The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-01-09
THE ADDR Ess TO THE SOUTH.
THE ADDRESS OF THE PEopLE OF SOUTH
CAROLINA, ASSEMBLED IN CoNvRS.
TON, TO THE PEOPLE OF THE
SLAvRHoLptHG STATES OF
THE UNITED STATES.


1t is seventy thtoe years since The Union
between the United States was made by
the Constitution Of the United States.--
During this time, their advance in wealth,
prosperity aud power, has been with
scarcely n parallel in the history Of the
world. The great object Of their Union
was external defence from the aggress.
ions Of more powerful nations; which OBJ,
ject 10 now attained. from their more pro.
gress in power. Thirty one millions Of
people, with commerce and navigation
which explore every sea, and with agri
cultural productions which are necessary
10 every civilized people, command the
friendship OF the world. But, unfortu
nately, our internal peace has not grown
with our external prosperity. Discomfort
and contention have moved in the bosom
Of the Coufederacy for the last thirty.ive
years. During tins time. South Carolina
has twice called her people together 10
solemn Convention, TO take into consids
ration the aggressions and uaconstitulion
the North on the people VI the South
These wrongs were submitted to by the
people Of the South. under the hope and
expectation that they would be tinal.-
But such hope and expectation have pro
we'd to he vain. Instead OF producing
tor6earance, our acquiescence has only in.
sngated to new forms Of aggression and
outrage; and South Carolina, again as.
sembling her people in Convention, has
this day dissolved her connection with
the States constituting the United States.
The ono great evil. from which all 9th.
er evils have flowed, 10 the overthrow of
the Constitution Of the United States
The Government Of the United States is
no longer the Government Of 'Confsdera
ted RspNblics, but .: n consolidated Dem,
ocracy. Ii j. no longer = free Govern.
mont, hut desp"tism. Ii 10, in fact,
such Government as Great Britain At
tempted to set over our fathers ~ d
which was resisted and defeated by
seven years. struggle for independence.
The Revolution OF l77G turned upon
.one great principle, self governmenl-and
self taxation, the criterion OF self govern
ment. Where the interests Of two peo.
pie united together under one govern
mrni, srs different, each mus. have the
power TO protect its inlerests by the or
.gsnIzation of tie Government, or they
cannot bs free. The interests OF Great
Britain and The Colonies were different
,sirous "f carrying out The policy Of all
nslions towards their Colonies, of making
them tributary to her wesllh and power.
She had vast and complicated relations
with tho whole world. Her policy to
wards her North American Colonies was
to identify them with her in all These
complicated relations aud to make them
bear m common With the rest OF the En-
pire, the full burden Of her obligations
and necessities. she had a vast public
debt I; she had an European policy and
an Asiatic policy. which had occssion~d
the accum ulation Of her public debt and
which kept her in continual wars The
North American Colonies saw their is
teresls, political and commercial, sacri
feed by such policy. Their interests
required that they should not be identi
fed with the burdens and wars Of the
mother country. They had been settled
under Cbartsrs which gave them self
government at least 80 Tar as their pro
periy was concerned. They bad taxed
themselves, and had never been taxed by
the Government OF Great Britain. Te
make them part Of q consolidated Em
pire, the Parliament Of Great Britain de-
termined to assume the power OF legisla
ting for the Colonies In all cases whatso
ever. Our ancestors resisted the pretsn
sion. They refused to be part Of tho
consolidated Government Of Grea,
Britain.
The Southern States now stand exact
" in the same position towards the North
-ern States that our ancestors in the Colo
nies did towards Great Britain. Th,
Northerp States, having the majority il
Congress, claim the same power Of en-
Impotence in Legislation a. the British Par
jiament. -"The General Welfars" 10 the
only limit 10 the legislation Of either and
Abe majority 10 Congress, as in the Brit.
5sh Parliament. are the sole jsdgss Of .h.
.exped'ency Of the legislation this "Gener
al Welfare requires. Thus, the Govern
ment Of the United States has become a
consolidated Government; and the peopl.
OF the Southern States are compelled te
meet the very despotism their father,
threw of 10 the Revolution Of I77e.
The consolidation Of the Govsrumeu,
.of Great Britain over the Colonies, ws,
attempted 10 be carried out by taxes
The British Parliament undertook TO IA,
the Colonies, to promote British iptsrss,s
Dur fathers resisted this prsteasion. The,
claimed the right Of sell taxation through
their Colonial Lsgislatsrss They wer,
not represented in the British Pssliamen,
and iherefors, could not rightly be taxed
BY as legislation. The British Govern
msnt, however, offered them rspre,en
tattoo 10 Parliament; bat Il was NOT sus
fcient 70 enable them 10 protest ,hsm
selves from the majority, and they rsfussf
the offer Hate Aan tarst;or vv;tbcus . !.