Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-12-22
INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF THE GOV
ERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Hon James l.. Orr was inaugurated Cover
nor of South Carolina on the 2Oth ult lie
delivered an address, from which we make
tho following extracts:
The people of South Carolina seeded
from the Federal Union under an earnest
and honest conviction that they had the
constitutional right so to do; and they were
couollv earnest and honest in the conviction
that their interest and the security OF very
large property in slaves required them TO
resort TO this extreme measure Olher states
united with her TO set upa newgovernmeni.
The Executive, the Legislative ana the judi
cinl Dennrtment of the United States govern
ment all denied the right which we had
asserted. and war ensued. All parties knew
Tint slavery was the real foundation OF the
collision hetween the sections. The south
engaged in it to preserve and perpeiuale NJ
The north to destroy il. -Four years OF
bloody desolating war was spent IN settling
the issue. which had been committed TO the
arbitfament OF the sword, and that ulgh
Tribunal from which there is no earthly
appeal decided the cause against us. IL was
a final, irreveTsible decree. we were eX-
hausted. our armies surrendered, our last
available recruit had been sent TO the front
and our resources were all consumed We
succumbed TO the power of the United
States. and under the wise and magnanimous
policy of President johnson we Will,
hope and believe, very soon be restored TO
all our persona and political rights in the
Federal Union, on terms ofperieet eqrallly
with all the Sta es ofthat powerful sister ood.
The war has decided, first. That one or
more of the States of the Federal Union have
not the right, at will, TO seccde therelrom'.
The doctrine of secession, which was held
GNuNna naFIaN
of politics, is now exploded forany pracucal
purpose. Thetheory ofabsolute sovereignty
ofa State ofthe Federal Union Qrom whence
was derived the right to secedc), which was
bclved almost universally to be sound
constitutional construction, must also DC
materially modified to conform to tins impos-
ing decision. In all the powers granted in
the Constitution to the Fede.al government
it is supreme and sovereign, ana must pe
obeyed and respected accordingly. Where
the rights of Safe are disregarded, OF
unconstitutional acts done by any depart
ment of the Federal government, redress
can no longer be sought by interposing the
sovereignty of the State, either for nulliilca-
ton or secession; but the remedy is by
petition or remonstrance-by reason, which
sooner or later will overtake iustice-by an
appel to the supreme judicial power OF inc
Union; or by revolution, which II unsuccess-
full, is treason
The decision was far more imposing and
obligatory than if IL had been pronounced
by the Supreme Court of the United states.
Had il been tried there an ellort to reverse IL
might hfve been made, because It's members
and opinions ol.en change. But the COD oil
Battles has pronOunce,. al irreversible Judg-
ment, after long, desperate and sangul-
nary struggle, and il would be neither polite
or patriotic ever again to invoke new trial
OF the fearful issue.
The clemency which President johnson
has so generously ;tended to many OF our
citizens, in granting full and tree pardon
for participation in the late revolution, does
honor to his stateamanship and TO his sense
Ofiustce. He is the ruling power of u great
and triumphant government, and by his
policy will attach by cords stronger than
"triple steer' tho citizens of one entire
section of the Union to that government
which he has so long and so ably supported
and maintained. He was well acquainted
with the South-with her politics and
politicians, and knew however erroneous in
his Judgment may haYe been their political
principles, that they honestly entertained
the sentiments which they professed, ant
for which they periled their all; and altei
failing in their end, when they proposed tC
return to their loyalty, that humanity ant
policy dictated that they should not bt
hunted down for ignominious punish
ment.
1 shall give his policy of Reconstruction al
earnest and Jealous support.
The war decided, second That slavery
should be totally and absolutely extcrmi
mated in all the States of the Union. Tht
convention of this State, with singular unani
nifty and promptness, accepted the result o
the issue made, and declared in the funda
mental law ''that slaves having been oman
cipated by the action of the United State
authorities, slavery should never be re es
tablished in this State.
The Legislature has followed up the action
OF the convention, by passing the constitu
tiOnal amendment proposed by the Fedora
Congress, prohibiting slavery every wher
IN the United States, and confcring oil
Congress power to carry the same into effect
Slavery in America is, therefore, foreye
extinct. The people of South Carolin
have acquiesed in this sequence of the wa
with remarkable cheerfuncss, especial
when it is noted that her people have bee
the staunchest defenders of the institution
on principles of policy, for more than cen
tury-that her interest in the institution wa
greater, relatively, than any other sisters, il
cash value at the beginning of the war bein
more than two hundred millions of dollar
and that, from a settled conviction, her tw
great staples of cotton and rice could onl
be successfully cultivated by compulsory Ii
Dor.
The labor of every negro in the State
difnotto tillthe soil in some other usefl
employment-for the culture of cotton an
ricei and, in all menial occupations, it
very doubtful whether any laboiers in tn
country or in Europe can supply his placl
His long and thorough training in thes
rmployments give him certain skill an
aptitude which stranger can only obtain b
experience. 1t is, therefore, of the first in
portance that such policy should he adopte
as will enable the farmers and planters to en-
piloy the negro, ard that he should renal
cheerful and contented. But there is anothl
consideration prompting us to legislate III
namely and justly for the negro. He HI
been born and reared among us; and while
mas, unfortunately, qualities that stamp Ii
lnieriority to the white man, he possess
others that invite our respect. As elias