The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-06-12

asserted that the Union had only
such rights as were delegated to it
by tn, respective State, and that the
same was dependent upon the will OF
the people. That convention claimed
that the right to secede, and threat,
ened to withdraw from the Union
and make an ignoble peace with
England The next trouble came
when Congress imposed tariff for
the declared purpose of protecting
the manufactures of the North.
John G. Calhoun requested that tke
acknowledged purpose be expressed
in the act; so that its constitutions
ality could he tested in the Supreme
Court of the United States. when
this was refused he asserted that
there was tribunal of last resort
the people of the States. This was
called qualification The. North
was the first to assert the right of
secession, the South first to assert
the right of qualification" Our
rights in slaves were declared pro-
tectcd by the Constitution, the acts
of Congress, and the decision of the
Supreme Court Of the United States.
The North became "nullificrs," and
a majority of the Northern States,
through their legislatures, nullifed
the Constitution, the acts Of Con-
gress and the decision of the Supreme
Court and become themselves the
advocates of notification.
In the midst of these disagree
ments, secret societies in the North
collected, armed and equipped band
of men, who with John Brown as
their leader invaded Virginia. These
men were captured, convicted and
executed. Though they were guilty
Of treason and murder. the North
threatened the South with vengeance
for executing the law. The abolition
party had been teaching the doctrine
of secession and notification and had
been vigorously enf,rcing the doc :
trine of qualifications; but when it
elected q President the whole tone Of
the party changed. Z
The South having been driven
in its desperation TO resort to seces-
sion, the abolition party ofthe North.
become the great Union party.
Their President, Mr.. Lincoln, was q
wise, shrewd and cunning politician,
with some noble virtues. Under his
leadership his party was taught that
henceforth nothing but the preserva-
tion Of the Union was to b. taught
and urged. He at once pacifed the
democratic party of the North by
bestowing Offices and declaring that
to sought nothing but the preserva.
tion of the Union. He raised great
army, but this was not to turn its
arms against the rullifiers of the
North, but the secessionists of the
South. The Touth remembered the
John Brown raid and his intention
as expressed in his code of laws, and
it was the universal opinion of the
South that the raid of John Brown
was bat the advance guard of the
Northern army. And thus the great
Civil war was begun. No power on
earth could prevent it. No individ-
ual should be held responsible for
what had happened. Grim -visaged
war ruled supreme. We would have
the young of this age and all future
ages to understand how we felt and
what we thoughts How could We
trust the promises of the North so
long as their acts of notification re-
mained upon their statute books?
How could we trust them when they
raised armies to coerce US into obedi-
ence, and openly refused themselves
to be bound by the Constitution, the
acts of Congress, and the opinion of
the Supreme Court?
We did not fully understand what
the negroes would do, or how they
would act. We had little or nothing
to expect of them.
The North had brought them from
Africa in their ships and had sold
them in the South, and now proposed
to release them and place them in
power over the white people of the
South. This must have been
prompted by the blindest prejudice
and most malignent heart or ig.
moral nca nf the trna nhilosnnhu nf the