Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-09-01

rlotlc spirits, sounding the tocsn Of alarm
when | deemed tho citadel of liberty endau.
Scrcd Loud and prolonged applausc-pood |
said on previous occasion, and repeat now.
that all that is necessary in this great stry,r.
gle against tyranny and dcspotsm, is that the
struggle should be sufficiently audible for the
american people to hear and properly under
stand. They did hear, looking on and seeing
VINO the contestants we're, and what the strur.
gic wsaabout. Determined that they would set
TIC tins question on the side of the Constitu.
'lon ana of principles, proclaim here TO-DAY,
as nave on previous occasions, that my faith il
IN the great mass of the people. Tn the midst
OF this struggle, when the clouds seemed to
bc most lowering, my faith, instead Of rivino
way Ioomcd up through the clouds, bcyo,,d
winch saw that all would be well in the end
NY countrymen, VIC all know that tyranny
and despntism, in the language of Thomas
Jc'irSson, can be exercised and excrtcd more
faithfully ny the many than tho one. We
naVe seen Congress gradually cncroach. stcp
| ny STEP and day after day, upon the constitu.
ti"nai rights and fundamental principles of
| Governments We have seen Congress in
n''hotity assume to exercise power Which if nj.
| 'o#ed 10 be carried out, would result in dcs-
potlsm or monarchy itself This is the truth.
and because others MS well rs myself have
secn proper to appeal to the patriotic and re.
| publican feeling of the country, We have been
| denounced in scvcrcst te~,s slnndcr upon
s'ander, vltuperation upon vtupcration of
inns vlilalnous character has made it's way
through the press. What, gentlemen. hae
been yours and my sin ? What has been the
cause OF our offending? | will tell yon Oar
ing to stand by tho Constitution of our faith
ers' consider the proceedings of this Con.
m a.. I
convention that ever assembled in the Uuitcd
States. Great applause When look VIII:
my minds eye upon that collection of citizens
coming together Voluntarily and s;tt;ne, i,
commensurate with all the States, and cock.
tensive with the whole people, and contrast it
with the conimction Of persons who arc trying
70 dcstrny tho country. regard it as more i'm
portant than any convention that has sat at
lcnst since 1887. Renewed applause !
'hlnk that may also say th"t the declarations
that were there made are equal to the Dccla-
ration Of Independence itself. here, to day,
pronounce them a second Declaration Of In
iepcndrnco. [Cries of "gorious," aud n
'nost enthusiastic and prolonged applause
Your address and declarations arc nothing
more nor less than a rcitcraton Of the Consti-
tuition Of the United States Yes will 60
father. and say that the declarations you have
made-tliat the principles you have cnuncia-
ted in your address-arc second proclnma-
ton Of emancipation to the people of the Uni
ted Stntes, Renewed and enthusiastic APP
plausc, for in proclamng and re proclaim
ing these great truths, you have laid down u
constitutional platform upon which all can
make common cause and stand united tcgcth-
or for restoration Of the States and prcserva-
tion of the Government, without reference to
1 ~ 80
the country-for our country rises above all
party considerations How mnny are there in
the United States that now require to be free?
They have the shackles upon their limbs, and
are bound ns rigidly as though they were in
fact III slavery. repeat, then, that your de-
clarntion is the second proclamation Of eman-
cipation to the people Of the United States,
and offers common ground upon which all
parties can stand [Applause.
Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen, let me, in
this connection, ask what have 80 gain more
llan tho advancement OF the public welfare
am as much opposed to the indulgence Of
egotsIn as any one, but live in conversation.
al manner. While formally receiving the
proceedings of this Convention, may be per-
mittcd again to ask what have to gain, con-
sulting human ambition, more than I have
gained, excepting one thing? My race is
nearly run. ! have been placed in the high
office which occupy under the Constitution
Of the country, and may say that have held
- from the lowest to tho highost-alnost ov.
cry position to which a man may attain in our
Government; and surely, gentlemen, this
should be enough to crafty reasnnahle'am.
bition. If wanted authority, or If l wished
to perpetuate my own power. how easy il
would have been to hold and WELD that 'hich
p1acad in N,v hon1a hy f1,o ~, an anra callcd
plausc.] With an army which it placed al
my disposal, | could have remained at the
capital of the nation-and with fifty or sixty
millions Of appropriations at my disposal, with
tho machinery TO he worked bY nv aatrans