The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1861-01-03
of
Pickens.
Gentlemen Of the Senate and House Of Rep

Magistrate of South Carolina, at a crtical
iuncture in our public affairs. l deeply
feel the responsibilities of the position L
am about to assume. For seventy-three
wears this State has been connected, by a
Federal compact, with co-States, under a
bond of union, for great national objects,
common to all. In recent years, there
has been powerful party, organized up
on principles of ambition and tanatlclsm'
whose undisguised purpose is to divert
the Federal Government from external,
and turn its power upon the internal, IN
terests and domestic institutions OF these
States. They have thus combined par
ty exclusively in the Northern States
whose avowed objects not only endangcr
the peace, but the very existence OF near
.one-half of the States Of this Confedera-
cv And in the recent election for Pres
ident and Vice President of these States,
they have carried the election upon
principles that make it 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 ouert
act of the people in the Northern States,
at the ballot box, in the exercise Of their
sovereign power at the polls, from which
there is no higher appeal recognized un-
der our. system of government, in its Or
dinary and habitual operations. They
thus propose to inaugurate Chief Mag
istrate at the head of the army and
navy, with vast powers, not to preside
over the common interests and destinies
of all the States alike, but upon issues of
malignant hostility and uncompromising
war to be urged upon the rights, the in
terests and the peace Of half the States
of this Union.
In the Southern States, there are two
entirely distinct and separate races, and
one has been held in subjugation to the
other, by peaceful inheritance from worthy
and patriotic ancestors, ard all who know
the races well, know that it is the only
form of government that can preserve
both, and administer the blessings Of civ
ilization with order and in harmony.
Anything tending to change or weaken
this government, and the subordinaton
between the master and the 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 fawlNsS-c course. We have
often appealed to our sister States-ef tbs
South to act with us in concert upon
some firm and moderate system, by
which we might be able to save the Fed
eral 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-States Of
the South calculated to make US feel safe
and secure. Under all these circumstan-
ces, we now have no alternative left but
to interpose our sovereign power, as an
independent State, to protect the rights
and ancient privileges of the people of
South Carolina This State was one Of
the original parties to the Federal COM
pact of Union. We agreed to it, as q
State, under peculiar circumstances, when
we were surrounded with great external
pressure, for purposes of national protec-
ton, and to advance tie interests and
general welfare Of all the States equally
and alike and when it ceased TO do this,
it is no longera a perpetual Union. Itwould
be an absurdity to suppose it was per-
petual Union for our ruin.
The Constitution is compact between
co-States and not with the Federal Gov
ernment On questions vital and invol-
wing 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 ne
cessary for her peace and the preserva-
ton of her local and domestic institutions.
South Carolina will, therefore, decide for
herself, and will, as she has right to do,
resume her original powers of govern
ment as an independent State, and as
such, will negotiate with other powers
such treaties, leagues or covenants, as she
may deem proper I think I am not as
suming too much, when I say that our
interests will lead her to open her ports
free to the tonnage and trade of all ma
tions, reserving to herself the right to
discriminate only against those who may
he our nublic enemies She hos Hna bor-