Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-02-07
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II REV. J. n. THoREvrFtr. p n
oF SOUTH cAao1rNa.
Prom n southern rrcstytsrssn Rsrisu.1
It ishoW universally known that. on n. 9olh
day q last December, The people - sorsh
Caroliia, in convention assembled. solemnlv
snnulld the ordinance by which thew bee,ns
membas OF the Federal Union, entitled tbs
Unitedl States Of America, and resumed h
themseFes the exercise ef an the powers
which bey had delegated 10 tie Federal Con-
Eress. south CaT0lina has now becorae n SEN
arste eh independent safe. She takss her
place an equal among TIE other nations Of
the eare- This Is certainly one Of the NOS,
grave az important events Of modern times.
II invoFes the destiny q a coutinent, and
tlTouEdihst continent, tie fortunes OF ths bu-
nan rae. As il is matter OF the utmest
momenthat the rest Of The world, and espe-
cIsliy bat the people Of the United States,
should understand the causes which have
brougli about this astounding result, we pro-
pose, q short article, and IN e candid and
dispassouate spirit, to explain them, and to
make @ appeal, both to TIE slaveholding and
Notwithstanding States. touching their duty
in thenew and extraordinary aspect which
affairs lave assumed.
Ihauhere was a cause, and an adequate
cause, light be presumed from the character
OF The Invention which passed The ordinance
Of secession, aud the perfect unsnimity with
which was done. That convention was not
a eoiieiion Of demsgogues and politicians.
II was not eonclsve OF defeated place.
hunter, who sought to svenge their dis2p-
P0iEtmnt By the ruin Of their country. L
was a body o. sober, grave aud venerable
men, slscted from every pursuit in life. and
distinguished, most Of them, in their respective
sphere, by every quality which can command
con6dpce and respect. Il embraced The wis
dom, federation and integrity Of the bench,
the leaning and prudence Of the bar, aud the
eloquere and piety Of The pulpit. It con
tained retired planters. scholars and gentle
men, Vho had stood a a'o0f from The turmoil
and ambition Of public life, and were devoling
an elesnt leisure-offHm cum digHifgis--to
the culure Of their minds, and 70 Qust and
unobtreivs schemes OF Christian philsn-
thropr- There were men 10 that convention
who we utterly inca spable Of low and selfish
gcheme.: who. in the calm serenity os their
ludgmets, were as uunovsd by the waves OF
popularna ssion and excitement, as The ever
lasting ,ranite BY the billows that roll sgainst
It. THE we-e men there who would have
listsnedto nc voice but what they believed to
be the vfcs Of reason, and wogid have bowed
to no sthoritv but what thew believed to be
the authority Of God. There were men there
who Woid no. have been controlled by "un-
certain ipinisn," nor betrayed into 'ssudden
counssis7' men who could ae' from nothing,
in the Dble language Of Milton, "5ut from
mature nsdon, deliberate virtue, and dear af-
fsetiou { the public good" That convention,
In the ehractsr Of its members, deserves every
syllable ths glowing psneEyric which Mil
ton has Fenouneed upon The immortal Parlia-
msut Of England, which tsuCht the nations of
the earth that resistance 20 tvrsnts is obedi-
ence to 0od- Were il not inVidious, We might
single on nsmes, which, wherever they are
known, sie regarded as synonymous with pu-
ri-y, probfy, magnsnimity and honor. Il was
nuble bGiy. and all fbeir proceedings were
in hsrmorT with their high character In the
midst Of intense sgi'ation and excitement,
theI Wer calm, cool, collected and sef-pos-
Bssed Thev dsiiberated without passion, and
eondudsd without rEshness. They sat with
close dosrs, that the tumult Of the populace
nigh net invade ihs sobrioty cf their minds.
II a granger could have passed from the sir
ring scenes viii which the streets Of Charles
ton ge alive, into The calm and quiet s7nc-
tusrT & this venerable council, be would have
been impressed with the awe and venersti-n
which suhhusd the rude Gau', when be first
bsheid in senatorial dignity the eonscript
fathers Of Rome. That, In such body, there
was Dot a single voice against the ordnance
Of secession, that tiers was not only no dis
sent but that ths assent was cordial and
fhorough-goinE, f. a strong presumption tEat
the measure was justified bY the clearest and
sternest necsssitis Of justice and OF right.
That such an assmbly should have inauzu-
rated and compl6. q radical revolution in al
fhe external reiatSns of the State, in the face
of acknowledged angers, and al the risk Of
enormous sarrihcg, and should have done il
gravrlv, sobeTly, dspsssiouatslT, deliberately,
and vet have done without cause transcsnds
an The measures Z probsbility. Whatever
- d nffA D n-Aa af~far - ~ a
q H.ted bat this solmn act Of South Carolina
was well considers,
IN her estimate r Che msgnituds Of the
danger, she has bee seconded BY every other
slavsholding State. While We are writing,
the telegrsphic wire announce what the pre-
rious elections hssPrepsred us to expect
that Florida, Alabst and Mississippi hsve
followed Der example, They also have become
re1sr7te and indepershnt States Three other
States have taken tte inciFisnt steps for the
communication Of ihe ame result. And TIE
rest OF the slaveholdie States are hanging BY
4 -iz-Ie thread 10 ~ Unicu-the slender
thread Of h6pe-thst gusra nters nav be de-
vised which shall vet secure 10 them their
rights. But even the proclaim, that, without
g1ch ruaranfess. their wrongs are fnlolerable.
and they will not longer endure them. Can
snr man believe that the secession Of foaz
.oVsrsirr Statea. under the most solemn cir
low a. soon a. The constituted authorities can
Be called together, and the universal sentiment
of an that the Constitution Of the United
States has been virtually repealed, and that
every slaveholding Stste-tas Just ground FOR
errsseion-csn any mah lieVe that this is a
fsetitioug condition Of The public mind Of the
south. prs5ucsd by brswling politicians and
disappointed dsmagoguess and not The cain,
SsIiberate. profound ulterarce Of people who
a. a. 4
5s7nly and hagrantly vToBgsd The pre-
sumption clearly IL. that there is something in
fbs altitude Of the Government which portends
dancer and demants resistance. There must
he : cause f7r this intense and perVad!ng sense
Of injustice and Of injury.
I. rae been suggested, BY those who know
~ little Of The reople of the South ss they do
of he Coustftution Of their country, that ell
fhis fernsrt is nothing but the result Of a
-.-rensrr spirit on The part Of the cotton
---1,ring gates. fed bT ut0pisn dreams of az
- ,5izer7sut and wealth, to BE- realized under
~ suEpicss q free trade, in a separate con-
fsssrscv oF their own. Il has been Eravsiy
i1.fnusied .hst they are willing TO sell their
Fsith for eold-thst they have only made
--.t.v-+ of recent events 70 accomplish a fore
l-,-'s s~bsr1e Of delibera' stTeschsry ard fraud.
me fbere e not the slightest ground in any
tbisg tbsss States havs ever said or done for
fbis srtra5rdinsry slanders il is, OF course, su-
rs-apous to add The Soutn has, indeed, con-
blamed or the unequal sdministraiion Of the
f,-s-nmsut. Her best and purest statesmen
a.. onsriv svoyFed the opinion, that, in con-
sscrsnre u the partial legislation Of Congress,
- bas home burdens, and experienced incon-
r.,ie1~es which have retarded her own pros
rsritv. uhfle they have largely contributed 70
5.-.ioo. he resources Of the North. B (
--isvaness of this kind. unless greatly exag-
s--,tes nsrer would have led 70 The dissolu-
- IN lie Union. They would have been re-
sisfsd within Il, or patiently borne until thty
rouId b. lawfully redressed, 80 far RON con-
ts7Sing for an arbitrary right to dissolve the
T--i,r o. he right 10 dissolve il on merely
..-t-i.sI srrnrds. The Sonfh sets 50 high q
-. 81 nod faith. that she would never have
Iis.olvsd Il. FOR slight and temporary wrongs,
-, fbourh they might involve such viola
- :, 10 mart of her eonfederatss, OF the
-. of he compact, a. released Der from
- f,,-Il,er obiigstion Of honor u is there
f--. r4epost,rois to say, that any Dreams
borsver darling, of smbiion and ayaries,
-oul6 have induced Der to disregard her solemn
.1yageuplits 70 Der sister States, While they
were IA a.hfuIly fulhliing the conditions OF the
.,,trsr We know the ne0ple Of The South
- = ,sn confidently AFFIRM, that il ihey bad
-, srrrsd that al thess golden visions
--,,i9 hfve bsen completely rssiized By setting
-, for themselves, ss long as the Constitution
~ fbs ruitsd States continued r be siseerely
obss-y,.d. thsv wonld have spurnet the tempta-
ion toplrehsse national greatness oy Perhdy-
T7sv would have preferred poverty, va D
t1.,5r 10 ths gain of the whole world BY the
loss Of their integrity =
url-, a. ras perceived that The tendency OF
.,,,,f, v-aE inevitsbiy driving The south 70 dis
-, condition from which shs a. hfst re-
c5I5 Win horror, then she began % cast
go for considerations to reeoneiis ner 20 per
E.sfrv Thea, for the first time, Faa it main
1sio5 hat. instead Of being loser, she
- h. 4 gamer By the messun which he
-. - fbs Government was forcing upon
- n ,rss ALLEGED that good Vsnld spring
60 evil. that the prospect oi iieePendencs
--,sh-;ybter and more cheering mn Der pres
- .,,fItfs1-thst she bad much q snticipats,
- Tf.is 10 dresd. from the entemplsted
a put these cun siderstions we're not IN
---e..i "a fusfifg sseession--thsq were only
Il-..s =, motives le reconcile ias mind 70
-. ...,siiv Apart fTon that neeissity, they
..,i1 t,vs Ia as i.stls weight in isiermining
80, 'oDinion, ss the small duss~f toe bali
.I ~ do not believe. Ehsn pc present
-e-E,,srsv began, that The edvocsss Of wat
-.1.s Sisunion per as, men who preferred a
-,.i'.-r coufederscy upon the grends Of i!t
I..-r-gf. rureriorifv 10 the CO. oitiituuonsi
T-,sr ~ Inc United Ststes, could ave mug
- -urporEps guard. The paple Of The
Soh we're loyal 70 tie eountrTslsd II ne