Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-11-15
''-'.''-'' For ihc 4 d9ertisssir:: 2
lIr. &. d. TiHlnan:-

sforlnel1ho that you hud yotedyfor the flth gee
ton Of tho Constitution of South Carolina, which
ronds as follOTs:
"Thc slaYes Of South Carolina having been
emancipated by the action. of the United States I
authorities, neither slavery nor involuntary serv;-
tude, cxcsptfor crime, whereof tho party shnil
have been duly convicted, shall ever be re-estab-
.ished:in this State" VI. So So - 3s-s1,. :
20 You then said, in substance, thai the President
had required the Convention to incorporate into
our Constitution a section or article abulishing
slavery; that the dominant party Mt tho North
demanded it of us that If it had not been lone5
tho bnyoncts would not be withdrawn for az l<nst
three years; that you AID ycur family had lost
one hundred and seventy slaves b2 il; that you
did the best ycu could for tho people under tho
circumstances -. ..,sr...s
One, having heard this much and no moro of
your speech would irresistibly conclude that the
l1th Section did, in your opinion, abolish slavery
You, however, suddenly turned round, aRd said
in about these words: "But fellow-citizens, the
l1th Section does not abolish slavcty; fit dis,
I would not have voted for it. .Iwould have died
8rst." One having heard this assertion, and not
the first, would have como irrcsistably to the con-
clusion that tho 1lth Section did not in your opn
ion, abolish slavery. A man of ordinary intoli-,
genco having heard you from the beginning, might
be excused if lie Werc little uncertain as to your
real meaning. bat perhaps, would; uponamature
reflection, have comet tho veryde6nite conclusion
that the 1lth scetioa did actually abolish slavery,
then again that it didn't.
You then wcnton to say that Congress had
passed resolution proposing to the States to altOr
the Constitution SO as to abolish slavery through
out the United States; that that proposition had
been submitted to The Legislatures sf tho States;
that our Legislature tits next meeting would
havet pass upon it; that if it failed or refused
to raeify it that then the State would no! be por-
lnitted to return to the Union and that the bayo-
net would still bo kept: at our doors. In word,
that although the Convention did not abolish sla-
worry, tho Legislature would have it to do cOasti-
tutionaHy,e eren at the point of the baysnes.
have heard that you, in your speech at Gran
iteyille, did, in my absence, inform the people
that had voted against the l1th Section, and that
if sufficient number had voted with me that the
bayonet would be keptin our midst at least for
three years. Accepting as true the assertion
which you have repeatedly, boldly and almost
defantly made, that the 11th Section did not
abolish slavery, then, most respectfully, ask
how could you in common fairness, make tho coed
people of Granitevl!e believe that my having
voted against it, had tendency to keep the bay
onet in our midst? If, as you say, the 1lth Sec
tion does not abolish slavery, my vote against it,
even though it defeated it, would not have the
effect you ascribcd to it,
Your having said that if the 11th Section did
abolish slavery, you would have died before you
would have voted for it, is virtually pledge to
the people that you will not vote for any PROPOSE
ton looking to the abolition Of slavery. There
fvre when The proposition above referred to comes
up, you will have to vote against it. But if your
views are correct, and you do.vote againstit, then
you become obnoxious to the charge, which, IN
your speech ut Graniteville, you laid at my door.
Thus, Sir your reckless assertions, and. q pruri-
ency on your part to tell the people in certain
localities that had voted against the llth Sec
ton, have involved you in dilemma from which
you cannot easily o1tricate yourself, unless you
fall back on that statesmanlike maxim, of'which
perhaps you may know something: "Principle
get behind Ipo (; policy advance to tho front
do knot know what manner you assumed
whom you told the people of Graniteville that
had voted against the 11th Section, nor do know
what form of wsrds you used, but do know that
certain persons living there, believed that was
actually in favor of keeping tho bayonet in oul
country for three years. Whatever opinion you
may have entertained, or may now entertain, as
to tho effect of ny vote on the 11th Section, had
you have known the course pursued, subsequent
, to Johnstons surrender, you could not have
charged me with the want of an earnest desire to
prevent, or to get rid Of military rule; but per-
! haps would have, in my absence, felt. yourself
|, bound to defend me Lgainst such a charge. /
will briefly gum up the course pursued Sfter
Johnston's surrender: Early in May became
convinced that it Was useless for the South any
, longer to resist tho Federal Government by arms,
and having crushed out feelings long cherished, 1
went out among the people and proposed and nd
yocated o public meeting, the prime object of
which should be to restore the State to the Union,
and thereby avoid military rule. A meeting for
/ this purpose was held on thefrst Monday of June,
and did all I could to; accomplish the object of
that meeting, bnt it failed, and the hayonet came
among u.s. You werc not present at that meeting.
Pursuant to notice given through the Adoerti'er
n meeting was held nt the Court House on the
SALE day of July. Tho same propositions, in effect
were submitted to this meeting, that had failed at
the meeting in June, and passed without dis
senting voice, / was present and did what
could to carry out the object of the meeting. You
were not there. On the sale-dny. of August, o
meeting was held at tho Court House, the object
of which was the public good. was present and
secured on that occasion number of signatures
to the petition which induced tho police s,ganiza-
ton now allowed us. Who're wcrc you then you
4 were not thero Tho meeting on tho sale-day of
j August selected You, as we'll as myaelf, to serve
nm n. Committee. i served, you did not serve. 1t