Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-02-06
RESPONSEO OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO
THE VIRGINIA PROPORTIONS.

Tue IOloHlnB message was communicated
to the legislature Of South Carolina on Mon
day, 2sth ult
STATE or soUrH CAROLIsA,
Executive Department, January 2Sth, 1851
To The Speaker and Members Of the House Of
Representatives,;
GENTLEMEN His excellsney, the governor
Of Virginia, has transmitted 70 ne the en-
closed resolutions, passed By the legislature Of
that illustIious Comm 1nweaith.
It will be seen that their object is to induce
the legislature Of South Carolina to send on
commissioners to meet commissioners from
Virginia, and also from all the States that
think proper 70 send imjlar commissioners,
on the 4th of February next, in Washington
City, to Consider, and if practicable, to agree
upon some suitable adjustment Of the great
issues that have been made in the eonfederaey.
We are disposed TO treat with the most pro-
found consideration every proposition that may
emanate from the State Of Virginia, and to
yield to her almost everything, except what
may involve vital principles. More than a
year ago the State Of South Carolina, aetuated
bv a most sincere desire to do everything in her
power to avert the dangers it was manifest
then threatened the Federal Union, sent a com
missioner to Virginia, and made an urgent ap-
peal to her TO step forward and devise some
plan upon which the States Immediately con-
cerned might act together, and save their peace
and their rights, and yet preserve the common
Constitution as a blessing to all the States. II
was then thought unnecessary, on the part OF
Virginia, to TAX any steps to act in concert
with South Carolina. If our sister States had
acted at that period, perhaps something might
have been done to secure new guarantees, by
which our peace and our chartered rights
might have been protected in a ommon Union.
As far as the Northern States are concerned,
khauh awn nmnw a fhaaw aFkan wfnVaNnI THAR
obligations Of States under the Federal COM
pact; and the compromises that have been
made between the two great sections OF the
confederacy have been wantonly set aside.
We have appealed in vain to their plighted
faith and to the integrity of the covenant. We
have been tra6uced and denounced through
their pulpits, their press, their orators, and
their statesmen, as unworthy Of equality with
them as States and even as their interiors in a
social point Of view. Their people have united
in overwhelming majorities at the recent cleo
tons, upon issues which openly involve our
peace and existence, to put into poA er a party
who entertain the deepest and most malignant
hostility 10 our institutions and 10 our people.
This is the great overt act Of the people at the
ballot-box, fom which there is no appeal TO
any higher tribunal, under our system Of gov
eminent. They have agreed to place at the
head of the army and navy a President, not
y AAE HA1hNaHAaA "a NAa AAAIAA AAA u HaAkg
os our people under 3 common Inheritance,
fixed and transmitted by express charters from
the very origin Of the government, but with
open and avowed principles OF deep and set
tied hostility, and with pledges made by him,
at the head Of a powerful party, for the final
-exterminatioRs of Institutions essential to our
power as a people, and 10 the peace Of cur So
ciety. We have been forced 10 resume our
original powers Of government and to assert
cur separate sovereignty as a State, in order to
GEEK that protection which we were compelled
to believe would not be given to US and 10 our
people under the power Of such a party and
such a chief magistrate.
Under these circumstances, however much /
might be dispose to Weld the most profound
respect to the State Of Virginia, and to any
suggestion from her, yet it is difficult to per-
eeive upon wat grounds this State could agree
to send commissioners to Washington to meet
commissioners from the Northern States as
well as from the Southern States. It might
only result in deeper and wider difficulty and
confusion. l re er the whole matter, with
great Difference, to your wisdom and decision, |
hoping in any event that the kindesl and most
respectful reply may be made to Virginia.
Perhaps it is not improper to state that this
State has agreed, through her convention, to
meet delegates from other seeding States at
Montgomery, on the 4th Of February, and our
NIhfHAkAu4 nne aENAdAN uVNVlAAE4 AelHEatIn I
70 attend this meeting from these States. The
object Of thia COW ntion OF States at Mont-
gomery will be to form Immediately a common
government for the S .ates, that have seeded,
and by efficient organization to secure their
permanent independence beyond the reach OF
any contingency. It would obviously be in
polite for his State to send delegates to a
meeting at Washington, appointed for the
same day, TO meet the States Of the North with
4 Wow 10 u@acarve oF IN rnroua frurf the Eaderag I
Union With them, where We have agreed iTst
to meet our slater seeding States, 10 whom we
owe our deepest obligations, and feel bound
BY every tie to make no compromise with any
other powers until we have first formed with
them a separate and Independent Union.
F. W.. PIcEEEs, g
The reading Of the foregoing message was
Immediately FOLLOWED by The unanimeas adop-
ton OF resolutions, by both branches Of the
legislature, declining to enter into tse negotia-
lions proposed BY Virginia.
The following are the rsaoiutlonsi
Regolped, unanimously, That the general as
OF South Carolina te0dsrs to the lesis-
lature OF Virginia their aeknow edgments Of
the friendly motives which inspired the mis-
sion inirusIel to The Hon. JudgesRobertson her
commissioned.
ResOlped, unanimously, That the esndoF
is dae to the long continued sympathy
ana respect WHICH uds duOSleLel DeLWeeH VIZ
GINA and Carolina, iBdgaes the assembly to
declare with Iauknsss that they DO not esem
it advisable 10 Initiate negotiations, when they
have DO desire or Intention to promote the III
object in view. That abjsot is declared
in the resolution Of the Virginia legislature to
be In the procurement of an amendment OF
pew guarantees 20 the Constitution Of the
United States.
RcsolBs9, unanimously, That the separation
Of South Carolina from the Federal Union is
hnal, and she has no further int, rest in the
Consultation Of the United States, and that the
only appropriate negotiations between her and
the Federal Government are az to their mutual
as Foreign States.
Res0lpea, a~naHsmously, That this assembly
owes it 70 her friendly relations With
the state Of Virginia, to declare that they
have no confidence in the Federal Government
Of the United States; that the most solema
or that Government have been disTs-
that under the p~Fetsnes Of preserving
property, hostils troops have besn attempted
to be introducedlinto one OF the fortresses Of
this State, concealed in the bold Of a vessel Of
with a view to sutjngats tia pso-
pie Of South Carolina, and that then, since the
authFri1ss az Washington have been informed
-.vts and rae sssunss o. 49, aa-
tssie feadsn It easy % administer them 70
$3.50 -