Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-12-28

estimate of its value by making the condition Of her
cession Of the territory which coposes the States
North Of the Ohio River.
The SAM article Of the Constitution stpulates also
for the rendition BY the several States Of ugtves from
Justice from the other States.
The General Government, the common agent, pass
ed laws 10 carry into effect these htpulaons OF the
States For many years these laws were executed
But An increasing hostility the part Of the Northern
states 10 the institution of slavery has led to disregard
of their obligations and the laws OF the General Govern
ment have ceased effect the otects OF the Consttu
ton The States Of Maine, New Hampshire Vermont
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New YORK;
Pennsylvania Illinois, Indiana Ohio, Michigan Wiscon-
sin and Iowa, have enacted laws which either nuliiy
the acts of Congress render useless any attempt to
/ execute them. In many OF these States the
fugitive Is discharged from the service or labor
claimed and n of them has the State Government
complied with the stipulation made in the Constitution
The State OF New jersey at early day, passed law
for the rendition OF fugitive slaves in conformity with
her constitutional undertaking but the current OF anti
slavery feeling has led her recently TO enact laws
which render imperative the remedies provided by her
own law and by the laws OF Congress In the State oil
New York even the right Of transit for slave has been
denied by her tribunals and the States of Ohio and Iowa
have refused TO surrender TO justice fugves charged
with murder and with melting servie nsurrecton in the
State of Virginia Thus the constitutional compact has
been deliberately broken aud dsregarded by the nVn-
sayehoding States and the consequence follows that
South Carolina is released from its obligations.
The ends for which this Constitution was framed are
declared by itself be "to form perfect union,
establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for
the common defence promote the general welfare and
secure the blessings OF liberty to ourselves and our pos
terity."
These ends il endeavored to accomplish by Federal
Government in which each State recognized an
equal aud had separate control over its own institutions
The right of property in slaves recognized by giving
10 free persons distinct political rights, by giving them
| a.. and hurdanup them with direct
taxes for hreeihs of their slaves, by authorizing the
importation Of slaves for 20 years and by spuatng for
the rendition of fugitives from labor.
We affirm that these ends for which this Government
was instituted have been defeated and the Government
itself has been made destructive Of them by the action OF
the non-slavehodng States Those States have assumed
the right OF deciding upon the proprety OF domestic
institutions and have denied the rights of property
abshed in fifteen Of the States and recognized by the
constitution; they have denounced sinful the nstu.
ton Of slavery; they have permitted the open establish
ment among them Of societies whose avowcd object il to
disturb the peace and to erogn the property OF the c
zens of other States They have encouraged and assist
ed thousands of slaves to leave their homes and those
who remain have been melted by emissiries books and
| pictures TO servle insurrection.
For twenty-five years his agitation has been steadily
increasing until il has secured to is aid the power
OF the government Observing the forms of the
Constitution sectional party has found within that
ce establishing the Executive department. the means OF
|
has been drawn across the Union, aud all the States
North Of that line have united in the election OF u
TO h high Office Of President of the United States whose
opinions and purposes hostile TO slavery. He is to
be entrusted with the administration OF the common
government because he has declared that that Govern
ment cannot endure permanently half slave, half free
aud that the public mind must rest in the belief that
slavery is in the course Of ultimate extinction.
This sectional combination for the subvcrSon Of the
Constitution has been aided IN some of the States by
eevating citizenship, persons, Who by the supreme
law OF the land incapable OF becoming citizens, and
their votes have been used to inaugurate policy,
hostile to the South and destructive OF IT'S peace and
safety.
On the 18th March next this party will take possession
of the Government IL has announced that the South
shall be excluded from the common Territory; that the
Judicial tribunals shall be made sectional and that war
must be waged against slavery until shall cease through
out the United States
The guarantees of the Constitution will no longer ex.
isi the equal rights of the States will be lost The slave
holding States will no longer have the power of self
government self protec on and the Federal Govern
ment will have become their enemies.
Sectional interest and luminosity will deepen the irrta
ton and all hope of remedy rendered vain by the
fact that public opinion at the North has invested great
political with the sanctions OF more erroneous re-.
ligious belief.
We therefore the people Of South Carolina by our
Delegates in Convention assembled appealing to the Su
prene Judge of the world for the rectitudc OF nten
tons have soemny declared that the Union heretofore
existing between this State aud the other States of
North America is dissolved aud that the State OF South
b e @ soytR smSGE as Ra0ss
with full power levy war; conclude peace contract al
ances establish commerce. aud 10 do all other acts and
things which independent States may of right do.
And for the support Of this Declaration, with firm
reliance on the protection Of Divine Providence,
,ually pledge to each other lives fortunes and
sacred honor.
AZ 81 oc h.
Mr. Furman. There is statement in that document
that all the States north of the sectional line cast their
votes for sectional candidate for the Presidency Of the
United States. believe such is net the case.
Mr. English said Pennsylvania has quite recently
revised her laws IL has not been long since che
appointed Commissioners for that purpose. Ii would
seem that nine Of the Northern States have virtually an
nulled the Fugitive Slave law while four others have 10y
their nearly committed something that amounts
pretty much to practical disunion. In JuLe 1851, Dan
iel Webster in his speech at Capon Springs Virginia
remarked ~ DO not hesitate 10 and repeat that IL
the Northern States refuse wuily and deliberately
nv into effect that part OF the Constitution which respects
the restoration o! ugtves slaves, the South would
longer be bound to observe the compact. bargain
broken on one side is bargain broken all sides
Mr. ngish also quoted from DeBoW's Review the actu-
al position Of Northern States in this respect.
Mr. Orr said he did not think Illinois had any
rable law on the subject
Mr.. Gregg did not think tie pSpsr Of the Committee
was entirely perfect AS State paper il is TO 60 out
new Declaration of Independence 1t ia to me defect
i've and imperfect Not word is said about the tariff
which has caused us so many years of contest. The
main stress made upon the unimportant point Of i
gtve slaves aud the laws passed by various Northern
States obstructng the recovery Of fugitive slaves IL
we undertake to set forth the which justify
cesson we ought to pablsh all complete in one docu
ment like that adopted in l77G Many of the Acts
lave TO fugtves have been passed since '52. think
msjority of them have. But when South Cirona eight
years ago. declared that then existed which fully
justified the State in seeding did they cOnne them
selves to these miserable Fugitive Slave Laws-no,
think il unworthy Of his body-uuworthy of the State
o f South Carolina TO send forth new Declaration of
Independence and in it say nothing of any cause us
fyiug their action but fugiuve slaves propose lay
this document upon the table. IL further discussion is
desired will not interrupt We had either to refer it
back to the Committee or lay il on the table. prefer
LAYING on the table because much stress is made oil
the subject Of fugitive slaves.
Mr.. Keitt. aGfee with the gentleman from Rchland
that the power of taxation is the central power of all
governments. Put that power into my hands aud care
very little what the lorm OF government is will con-
troll your people through it. That is the question in this
address We have instructed the Committee to present
summary of the reasons which influenced US in the &C.
ton we have now taken. Ny friend from Richland said
that the violation of the fugitive slave laws not su-
Gent and he calls up the tariff Is that Of the
at this timeg What IS that cause Your late Senator'S
and every of your members Of the House OF Repre-
sentatves, o,ed for the present tariff. Mr.. Miles
did not Well those who there the time voted for
IT, and have doubt you would, if you had been there
The question OF the tariff did agate in 1882 aud il
did array this State against the Federal Government
But the tariff ia the question which brought the
people up TO their present attitude We TO give
summary of our CAUSES the world but mainly to the
other Southern States whose coacton WISH aud We
must not not make fight on the tariff question.
The Wing party, throughout all the Ates, have been