The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-05-18

the admission of Louisiana was under
discussion, a member of Congress from
Massachusetts said that the passage OF
the bill would "free the States from
their moral Obligation" and that cas-
it would be the right of all. so it would
be the duty of some, to prepare for a
separation"
Again, in 1914, only sixteen years
before South Carolina seeded, the
legislature of Massachusetts,, protest
ing against the annexation of Texas,
passed a resolution, declaring that such
a step on the part of Congress might
tend to drive these States New Eng
land) into a dissolution of the Union"
Dld those sixteen years make any
difference as to the right of secession ?
If the New England States had that
right in 1914, why did they deny it to
South Carolina in 1860
The eXpediency of secession is not
a matter that needs to be discussed.
The results of the war are doubtless as
Providentially ord ered. God reigns,
anu all is well because He reigns. The
right of secession is a different thing
from its expectancy at my particular
time, and to establish the right, and
then to show that there was some rea-
son Tor It's exercise, is all that is needed
TO relieve the war between the States
from the odium cast upon it by the
Federal Government in calling it ''The
War of the Rebellion" 1t was neither
rebellion nor civil war, but a war be.
tween two unions of C~onfcdcratcd
States, each of which unions had the
right to exist.
Now let me briefly speak of the rca-
sons That led to secession.
Slavery, whether fortunately or un-
t"OrtIlnntpIy WINS npnpniunl Il, H., r,,
stitution. Article ", Section =, pro-
vldes that mo person held to service or
labor in one State, under thclaws there
OF, escaping into another, shall, i'm con
sequence If any law or regulation
therein, be discharged from such SER
vice or labor, but shall be delivered up
on claim of the party to whom such
service or labor may be due"
For a long time, there was little or
nc trouble in enforcing this provision.
But because of anti-slavery agitation,
congress found 1T necessary to pass, in
1850, what was known as the Fugitive
Slave Law, by which the States were
e%nJoined to observe this part of their
campact. Thcrcupon several Northern
Legislatures nullilied the act Of Con-
gress and this section Of the Constitu-
ton by enacting laws giving freedom
to all slaves escaping into their terri
tory. The South felt that if one part
of the Constitution were allowed thus
to be set at naught, no part of it was
safe.
The agitation continued John
Browns raid into Virginia took place
the Abolition party elected its candi-
dates for President and Nice-Prcsident
in 1860. This party seemed bent upon
overriding the Federal compact that
bound the States together. 1t had come
into power. There seemed no way of
enforcing the Constitution and South
Carolina, in consequence, Withdrew
the powers delegated by her to the
Omitted States in Congress assembled"
and took her place among the Sovereign
States Of the world. Others followed,
and with her formed a new Union,
which they called "Thc Confederate
States of America" 1t may not have
been wise action it may have beer
hasty but there was reason for it in
the violation of a solemn agreement,
which had formed the basis of union
between these and States from which
they withdrew.