Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-01-11
SOUTH CAROLINA'S DECLARE
TIOy OF INDEPEsDANCE.

Closes as follows We affirm that these
ends for which this government was lnstitu-
ted have been defeated, and the government
itself has been made destructive of them by
the action of the non-slavehOlding States.
Those States have assumed the rigty of de-
Gliding upon the propriety of our domestic
institutions ; and have denied the rights of
property established in fifteen OF the States
and recognized by the Constitution they
have denounced MS sinful the institution Of
slavery they have permitted the open es-
adjustment among them of s0cieties, whose
ayoNcd object is to disturb the peace and to
eloign the property Of the citizens Of other
States. They have encouraged and assisted
thousands Of our slaves 10 leave their homes;
and those who remain have been melted by
emissaries, books and pictures, to ssrvile
resurrection.
For twenty-five years this Citation has
been steadily increasing, until it has now Sc
cured to It's aid the power Of the Common
Government Observing the forms OF the
Constitution, a sectional party has found
within that article establishing the Execu-
tive Department the means of subverting the
Constitution itself. \ geographical line
has been drawn across the Union. and all
the States north of that line have united in
the election Of a man TO the high Office Of
President Of the United States whose OPT
MONS and purposes are hostile to slavery.
Tie Is 10 be entrusted with the administra-
ION of the Common Government because he
has declared that no government can en-
dure permanently half slave, bait free, - and
that the public mind must rest in the belief
that slavery is in the course Ji ultimate
extinction.
The sectional combination fJr the sub7er-
sion Of the Constitution has been aided III
some Of the States by elevatinG to citizenship
persons who, by the supreme law Of the land,
are incapable OF becoming citizeEs and their
votes have been used to inaueurate q new
policy, hostile to the SoGth, and destructive
Of It's peace and safety
On the 4th Of March next this party viii
take possession Of the Government. 1t has
announced that the South shall be excluded
from the common territory that the Judi
cial Tribunal shall be made sectional, and
that WIZ must be waged against slavery
until it shall cease thOughoCt the nIted
States
The guarantees Of the Constitution viii
then no longer exist, the equal rights OF the !
States will be lost. The slaveholding States |
will no longer have the power OF selt-Goyern-
ment, or self protection, and the federal 60 |
vernnent viii have become their enemy.
Sectional interest and luminosity will deep |
al the irritation, and all hope Of remedy Is |
rendered vain by the fact that public opinion !
at the North has invested a great pOlitica /
error with the sanctions Of a more erroneous /
religious belief
We, therefore, the people Of South Caro-
ina, by oar delegates in convention Assem-
bled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the /
world for the rectitude of cur intentions. /
have solemnly declared that the Union here /
tof1re existing between this State and the /
other States Of North America IS dissolved, f,
and that the State Of South Carolina has re-
sumed her position among the nations of the /
world, as q separate and independent State, /
with full power to levy war, conclude peace, /
contract alliances, establish commerce, and /
to do all other acts and things which indie
pendent States may Of fright Do.