Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-01-05
Gov. pickens' inaugural Address.
Gentlemen Of The Senate and House c
REPRESENTATIVES,

| IeITeSehtuttCeS:
You have called me to preside as Chief
Magistrate OF South Carolina at critical
juncture in our public affairs. [ deeply feel
the responsibilities of the position | am
about to assume. For seventy-three years
this State has been connected by federal
compact with coStatcs under bond of un-
ion for great national objects common to all.
In recent years there has been a powerful
party organized upon principles of ambition
and fanaticism, whose undisgused purpose
is to divert the Federal Government from
externel and turn its power upon the inter
nal interests and domestic institutions of
these States. They have thus combined
party exclusively in the Northern States,
whose avowed objects not only endanger the
peace, but the very cxistance, of near one half
the States of this Confederacy.
And IN the recent election for President
and Vice-Prcsidcnt of these States, they have
carried the election upon principles that
make 1T no longer safe for us to rely upon the
powers of the Federal Government or the
guarantees of the federal compact This is
the great overt act of the balot-box, in the
exercise of the sovereign power at the polls,
from which there is no higher appeal rocog-
nised under our system of government in its
ordinary and habitua operations They
thus propose to inauguratc Chief Mags-
trate at the head of the army and navy, with
vast powers, not to preside over the common
interests and dcstinics of all the States alike,
but upon issues of malignant hostility and
uncompromising war to be wagcd upon the
rights, the interests, and the peace of half
the States of this Union
In the Southern States there are two en-
tircly distinct aud separate races, and one has
| hplI IN o,,h; Al ii
peaceful inheritance from worthy and pa
trotic ancestors and all who know the races
well. know that it is the only form of gov
crnmcnt that can preserve BOTH and admin
ister the blessings of civilization with order
and in harmony. Anything tending to
change or weaken this government, and the
subordination between the master and slave,
not only endangers 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 wanton
and lawlcss course. We have often appealed
to our sister States of the South to net 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 general compact of union; but
we could obtain no fair hearing from the
North, nor could We see any concerted plan,
proposed by any of our co-Statcs of the South
calculated to make us feel safe aud secure
Under all these circumstances, we now have
no alternative left but to ntcrposc, our SOW
cregn power an independent State, to
protect the rights and ancient privileges of
the people of South Carolina The State was
one of the original parties to 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 wei
fare of all the States equally and alike.
And when it ceased to do this, it is no
longer perpetual Union. 1t would be an
absurdity to suppose it was perpetual
| Union for our ruin. The Constitution is n
compact between co.Statcs, and not with
the Federal Government. On questions vi
tai, 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 protection necessary for
her peace and the preservation of her local
and domestic institutions. South Carolina
will, therefore, decide for herself, as she has
right to do, resume her original powers of
government as an independent State and, as
SUCH will negotiate with other powers such
| 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 ma
tions, rcscrviug to herself the right to dis
crlminatc only against those who may be our
public enemies. She has fine harbors, access
ible to foreign commerce, and she is in the
centre of those extensive agricultural produc-
tons that enter SO largely into the foreign
trade and commerce OF the world, aud from
tho basis OF those comforts in food and cloth
ing, so essential to the artisan and mechanic
laborers in the higher latitudes, and which arc
SO essential to prosperity and success of man
ufacturing capital in the North and in Europe
| therefore may safely say, it is for the bcne-
tit OF all who may be interested in commerce,
III manufactures, and in the comforts of arti-
san and mechanic labor everywhere to make
such speedy and peaceful arrangements with
us as may advance the interests and happiness
OF all concerned. There is one thing certain.
and thiak it due to the country to say SO in
advance, that South Carolina is resolved to
assert her seperate independence and as she
acccded separately to the compact of union,
so she will most assuredly seccde separately
and alone, be the consequences what they
may; and [ think it right to say, with no un-
kind feeling whatever, that on this point there
can be no compromise, let it b" offered from
where it may. The issues are too grave and
too momcntous to admit of any counsel that
looks to anything but direct aud straight for
ward independence. In the present cmer-
gency the firmest and most decided measures
are the safest and Wiscst To our sister