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in their sovereign capacity, should be responsible for the rendition of fugitive slaves.
That was our best security.
It was, on motion of
Mr. Hayne, resolved that a Commissioner be sent to each Slave State, with a copy of the
Secession Ordinance, with a view to hasten cooperation on the part of those States; also, that three Commissioners be sent to
Washington, with a copy of the same, to be laid before the
President, to treat for the delivery of the
United States property in
South Carolina over to the
State, on the subject of the
Public Debt, etc.
The Ordinance of Secession was reported from a Committee of seven on the fourth day (Dec. 20th), and immediately passed, without dissent.
(Yeas 169.) It is in the following words:
An Ordinance to dissolve the Union between the State of South Carolina, and other States united with her under the compact entitled the Constitution of the United States of America:
We, the people of the State of South Carolina, in Convention assembled, do declare and ordain, and it is hereby declared and ordained, that the Ordinance adopted by us in Convention, on the 23d day of May, in the year of our Lord 1788, whereby the Constitution of the United States of America was ratified, and also all Acts and parts of Acts of the General Assembly of this State ratifying the amendments of the said Constitution, are hereby repealed; and that the Union now subsisting between South Carolina and other States, under the name of the United States of America, is hereby dissolved.
A formal “Declaration of Causes, which induced the Secession of
South Carolina,” was in like manner reported and adopted.
Its substance and force are entirely derived from and grounded on the alleged infidelity of the
Free States to their constitutional obligations with respect to Slavery, but more especially in the non-rendition of fugitive slaves.
New York, among other States, is herein charged (of course by mistake) with having passed acts to obstruct the return of such fugitives.
Indiana and
Illinois are likewise among the States thus erroneously accused.
The Constitution is pronounced a compact between sovereign States, and the
Convention proceeds:
We maintain that, in every compact between two or more parties, the obligation is mutual; that the failure of one of the contracting parties to perform a material part of the agreement, entirely releases the obligation of the other; and that, where no arbiter is provided, each party is remitted to his own judgment to determine the fact of failure, with all its consequences.
No grievance of any name or nature is alleged or insinuated, but such as flow from anti-Slavery feeling and action in the
Free States, culminating in the election of
Lincoln.
The Declaration concludes as follows:
We, therefore, the people of South Carolina, by our delegates in Convention assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, have solemnly declared that the Union heretofore existing between this State and the other States of North America is dissolved, and that the State of South Carolina has resumed her position among the nations of the world, as a separate and independent State, with full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent States may of right do.
On motion of
Mr. W. F. De Saussure, it was further
Resolved, That the passage of the Ordinance be proclaimed by the firing of artillery and the ringing of the bells of the city, and such other demonstrations as the people may deem appropriate on the passage of the great act of deliverance and liberty.
The President, at a quarter past 1, announced that the Ordinance had unanimously passed; whereupon there burst forth a pent — up flood of congratulatory and jubilant speeches, and then the
Convention adjourned, to meet again in the evening for a
