Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-01-12
POLL sc 1UGA1 d.
Declaration

Of Me imm"1iot~ causes 'chiA jh7ncc and
yHSHIy tie ,Se"cSsion Of ,SouM Lurolinu
f;'om tic Fe1crui Inion
The people Of the State of South Carolina,
in Convention assembled, on the 2Gth day of
April, a. d., 1852 declared that the frequent
violations of the Constitution of the United
States, by the Federal Government, and its
cncroachmcnts upon the reserved rights of the
States, fully justified this State in then with
drawing from the Federal Union but in def
crencc to The opinions aud wishes of the other
slavchoding Statcs, she forbore ut that time
to exercise this right. Since that time, these
cncroachments have continued to increase,
and further forbcarancc ceases to be virtue.
And now the State of South Carolina having
resumed her separate and equal place among
nations, deems it due to herself, to the re
naming United States of America, and to
the nations of tho world, that she should de-
clare the immediate causes which have led to
this act
In the year 1865, that portion of the Brit
ish Empire embracing Great Britain. under
took tn make laws for the government of that
portion composed of the thirteen American
Colonies. A struggle for the right of self
government ensucd which resulted, on the
4th July, 17TG, in Declaration, by the Col
NhicS, oiidJ CilCy arc, anu Vi IlplJ OunnU 10
be, free and independent States; and that, as
free and independent States, they have full
power to levy war, conclude peace. contract
alliances, establish. commerce, and to do all
other acts and things which Independent
States may of right do"
They further solemnly declared that when
ever any "form of government becomes de-
structive of the ends for which it was cstab-
lishcd, it is tho right of the people to alter or
abolish it, and to institute new government"
Decming the Government of Great Britain to
have become destructive of these ends, they
declared that the Colonies " are absolvcd from
all allegiance to the British Crown, and that
all political connection between them and the
State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, to-
tally dissolved" &.
In pursuance of this Declaration of Inde-
pendence, each of the thirteen States proceed
edto exercise its separate sovereignty; adopted
for itself Constitution, and appointed officers
for the administration of government in all its
departments Legislative, Executive and Ju-
dicial. For purposes of Defence they united
their arms and their counsels; and, in ITS,
they entered into League known as the Ar
ticles Of Confederation, whereby they agreed
to entrust the administration oG their external
relations TO a cUtniIon agent, kG3%G IS the
Congress of the United States, expressly de-
claring, in the first article, i" that each State
retains It's sovereignty, freedom and indepcn-
dence, and every power, Jurisdiction and right
which is not, by this Confederation, expressly
delegated to the United States ia Congress
assembled"
Under this Confcdcration the War of the
Revolution was carried on, and on the 3D. Sep.
tember, 1888, the contest ended, and defni-
tive Treaty was sgned by Great Britain, in
which she acknowledged the Independence of
the Colories in the following terms
Article lila Brittanic Majesty ac-
knowledges the said 'United States viz: New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, Bay, Rhode Island
and Providence Plantations, Connecticut,
Now York, New jersey, Pennsylvania, Della,
ware, Maryland, YirSiaia, North Carolina,
South Carolina and Georgia, to be Free, Sov.
creign aud Independent States that he treats
with them as such !; and for himself, his heirs
aud successors, relinquishes all claims to tbe
government, propriety and territorial rights Of
the same and everyapart thereof f4.G
Thus were established the two great princi-
pies asserted by the Colonies. namely; the
right OF q State to govern Itself; and the
right of people to abolish alGoycrhmcnt