648 



SOUTH CAROLINA. 



ernment or the guarantees of the Federal com- 

 pact. This is the great overt act of the people 

 in the Northern States at the ballot-box, in the 

 exercise of their sovereign power at the polls, 

 from which there is no higher appeal recog- 

 nized under our system of Government in its 

 ordinary and habitual operations. They thus 

 propose to inaugurate a Chief Magistrate, at 

 the head of the army and navy, with vast 

 powers, not to preside over the common inter- 

 ests and destinies of all the States alike, but upon 

 issues of malignant hostility and uncompromis- 

 ing war to be waged upon the rights, the interests, 

 and the peace of half the States of this Union. 



"In the Southern States there are two en- 

 tirely distinct and separate races, and one has 

 been held in subjection to the other by peace- 

 ful inheritance from worthy and patriotic an- 

 cestors, and all who know the races well know 

 that it is the only form of government that can 

 preserve both, and administer the blessings of 

 civilization with order and in harmony. Any 

 thing tending to change and weaken the gov- 

 ernment and the subordination between the 

 races, not only endangers the peace, but the 

 very existence of our society itself. We have for 

 years warned the Northern people of the dan- 

 gers they were producing by their wanton and 

 lawless course. We have often appealed to our 

 sister States of the South to act with us in con- 

 cert upon some firm and moderate system by 

 which we might be able to save the Federal 

 Constitution, and yet feel safe under the gen- 

 eral compact of Union ; but we could obtain no 

 fair warning from the North, nor could we see 

 any concerted plan proposed by any of our co- 

 States of the South calculated to make us feel 

 safe and secure. 



" Under all these circumstances we now have 

 no alternative left but to interpose our sov- 

 ereign power as an independent State to pro- 

 tect the rights and ancient privileges of the peo- 

 ple of South Carolina. This State was one of 

 the original parties to the Federal compact of 

 union. We agreed to it, as a State, under pe- 

 culiar circumstances, when we were surrounded 

 with great external pressure, for purposes of 

 national protection, and to advance the inter- 

 ests and general welfare of all the States equally 

 and alike. And when it ceases to do this, it is 

 no longer a perpetual Union. It would be an 

 absurdity to suppose it was a perpetual Union 

 for our ruin." 



After a few days the Legislature took a re- 

 cess until the 17th of December, the day on 

 which the State Convention was to assemble. 

 Preparations for the Convention were com- 

 menced immediately after the bill was passed 

 by the Legislature. Candidates for member- 

 ship were immediately nominated. All were 

 in favor of secession, and the only important 

 distinction to be seen among them consisted in 

 the personal character of individuals. Those 

 who were known to be men of moderate and 

 conservative views were generally successful 

 over individuals of a radical and ultra stamp. 



The Convention assembled in the Baptist 

 church at Columbia, the capital of the State, 

 at noon, on the 17th of December. Unlike the 

 conventions of the other States, its sessions were 

 at first held with open doors, and its proceed- 

 ings published to the country. When the Con- 

 vention was called to order, David F. Jamison 

 was requested to act as president pro tern. 

 Upon taking the chair, he made a brief address, 

 in which he said : 



" If any thing has been decided by the late 

 election, it is that South Carolina most be taken 

 out of this Confederation in as speedy a man- 

 ner as possible. I trust that no outside pres- 

 sure, no guarantees from abroad, will drive us 

 from our purpose ; for, gentlemen, there are 

 two dangers which we are to avoid overtures 

 from abroad and disputations from within. I 

 trust that the door now is forever closed from 

 any further connection with our Northern 

 Confederacy. What guarantees can they offer 

 us more binding, more solemn, and with a 

 higher sanction, than the present written com- 

 pact between us ? Has that sacred instrument 

 protected us from the jealousy and aggressions 

 of the Northern people, which commenced for- 

 ty years ago, and which ended in the Missouri 

 Compromise? Has it protected us from the cu- 

 pidity and avarice of the Northern people, who 

 for thirty-five years have imposed the burden 

 of sustaining this Government chiefly upon the 

 South? Has it saved us from abolition peti- 

 tions, intended to annoy and insult us, on the 

 very floors of Congress ? Has not that instru- 

 ment been trodden under their very feet by 

 every Northern State, by placing on their books 

 statutes nullifying the laws for the recovery of 

 fugitive slaves? I trust, gentlemen, we will 

 put no faith in paper guarantees. They are 

 worthless, unless written in the hearts of the 

 people. As there is no common bond between 

 us, all attempts to continue us united will only 

 prove futile to the least and smaller section of 

 the country. Our greatest danger is from any 

 division within our border. In inaugurating a 

 great event like this, I trust we will go onward, 

 and not be diverted from our purpose by any 

 dictates from without, but to do what we are 

 sent to do. I can at this time offer you nothing 

 better in inaugurating such a movement than 

 the counsel of him who inaugurated the French. 

 Revolution to dare, and again to dare, and 

 without end to dare." 



It was next proposed that a list of the mem- 

 bers should be made, and that each one should 

 present his credentials and be sworn in. To 

 this proposition Mr. Adams replied : 



" Mr. President, I do not see how we can 

 consistently do that, as a clause of the Con- 

 stitution of South Carolina makes provision 

 that we shall take an oath to support the Con- 

 stitution of the United States. We come here 

 to break down a Government, and not to take 

 an oath to support it." 



The names were called, but an oath was not 

 administered to the delegates. For president 



