Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-06-22
South Carolina.

In an able article of the Southern Presby-
terrain Review, ontitled ,"A Yindcation of
Secession and the South" by the Rev. DR..
Palmer, Of New Orleans, is tho following cl-
oqueht defence of South Carolina against the
, charge that the secession of thpt State, took
it's rise in her |" chronic hatred to the Nation.
al Union :" 8
"Wc deny that South Carolina has over
been actuatcd by SO base II sentiment as la,
tired of tho Union '--cspcciallya hatred that
is chronic.' Her statesmen md her people
did, indeed, despair of the Republic sooner
than others, With TINT penetration into the
working of secret and potential causes which
seems intuitivc. Mr.. Calhoun long since an.
nounced tho Catastrophe that has occurred,
with precision that looks liko the inspira-
tion of prophecy. But that she has ever
bccm disloya to the Constitution, is hostorical-
ly untrue. During the Revolutionary strug-
glc, overlaid by tho British forces, she passed
through unparalleled suffcrings, and contrib-
uted her full proportion of blood and treasure
to the cominou cause, ms the numerous battle
fields which dot her soil aburdantly show
From that day to this, in all her country 8
battles, her sons have stood nearest to the
flashing Of tho guns, always proligal of life,
whether amid tho lnmmocks of ll3rida, or
upon the plains of Mexico. In the more
quiet walks of civil life, she has taken her
share in the public council, and borne her
fair proportion of tho public burdens, how
eyer oppressivcly Distributed. Even in tho
memorable conflict of Modification, for which
she has endured long rcproach. she was bat.
tling for the Constitution, and for the equal
rights of which it WIS the bond. Upon that
Constitution she stood thcn-upon that Con-
stitution she stands stil-xnd in her depart
urc from faithlcss Union, she bears it into
n new sanctuary the Palladium of Liberty.
But when all hope had died within her,
she stood calmly under the shndow Of tho
Capitol, before the clock which silently told
the nations hours, and which would ere long
sound the kncl of its destiny. No sooner
was this heard in the shout Of Black Ropnb-
lican success, than she lcapci, feeble and
alone, into tho deadly breach History has
nowhere upon her record more sublime OK.
ample Of MORAL hcroism. Ignorant whether
she would be supported, even by her sister
across the Savannah, relying on nothing save
the righteousness of her causc and the power
of God, she took upon her shield and spear
as desperate and as sacred d conflict as ever
made State immortal. 1t is Just this hero
ic devotion to principle, this faith in the right
and the true, this singlcncss Of heart in the
presence of duty. and this abiding trnst in
the power and righteousness of God, that
render her capable of thousand martyrdonps,
aud incapable of political bondage It is
just this combination of attributes crownipy
her with moral dignity, that draws to her own
bill sides and barren pines the 'untmvclIcd
hearts of her sons, who, in nll their wander
lngs from the tropics to the pole, breathe no
more tcrvcnt prayer than in death to sleep
upon her faithful bosom until the awful day.
Her accnscrs prejudice their own cause. when
1t is alleged that such a State can hate the
Union. If it were true. it is only because
that Union had become the synonym of tyr
nnny. But the breath of slandcr will pass
over her fnme rs upon FURNISHED mirror n
moment din, then brighter than before
The Genius of History has already wrcathcd
the garland with which her brow shall be
dccked. Long may she live. the mother of
heroes who shall be worthy Of their birth.
DEAru OF STEPHEN A. DouoLAs.-A
telegram announces the death ut Chicago on
the fourth instant, of the Hon. Stephen A.
Douglas, at the ago of fortv-cght yeals-hav-
ing been born April %, 1913, ut Brandon,
Vermont
The public career of Mr.. Douglas is familiar
to most OF our readers, and tic nccrologist of
the currcnt- year will assign to lin prom-
ncnt, position among departed statcsnlcn.-
From graphic notice of his demise, we arc
reminded that Judge Douglas was no orator,
but man of sound Judgment, of great WILL
of infcxihlc purpose, and his popularity was
attributable to his personal qualities, his tact,
his vast capacity for combination and manage.
mcnt. He has been prominently before the
country since lS57-58, when he broke with
Mr.. Buchanan, the Administration and his
party. He was among the earest advocates
for the annexation of Texas, and ardcnty sas
tanned President Polk in the prosecution of
the Mexican War. He was /" fifty four forty
or fight man in the Oregon controversy, and
opposed the treaty with England, whereby
Mr.. Polk accepted the 49tll parallel as the
Northern boundary of Oregon. lie also op-
posed the treaty Of peace with Mexico. Tie
also opposed the treaty of peace With Mexico
He opposed the Nilmot Pnviso, though oucc
voting. for it in the Senate, under instructions.
and in August, 1913, offered an amendment
to the Oregon bill extending the. Missouri
Compromise to the Pacific, which .passrd the
Senate but was killed in the House, thus
leaving the country to tho cxcitements of 1910.
80, which were settled by the compromise of
September, 1850, Of which Judge Douglas
was an ardent supporter. AS is well known,
he introduced and carried through tho cclebr;-
ted Kansas Nebraska billy which caused such
intense excitement throughout the country.
Judge Douglas leaves two children by his
first wife. Miss Martin. Of North Carolina, to
whom he was married i'm APRIL 1SI7. and