Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-12-25

cred on Monday last, in the presence of th
Legislature of that State, on the occasion c
bis being installed into Office:
G1zaz7en offh< R0zse Of Representatives.
You have called NE to preside as Chic
Magistrate Of South Carolina at 8 critic
juHcture in our public affairs. deeply fee
the responsibilities of The position am abou
to assume For seveniy-three years thi
State has been connected by F, deral com
pact with co-Sfates. under bond of uniol
for great national oil jecis common TO all. Ii
recent years there has been powerful party
organized upon hinciples of ambition an,
faHaficism, whose dndisguised purpose il I,
divert the Federal Government from extsr
nal and turn its power upon the internal in
terests and domestic institutions Of thes,
States. They have thus combined a mart,
exclusively in the Northern States. who's,
ayOwed objects, not only endanger the peace
but the very existence of near One-half O
the States of this Coufederaey. And in th,
recent election for President and Vice Pr-si
dent Of these States they have Carried tn
election upOn principles that make it ne
longer safe for US TO rely upon the powers o
the Federal Government or the guarantees d
the Federal compact This is the great 0pe1
act Of the people in the Northern States al
the ballOt-bOx, in the exercise of their SOW
ereign power at the polls, from which there
is no higher appeal recognized under our
system of government in its ordinary and
habitual operations. They thus propose to
inaugurate Chief Magistrate, at the head
of the army and navy, with vast powers, not
TO preside over the common interests and
destinies of all the States alike, but upon is
sues of malignant hostility and uncompro-
missing war to be waged upon the rights, the
Interests. and the peace of half the States OF
this Union.
In the Southern States there are two en-
tirely distinct and separate races, and one
has been held in subsection to the other 10y
peaceful Inheritance from worthy and patri-
otto ancestors, and all who know the races
well know that it is the only form Of govern
ment that can preserve both and administer
the blessings of civilization with order aad
in harmony. Anything tending to Change
and weaken the Government and the subor-
dination between the races not only endang-
ers the peace but the very existence Of our
society itself We have for years warned
the Northern people of the dangers they
were producing by their waEton and lawless
course. We have often appealed to our sister
States of the South 10 act with US in concert
upon some firm and moderate system by
which we might be able to save the Federal
Constitution, and yet feel safe under the gen.
eral compact of Union, but we could obtain
no fair warning from the North, no could we
see any concerted plan proposed by any of
our co-States of the South calculated 10 make
US feel safe and secure.
Under all these circumstances we now haeT
no alternative left but to interpOse the SOW
ereign power OF an independent State to pro-
tect the rights and ancient privileges of the
people OF South Carolina. This State was
one of The original parties of the Federal
compact of Union. We agreed to it. as a
State, under peculiar circumstances, when we
were surrounded with great external pressure
for purposes of national protection, and to
advance the Interests and general welfare of
AL the States equally and alike. And when
it ceases 20 do this 1t is no longer perpetual
Union 1t would be an absurdity to suppose
il was q perpetual Union for our ruin
The Constitution is a compact between CO.
States AMI not with the Federal Government.
On questions vital and involving The peace
and safety OF the parties to the compact, from
the very nature of The instrument, each State
must Judge of the mode and measure of pro-
lection necessary for her peBce and the pre-
servstion of her local and domestic institu-
tons South Carolina will, therefore. decide
for herself, and will. as she has right to do,
resume Der original powers of government as
an Independent State, and as such will nego-
tate with other Powers such treaties. leagues.
or covenants as she may deem proper.
think am not assuming too much when
say that our interests will lead her to open
her ports free TO the tonnage and trade OF all
nations, reserTiDg to herself the right TO dis
criminate only against those who may be our
public enemies. She has fine harbors acces-
sible 70 foreign commerce, and she il in the
centre OF those extensive agricultural pro-
auctions that enter so largely into the for
eign trade and commerce of the world, and
fr-rrr- Nhc has, zr1f Shrea
clothing 80 essential to the artisan and me-
chanic laborers in the higher laiitudes, and
which are so essential to the prosperity and
success of manufacturing capital In the North
and in Europe. ! therefore may safely saw il
Is for the benefit of all who may be interest
ed in commerce, In manufactures and in The
comforts of artisan and mechanic labor every
where, TO make such speedy and peaceful ar
rangements with US as may advance the in
terests aud happiness of all concernrd.
There is one thing certain, and think it
due to the country to say so in advance, that
South Carolina is resolved to assert her sep
arate independence. and. a. she acceded sep
arately to the compact of Union, so she will
most assuredly secede separately and alone,
be the conseq fences what they may. And /
think it right to say, with no unkind feeling
whatever. that ca this point there can he no
compromise, let it be offered from where it
may The issues are too great and TOO mo-
mentous to admit of any counsel that looks
to anything but direct and straightforward
In The present emergency the
frmest and most decided measures are the
safest and wisest.
To our sister States, who are identified with
us in interest and feeling. we will Cordially
and kindly look for cooperation and for a in
ture union, but it must be after We have as
serted and resumed cur original and iDaIien-
able rights and powers Of sovereignty and in
dependence. We can then form a govern
ment with them having a common interest
with people of homogeneous feelings. united
together by all the ties that can bind States
In one common destiny. From the position
we may occupy towards the Northern States.
as well as from our own internal structure of
society, the Government may, from necessi-
~, become strongly military in its organiza-
ton.
When we look back upon the Inheritance
that we, as a State, have had in the common
glories and triumphant power of this wonder
ful Contederacy, no language can ex sress the
feelings OF the human heart as we turc from
the contemplation and sternly look to the
great future that opens before Us. Ii is our
sincere desire 20 separate feom the States of
the North in peace, and leaye them to devel-
Cd their own civilization to their own sense
Of duty aud of interest But il, under the
Raide of ambition and fanaticism. they de-
eide otherwise, then be it so. We are pre-
pa-ed for any event, and in humble reliance
upsn that Providence who presides over the
destiny Of men and nations we will endeavor
TO do our duty faithfully, bravely, and hon.
estly.
am cow ready 10 take the oath of Office,
and swear undivided allegiance TO South Car
pima