The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1861-01-31
The Retiring Senators.


Senators Davis, of Mississippi Fitzpatrick and
Clay, of Alabama and Mallory and Yulee, of Flor
ida. The farewell words of JEFF. Davis drew tears
from the eyes of many Senator's. We have laid
aside his speech for publication in our next issue
AT the request of q friend, we insert to-day the
following report of the remarks made by Hon. G..
c.. Clay, ir., Senator from Alabama, on the oc-
casion referred to:
Mr.. CLAY. I rise to announce, in be-
half of my colleague and myself, that the
people of Alabama, assembled in conven-
ton at their capitol on the 11th Of this
month, have adopted an ordinance
whereby they withdraw from the Union
formed under a compact styled the Con
stiitution of the United States, resume the
powers delegated to it, and assume their
separate station as a;sovereign and inde-
pendent people. This is the act, not Of
faction or of party, but of the people
True, there IS a respectable minority OF
that convention who opposed this act,
not because they desired to preserve the
Union, but because they wished to secure
the cooperation of all, or of a majority, of
the southern or of the planting States.
There are many cooperationists, but [
think not one unionist in the convention;
all are in favor of withdrawing from the
Union. I am therefore warranted in
saying that this is the act of the freemen
of Alabama.
In taking this momentous step, they
have not acted hastily or unadvisedly.
tits not the eruption Of sudden, spasmod-
ic, and violent passion. It is the conclu-
sion they have reached after years of bit
ter experience of enmity, injustice, and
INJURY, at the hands of their northern
brethren after long and painful reflec-
ition; after anxious debate and solemn de-
liberation; and after argument, persua-
sions and entreaty have failed to secure
them their constitutional rights. Instead
of causing surprise and incurring censure,
it is rather matter Of amazement, if not
reproach, that they have endured so much
and 50 long, and have deferred this act Of
selfdefense until to-day.
Itisnow forty-two years since Alabama
was admitted into the Union. She en-
tered it, as she goes out of it, while the
Confederacy was in convulsions, caused
by the hostility of the North to the do
mestic slaveryof thelSouth. Nota de-
cade, nor scarce lustruul, has elapsed,
since her birth, that has not been strong
Unmarked by proofs Of the growth and
power Of that anti-slavery spirit of the
overthrow of that domestic institution Of
the South, which is not only the chief
source of her prosperity, but the very ba-
isis of her social order and State polity.
'iTt:is to-day the master spirit of the north
9ern States, and had, before the secession
Of Alabama, Of Mississippi, of Florida, or
of South Carolina, severed most of the
bonds Of the Union. It denied us Chris
tian communion, because it could not en-
dure what it styles the moral leprosy Of
!slaveholding; it refused us permission to
3sojourn, or even to pass through the
North, with our property; it claimed
freedom.f for the slave if brought by his
master into northern State; it violated
the Constitution and treaties and laws of
Congress, because designed to protect
that property; it refused us any share of
lands acquired mainly by our diplomacy
and blood and treasure; it refused our
property any shelter or security beneath
the flag of a common Government; it
robbed us Of our property, and refused to
restore it; it refused to deliver criminals
against our laws, who fed to the North
with our property or our bloodupon their
hands; it threatened us, by solemn legis-
tive acts, with ignominious punishment if
we pursued our property into northern
State; ;itmurdered southern men when seek
'ingtherecovery oftheir property on north
ern soil; it invaded the borders of south
err States, poisoned their wells, burnt
their dwellings, and murdered their pco-
pie; it denounced us by deliberate re-
solves of popular meetings, ofparty con-
ventions, and of religious and even legis-
lative assemblies, as habitual violators ef
the laws of God and the rights of human
iity.; it exerted all the moral and physic-
al agencies that human ingenuity can de-
wise or diabolical malice can employ to
heap odiurn and infamy upon us, and to