled purpose of tn
A Northern States and will of Congress under rule
= the Black Republican party, to govern them in q
1 cases whatsoever, in violation of the ConstitutiO
e and without their consent, was apparent from tn
II past conduct in their multform claims, arrogan
= pretensions and avowed intention.
For forty wears, under the formation of societie
they have continued to agitate, to disturb I'll
peace and endanger the lives of Southern people
=, They had broken their oaths, under the Constitu
. ton, and the plighted faith made therein, by s.
T. ducing and keeping Southern property; had passe
laws making it criminal in their own citizens to
v that which the Constitution enjoins as duty
. Deep solicitude was felt here and throughol
South Carolina to the great and important even
e now transpiring, and he came among them to me
their agents and contribute his humble mite in Il
way of counsel and to take his share of the respo
~ sbility which every public man in South CaroliI
should be prepared to do. He spoke of the ele
% ton of Black Republican Speaker; of the Dem
1g cratic party, to rend asunder which, the tr'
" men had been separated from the untrue. Sou
- Carolina supported Breckinridge and La1
IL with few true men of the North who star
by her side. But the question was, won
49,, the South submit to a Black Republican Preside
!" and Black Republican Congress, which will cla
ms the right to construe the Constitution OF the cou
I'm try and administer the government in their oV
,e hands, not by the law of the instrument ITSELF
by those fathers of the country or by the practit
es' of those administered seventy years ago, but
al rules drawn from their own blind consciences a
lin crazy brain? They call US interiors; semi-civiz
N barbarans and claim the right to possess lar
W. and to give them to the destitute of the Old Wo
no and the profigates of this They claim the dogn
he of the Constitution part of the Declaration OF
dependence as part of the Constitution, and that
is their right and duty to so administer the G0ve
" ment as to give full effect to them The people
~ must choose whether they would be governed
vas enemies or govern themselves. For himself
ng would unlurl the Palmetto flag, fling it to
es- breeze and with the spirit of brave man determ
los to live and die as became glorious ancesto
and ring the clarion notes of defiance in the ear:
en- an nsolent foe.
Ind He then spoke of the undoubted right to wi
of draw their delegated powers and it was their du
;na in the event contemplated, to withdraw them.
rs was their only safety.
Mr.. G. favored separate State action, saying
- rest would flock to our standard. They should
seu just to themselves just to the great cause in ha
the just to posterity, and the God of Justice wo
the stand by their side-peri all, and trust in God
mn past times their affairs had been the affairs of
ordered and enlightened liberty; it beloved tt
we to rescue their land from the relentless foe,
ify- aside all minor consequences, and resolve upon
he'd great event. and if true strike for their affairs
ore their fresides. 'Strike for the green grave
your sires God and your native land
Messrs Bonham, E. Rhett, SENATOR Ire
.o well, of Columbia, and T. j. Warren, of Game
s,onlya in fha onnnc CIR