Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-02-06
virginia's protfered Mediation.

flTSlnld'S FToHcreu MeQlallOns
On another page may be found the Reso-
lutions passed by the South Care lima Legisla-
ture in response to Virginia's last attempt at
mediation. IL bringing the matter to the
attention of that body, his Excellency tue
Governor, presented the case in a brief but
pointed and conclusive manner. We copy
his message on this occasion
STATE OF SoUTn CAROLINA,
Executive Department, Jan. %, 1861.
~ The Speaker and Members
efthe House Of Representatives
GENTLEMEN: His EXcellency, the Cover
nor of Virginia, has transmitted to me the
enclosed resolutions, passed by the Legisla-
ture of that illustrious Commonwealth.
1t will be seen that their object is to induce
the Legislature of South Carolina to send on
Commissioners to meet Commissioners from
Virginia, as also from all the States that think
proper to send similar Commissioners, on the
4th 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 Confederacy.
We are disposed to treat with the most
profound consideration every proposition that
may elnanate from the State Of Virginia, and
to weld to her almost everything, except
what may involve vital principles. More
than year ago the State of South Carolina,
actuated by the most sincere desire to do
everything in her power to avert the dangers
that it was manifest then threatened the Fed
eral Union, sent Commissioner TO Virginia,
who made an urgent appeal to her to step
forward and devise some plan upon which the
States Immediately concerned might act to-
gether, and save their peace and their rights,
and vet preserve the common Constitution as
blessing for the States. Itwas then thought
unnecessary, on the part Of Virginia, to take
any steps to act in concert with South Caro-
lima If our sister States Lad acted at that
period, perhaps something might have been
done to secure new guarantees by which our
peace might have been protected in the COM
mon Union.
As far as the Northern States are concerned,
they have, many of them, often violated their
obligations as States under the Federal COM
pact, and the compromises that have been
made between the two great sections of the
Confedcracy have been wantouly set aside.
We have appealed in vain to their plighted
faith, and the integrity Of the covenant. We
have been traduced and denounced through
their pulpts, their press, their orators and
their statesmen as unworthy Of equality with
them as States and even as their interiors III
a social point Of view. Their people have
united in overwhelming majorities at the rc-
cent elections upon issues which openly in
volved our peace and existence, to put into
power party who entertain the deepest and
most malignant hostility TO our institutions
and to our people. This is the greatest overt
act of the people at the ballot-box, from
which there is no appeal to any higher tribu-
nal under our system Of government. They
have agreed to place ut the head of the army
and navy President, not for the protection
of the rights and the peace Of our people under
a common inheritance, fixed and transmitted
by express charters from the very origin Of
the government, but with open and avowed
principles Of deep and settled hostility, and
with pledges made BY him at the head of a
powerful party for the final determination Of
institutions essential to our power as a peo-
pie, and to the peace of our society.
We have been forced to resume our oriei-
nal powers of Government and to assert our
separate sovereignty us State in order to
seek that protection which We were compelled
to believe would not be given to US and to
our people under the power Of such party
and such Chief Magistrate. Under these
circumstances, however much might be dis
posed to yield the most profound respect TO
the State Of Virginia and to any suggestion
from her, yet it is difficult to perceive upon
what grounds this State could agree to send
Commissioners TO Washington to meet Com
missoncrs from the Northern States as well
as from the Southern States. 1t might only
result in deeper and wider difficulties and
confusion.
But refer the whole matter, with great
Difference to your wisdom and decision ho-
ping, in any event, that the kindcst 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 the other seeding States
at Montgomery on the 4th Of February. and
our Convention has actually appointed Dele
gates to attend this meeting from these States.
The object of this Convention of States =
Montgomery will be to form immediate y a
common government for the States that nave
seeded, and by an efficient organiza ON to
secure their permanent independence beyond
the reach Of any contingency. 1t would Oh
viously be impoli,ic for this State to send
Delegates to meeting at Washington, sp-
pointed for the same day, TO meet States of
the North with any view to preserve or to
reconstruct the Federal Government with
them, when we have agreed first to meet cur
sister seeding States, TO whom we owe our
deepest obligations, and feel bound by every
tie to make no compromise with any other
powers until we have formed with them
separate and independent nation.
I. w. PICkENS.