Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-01-26
Col A. P. Calhoun

vi Aiaoaha us lolloWS on the Sth instant:
NJ. President and Gentlemen Of tie Consen. h.
tim:
ltis one OF the most agreeable incidents of
my life that the Convention of the people of
South Carolina-my native Statc-.should have
elected me Commissioner to the State of
Alabama, for many years my adopted one
South Carolina could doubtless have sent an
ADLER son to represent her, but she could not
have sent one whose heart was filed with
more kindness and attachment, or one who
would extend the hand of fellowship with
greater sincerity or regard. 1t was during
the many years [ sojourncd among you, |
learnt to appreciate the intelligence and cncr.
gy OF your citizens, and how properly to csti-
mate the vast and varied resources of your
otatc. Second to but one as cotton producer;
to none in mineral wealth, especially in coal
and iron so potent to the world, either in the
mission OF peace war. TO such n State
South Carolina would willingly have ASSIGNED
the position of leadership in the great drama
OF events that arc pressing to rapid solution.
But by combination of accidental causes
the initiation of the contcs dcvolved unon
South Carolina. The Governor of South
Carolina called an extra session of the Icris.
laturc to elect Electors to cast the Presiden.
tial vote Of that State Continuinp in session
for few days, the election of Il Black Rcpub.
lican or sectional candidate was declared and
feeling that submission would be both dcprn
dation and annlhilation, she called Convcn
ton forthwith OF the people, to assemble ON
the l7th of December At once the State
fired up. 1t was an upheaving of the people.
No leader or leaders could have resisted it, or
stemmcd It's mpctuosity The wave of pub
llc opinion swept over the lower the middle,
and lcaped into the recess of the mountain dis
tricts. The result was the Convention assem-
blcd with unprecedented unanimitv Some
time was lost, IN consequence of a loathsonn
epidemic raging in Columbia, that forced
the Convention to adjourn to Charleston.
On the 18th cheering voice from Alaba-
ma was heard Your esteemed Commission
cr, who so ably represented your State, and
was so acceptable to the one to which he was
accredited, presented telegram from your
patriotic and popular Governor, that carried
an electric thrill through every heart" tell
the Convention to listen to no proposition of
compromise or delay" The next dav, the
10th, came the Ordinance annullinr the com.
pact which South Carolina had entered into
in 1888 with twelve other sovereign States
and rcsumingall delegated power, she became
free, sovereign and independent common
wealth. Atthis point the accumulated oo.
grcssions of the third of century fell like
shackles, at her feet, and free, discnthrallcd
regeneratcd, she stood before her devoted pco.
pie, like the genius of liberty, bcckoninr
them on to the performance of their duty
The argument closes here so far as Federal
aggrcSslons in South Carolina is concerned -
But may we not pause in reverence and adj
miratlon before the vast movement built IN
by Southern genius and clt quencc, i'm defend
ing and warming prosecuted section of the
measured approach of dcspotsm, and that
too in the face of the frowns and blandish
mcnts OF power; and there were some who
oravInS the imprccations of the enemy, and
the opportunities of friends, persisted in per
forming their sacred duty to their section mt
all and every sacriticc In obedience 10 in
structlons now present certified COPY of
" An Ordinance" to dissolve the union be-
tween South Carolina and ether States uni
ted with her under the compact entitled the
" Constitution OF the United States of Amer
lea am also instructed to invite YOUR CO.
operation with South Carolina in the forma
ton OF Southern Confcderacy, and to sub
mt the Federal Constitution as the basis Of a
provisional government. That instrument.
with the Southern construction given to it.
would be safe until it or one could be dclibcr
atcly amended and perfected The exigency
requires for the present prompt and efficient
action, and for this purpose am instructed
to invite your State to meet in convention at
the earliest practicable day Mr.. C. proceed
ed to say that before he left Charleston, the
Commissioners to the several States, in meet
ing, had determined to suggest the first Mon
dry in February-thc Sd. He said he had
heard Montgomery suggested, but was not au
thorIzed tosay anything on that point himself.
hr Calhoun here presented the y ort and
resolutions from the committee ON Rela
tons with the slaveholding States, providino
for Commissioners to such States" and read
the resolutions appended to the report. which
he then submitted to the Convention. He
also submitted " The address of the people of
South Carolina, assembled in Convention. to
the people of the Savcholdng States" and
then proceeded. That no better illustration
of the invidious approach and consummation
OF deSpotSm can be found in history, than
the progress of the Government of the Uni
ted States to consolidation and the usurpation
of every vcstigc of State sovereignty. Even
the mask that covered it's aggressions is now
dropped, and it is making war and strkino
at independent States that warmed it into
life. BE it so. The day of endurance is
past The Government of the United States
Will stand out in history a mock and rcproach
to every friend of freedom or free institutions
We are in the midst of events, and enactino
them, that will affect the condition not only of
ourselves but the world, for zeal or woe. In
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