Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-08-31

our liperty: Tic Is dlgginga grave for him
self which posterity will never water with q
tear. Let him alone. have come to dis
ouss the present phase of the revolution.
we have had war which ragged furiousl,
Tor four years. 1t originated simply in diff
terenoe OF opinion as to orr rights under the
Constitution. This difference existed from,
the first. 1t existed among the framcr, .,
tho Constitution. 1t could not be settled bv
argument, and an appeal was made to the
sword. It was an open, manly fight. There
was nothing secret or ambiguous in the issuo
1t was wagcd by men influenced in the mass.
es by patriotic emotions on both sides; and il
was not to destroy the Constitution but to a.
sert on each side their different views. On
our side it was asserted that the States werc
separate and Independent sovcreigntes, and
that the Constitution was a compact, which
each party was at liberty to dissolve Mt will,
and so we seeded aud declared ourselves out
| OF the Union. On the other hand it was
contended that we were not out Of the Union
Notwithstanding our secession acts and
tnat the Constitution was not n compact, but a
oinding law upon the States resulting from a
compact, and therefore no one Of the number
could dissolve the connectir, at will Upon
th's issue we went to wal The war was
foughttlll we laid down our arms and agreed
to what our enemies said-that we were in
the Union
But there is now another question to settle.
1t is still within tho range of argument. Its
proportions are huge. The issues are start.
ling. 1t is not difference of opinion as to
what the Constitution means, aud what arc
our rights under it; but its object is plainly,
unmstakably, to set aside the Constitution
and provide something else. have never
doubted that We were coming to this issue. =
In speeches made by me, five, six, eight, and
ten years ago, predicted this, and every page
OF our history since that time has verified the
correctness of the prediction The peoplc of
the North honestly love the Constitution, but
the leaders there hate it, aud intend to de.
stroy it, and the convulsion through which
we have PASSED has thrown the opportunity of
making the effort into their hands, and the
present military bills and the one which is not
to accomplish their design. Inere n'eRls, IS re,
markable feature in these measures, that while
force is employed to execute thcm, they arc
yet nominaly submitted to us for our accep-
tancc or rejection.
1 object to tho whole scheme, because it is
unconstitutional. a distinguished man-par,
don me, ought to say notorious individual
said to me a few days ago, that [ ought not
to waste time to prove the uhconstitutionality
of these mcasures--a thing every man, woman
and child in the country knew-and yct he
wos for accepting He spoke truthfully.--
That tottering, gray-haired candidate in Penn
sylvania for perpetual infamy, who is building
for himself monument of lnalignity that
will overtop the pyramids of Egypt, said the
Constitution had nothing to do with it,
shall never get done shuddcring, and horrors
will never cease to rise up in my mind, when
see men taking an oath to support tho Con-
stitution, and then IcgislatnS to put in force
measures which are outside of it. a great
many of our own people fippantly say the
| Constitution is dead Then your rights, and
hopes for the future, and all hope for your
| children arc dead. ask every man, if the
Constitution is dead why arc We always, eve
ry day. and at every new step required to take
an oath to support it?
| Now, ! affirm that these military bills are
not only contrary to the Constitution, but di-
rectly in the face Of the amnesty oath you
were required to take after the surrender.
The Government thought proper, in accepting
your submission, to take your oath to support
the Comtitutiom of the United ,Stutcs and
The Union Of the States. Why was thu oath
required if the Constitution was dead
I, But it is said the Constitution does not ap-
ply GUS Then don't swear to support it.
But is it said again that we are not in the
| Union. Then Why swear to supporS tho
| Union Of these. States? What "Unionj''
| does that menn Z When you took .hat.oatb
was IL the Union of tho Of the Northern
! .cetrtcs alone that you sworo to support
/ VIVA, b.,sincss have you with that Union {
No, it is ths Union'o of aO the States known
to tho Constitution that you have sworn to
support.
But thoy say that oatli was prescribed BY
the President, and that he is loyal. Then
must answer a foolaccording to his i&'ly, and and
a. traitor according to his treason. Whus az
they require who passed these bills--this mil
itary Juggcrnant5 They require every man
who registers his name to vote, to s,ccar .tc
support the Constitution, and counsel ana
4 persuade ohers to do. so--and still it is said
tho Constitution has nothing to do with it
They say the scheme is. outside of the Consti
tuition, and yet in herprocess Of carrying i
out, they require an oath to support the Con
4 stitution and TO counsel and persuade othcri
to do so That is more than Mr.. Jobnsor
evcrrcquired 10 the oath which he prescribed
4 It.is my business to: support the Gonstitu
.tiob, and my duty and pleasure 70 persuade
A others to do 80 Some Of you whoafs tn,
4 acceptance Of the military. bills takeSan oatI
to thls effspt, and still intend TO vote fora con
. vennoh which yn,I- admit To be oontya,y,t y
tito gopatit,aieh$ How is THE r 70,