Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-08-16
SOUTH CAROLINA STOOD FIRST.
First Shot Fired on Morris Island.
Untruthful Romance.

Editor Keowee Courier: In COM
menting on the interesting address
of DR.. Diver to the survivors Of
Orr's Regiment you quote the follow
ing: "'Fhe first and last guns Of that
battle were fred by South Carolina
troops. 1t Is historic fact that South
Carolina was the first to secede, the
first to fire shot at Fort. Sumter,
the first to fire shot at Manassas
and the first Of the seeding States
to return to the Union after the sur
render at Appomattox.
1t might be added that before the
formation Of the Confederacy, WHEN
SHE ALONE confronted the power of
the United States government, South
Carolina fired the first gun of the
war from a battery on Morris Is
land (January 8, 1861 at the
steamer "Star of the West" and that
South Carolina was the foremost
State to form the Original Union of
Thirteen States. Had it not been
for South Carolina no Congress
would then have happened" said
the great statesman, the magnani-
nous, unwavt ring, faultless lover Of
his country, Christopher Gadsden.
AS the American people spread
through the vast cXpanse over which
their jurisdiction now extends, be It
remembered" says Bancroft, that
the blessing of union is due to the
warm-heartedness Of South Carroll
ma.
The Union being formed, South
Carolina stood on principle, insisted
on strict adherence to the articles
Of agreement and has always been
consistent. Some of the Northern
States have been inconsistent, nuctu-
ating as their interest dictated
When the Southern States were in
control Of the United States govern
ment these States vchcmently insist
ed on the sovereignty Of the States
and openly avowed the right to Sc
they asserted that the United States
government was superior to the
State, and that secession was rebel
lion and treason. "In Connecticut
the Governor withdrew the militia
from the national service and made
1t subject to orders issued by State
authority"
"In 1896 Lieutenant Governor
Walcott, of Connecticut, said, Il sim
coro!v declare that : wish th> North
orn Sratea would soparnlo from The
SoutHs-p the moment thAt event (thc
election OF 5eWey&0nl $Na!l take
place
in ioO3-4 Il separation OF tne
Union was openly stimulated in the
public prints and convention of
delegates Of the New England
States, to meet at New Haven, was
intended and proposed
''In 1911 Josiah Quincy used this
language: 4 am compelled to de-
clare 1t as my deliberate opinion that
if this bill passes (for the admission
of Louisiana) the bonds OF the I'm
ion are virtually dissolved; that the
States which compose it are free from
their moral obligations; and that,
as it will be the right OF all, so it
Will be the duty Of some, to prepare
definitely for separation--amicabl
If they can. violently if they must. >"
If space permitted, numberless
other proofs could be furnished, and
also proof of inconsistency in regard
to slavery:
"1n 1875 slavery existed in all the
Thirteen States. A traveller in 1875
writes: Nearly twenty vessels from
the harbors Of the Northern States
are employed in the transportation
of negroes to Georgia and the West
Indian Isles,
On July 30, 1861, the House of
Representatives deemed "any pur-
pose of conquest subjugation," and
affirmed that the war was waged "to
preserve the Union, with all the dig
nifty, equality and the rights of the
States unimpaired, and that as soon
"S 'h'7S opJeNIo dlc dCcolllpllSlcu,
the war ought to cease"
when self the wavering balance
shakes,
It's rarcly right adjusted"
The object Of survivors, associa-
tons should be two-fold, namely,
fraternal, and to perpctuato the
truth of history.
The statements in some of the his
Ia inA. M inlL II