Newspaper Page Text
STATE CONVENTION. '
Report ok the Com»iittke ok twkntv-osk J 1
At Aim'mini nnd Adoptfd.
I
Whereas,idwere poitions of Urn Feoph* of! a
Georgia, have assembled in Convention for in*’ ti
purpose of taking into confederation tre gnev- j
anceaunder which they labor, from the I .olee 1
tive System, and to devise the moat efficient and t
proper moans of relief, at whir-fa lire billowing \
persons iiavo attended ns Delngata* futm die I
counties annexed to their respective names, viz: r
p Blank forylha names of the Delegate*] t
Bo it thorefoio Resolved, by the Delegates \
of the people of Georgia, in said Convention as- t
aemblod; (
I. Thutthe Federal Government is n confer]- |
eraev formed by the States composing tlio same, 1
for the specific purposes eapreased in the Con
allltuion, and fur these alone. -t
'2. That every exercise by the federal govern- r
merit, or by any department thereof, of j ewers i
ti<X granteiiy the Constitution, notwillistnnding r
it may bo under the forma of law, is, in relation t
to the constituent States, a mere usurpation. i
3. That a government of limited powers can i
have no constitutional right, to judge in tho last
vcsoit, ofita own use, or abuse, of the powers •
conferred U|ion it, since that wonhl ho to substi
tute for the limitations of tho constitutional char
ter; the judgement of the agents who were em
ployed to carry it into effect—to annihilate those ,
limitation*, by a pow«i derived fiom the same
instrument which ereanid them.
-4. That the Federal Government, is a Govern
ment tho poworaof which are expressly limited
•hy the Constitution which created it, and cau
therefore have no Constitutional right to judge
In the last resort of the use ot abuto of those
powers.
T>. That flit essential to a confederated Gov
ernment, the powers of which are expressly lim
ited by the Constitution which creates, that llleie
should exist some whom a power authoritatively
to interpret that instrument, toileeuU) in the last
rosori, on the use or abuse oi the authority, which
it confers noon the common agent of iho co..fed
erating Htatea; that aur-h a power cannot belong
1o the ag>-nt, since (hat would be (o substitute Ins
ju J **»mnnt fir the cuaalituiiunul lioiilatinn, arnl
Ihat in the absence of a common inhiter express-1
Jy designated by the Constitution for ibis purpose
oach state «a such lor itself, and in virtue oi ns
novoioignly, is necessarily remitted lo tho exer
cise of that right.
6. That the several Slates comnosing this Un
ion wore, at the adoption of the Federal (Jonali
tuiion, free, sovereign and . idependeiit Slates:
that they have not divosied iliuniselves of this
character, hy the relinipiishmenl of certain pow
ors to the Federal Government, having associa
ted with lln-ir sister Slates for purposes entirely
compatible with the continued existence of their
own original fieodom, sovereignly and indepen
donee.
7. That the act laying dutiesen imposts, pass
ed in July, IS.'KJ, as well as tho several acts of
which that act is amendatory, in so fat as it tran
scends the purpose of revenue, and is intended
to operate, and does operate substantively In
the protection of manufactures, is an exorcise of
powers, nut granted hy tlie Consiimiion, but a
fdaiuifc. palpable violation of tbetrne intent mean
ing and spirit thereof; that the said acts cannot
he justified under tho power of regulating com
inurce with foreign nations, since to iikuci.atk
M-not To iicmtrot, and the principle of a sulistan
tivo protection lo domestic manufactures as
xnmos, and m «ome instances, exerts the power
of imposing a ilnty, which nfi'eclmilly prohibits
the importation of foreign fabrics «f liku kind
with those which are thus protected, nnd to this
extent destroys forei/n commerce, instead of
regulating it. Tii.it they cannot be supported
under the power to lay nnd collect duties, since
this power was given solely for tbo'pnrposo of
amabling tho government to raise a levonne,
which aho.tld he adequate to its wants, and the
amount of i cvemie which is raised by those pro
toctivn duties, very far exceeds tho legitimate
-wants of tho Government—nnd that the attempt
to vindicate the exercise of a power to impose a
wuiuioii o« me laaor aim moiisif, ot onu
of the people oflhe Unitoil ftlates for the lienelit
<d another portion ot the same people, under the
power lo provide for the common defence ami
general welfare of tho United Stales, is even
more alarming Ilian the direct results of tho sys
|cm itself, because that is to ascribe to Cnngie-s
N power lo do whatever in their judgement mav
cnniluce to tlio common defence and general
welfare, and thus m invest tho National l.ugisln
ulVo with merely discretion
ary) power ovor tlio lights and liberties of the
people ofGcorgia.
8. That tlio jioople of Georgia are sincerely at
taehedjto the Federal Constitution, ami lo the
union of these Stales, whii-Ji it creates and guar
antees—that they consider it as n precious inher
itance received from thru fathers, which it in the
duty of patriotism to inuiiitnin nnd defend, nnd
estimate it above all price, save that ot liberty :
that they are over ready to peiil their loitnncs
and their lives in its defence, nnd would deeply
,deplore its dissolution, as an event alike inauspi
cious to themselves, nnd lo the cause of cu il hh
" crly throughout tho world. That urinated by
these feelings, and even amid tlio ddli -uhies
•which besot them, not despairing of tlm llepub
lie, ihey will still persevere in file use of every
proper and ofiiciont meuns lor the peaceful ad
justment of tins unhappy controversy, which may
lie within their power, ns one of the sovot otgn
monihers of this confederacy, or win h may re
sult from consultation and conference w th their
sister States, having a common interest with
them in this matter. That taking the payment
of the national debt, us the period alter which
the present tariff of duties, so far as it li unseen.;s
the purposes of revenue, and is designed for the
protection of domestic manuficturea, ran find
no plausible prel xi in our constitutional charter,
limy are willing to wail until Congress shall have
full lime deliberately to dcteiinine whether they
will reduce and eqn* ize the duties on foreign
imports, so as lo Iniug llie income of the govern
tnvnt within the Ihmtgof levenon, ami to collect
the contributions of on, citizens on the principles
pfjust taxation. That having regard lo the in
terests t'f those Whose capital has been invested
in manufacture*, during the progress of that
c mi ne of legislation of winch they complain they
a e willing ibat the reduction nnd eqmhzalion of
duties which they ask should be prospective and
gi ideal, and admo i-lied, as they have hern by
•xpenence of the fallacy of their past hopes for
iclief from the evil-* under whitli they sutler,
they will anil loot; to Hu- justice and patriotism
of their biulhorn of the m mufacluiing States.
9. ’l int the people ot Geoigia cannot submit
to the permanent protection ol domestic manu
factures hy duties imposed for that purpose on
the iinpo t.ttion of foreign inatiuiaclnres, ami os
pei iallv on such as are among the necessaries of
life ; —Mint they cannot submit to the adoption of
the principle on which such duties me imposed,
ns a permanent principle of federal policy—but
will feel bound (o resist the same by die exercise
oi all then rights as one of the sovereign mem
bers of this confederacy—and by consultation
and Concei t i.’nh iheir sister st iles, having like
interest with themselves, ami disposed to unite
with them in resistance to this principle,
10. That it bo respectfully recommended to 1
tho several Southern States having a common
interest with us in the mmaval df the griev atices
under which we labor, from the'jnotectivo sys
tem. to assemble in (onveimon by delegates
from the respective sums, corresponding, to tho 1
number ot then senators, and representatives in ! j
congress, to confer together on the subject of
these grievances, and to recommend to the peo
ple of their respective Slates such measures us '
may best conduce to tho removal of tho same— I
and that the tiinu and place of such meeting bo
determined by correspondence between tho
Detju'.i'-selected to said Convention. *
)1 1 hat a committee ot supurintendanls to 1
apnsist oi five persons for each county in tins I
State be appointed by the President, whose du- i
ty it shall be la l yka tlio-*£jgs of the people ol'jj
wmma mmmm ——— wwmrnmmmmmm —>■
their MHqtective counties, evpressive of their sp- b
probation or disapprobation ol ibis Convention,- e
that rneanrle* in the said committee* may bo
supplied by the remaining members —that jiolls
shall be opened in the usual form in oach county h
under the direction of the soperintondiog com- g
miUi’O, on the 14di of December next, and
be kept open until the 2<l Monday in Lebruaty
there after, for the convenience ol die people and
with the view lo old in u full expression ot pub- h
lie opinion, il shall be t o duiyot the nuperiutnu- <j
ding committee, to attend at the court-house in
the county and at the several election precmls
within the same, and in particular at die election
to be held on the first Monday in Jafiuaty next j
for county officers, to lake the votes ol the peo- ,|
pin, expressive of their approbation or disappro-
balion of (he proceedings us ibis Convention. (
12. Thai at tlio expiration of the time ot re
ceiving dm votes of die cilir.ena in tlio several r
counties il shall be die duty oi Ibo superintend „
Ing onrninilteo in each county, and to invite the
ciliz ns rd'lbe same lo elect by general ticket pn
the 41 li Monday in March thereafter delegate* lo I
represent this State in tbu proposed convention v
of Slates. . «
Id. That when this convention adjourns, it ad
join ns lo meet at die repiosentative ciiamber in
this place on the Ist Monday in July next—that <
all vacancies occasioned by death or resignation j
be filled by election, anil that the counties not ,
represented, or represented in any odier way
than by election, be respectfully requested to
elect delegates. *
14. Thai the President of this Convention do .
communicate the aforegoing resolutions bom I ,
lo 10 inclusive, lo tlio governors ot the several
southern stales, having common interest witbus
in the removal of the grievances of which we
complain, and the other slates, at his discretion, ,
asking them to give publicity lo die same within j
their icspertivo ,Slate*, and earnestly tequesiing
them lo unite with us in (hinvenlien, as tho sure,
purbapa.iho only means of preserving tho peace i
of the Union.
In. That die committee of superintendence
(or the county of Baldwin bn denominated the
(.'etitnil Committee, »V, bo authorized under the
direction of the President to take all necessary
steps for giving efi’ucl to the measuie* ol this
convention.
Id. That dio superintending committee in
each county be requested lo commnniciiie to
die central enmmillue of die comity of Baldwin
the result of die elections for delegate* to the
Convention of the Southern Stales, and that die
said coininiUue bo audioi Ized to announce die
general result of dm said election, .ml to give to
the persons elect, certificate* ol ill' ir election.
17. That 2(l,(Hit) copies of th i proceedings nf
(his Gonvunlion he printed and distributed under
dm direction of die Central Committee.
On the question to agree thereto, it was deter
mined in the alii, illative. —Veils (id, N iys, as
follows ;
AVF.S—A'fonl, Allen of Klhurl, Allen of B i
ker, Allen of l.nnren*. Alexander, Barron, Beall
ofllihh, Beallnl’Monroi), Bliley, Berrien, Black
shear. <'a-lledge, Camphellof,\lorgan, Cnh niss.
Chiyion, Crew,* ( oHins, of Culiinibia, Davis,
Dawson, Dozier, Fftz -ilriek, Gamble, Gordon
of Monroe, Gordon nf i'llllinni, Gruer, Hughes,
Ifmlnon. J.mns, Jellries, Jones, Kemioi), Kmgi.f
Glmio, Keith, Lamar. I.awhon, Lcmlie, Lewis
of Jones. Leonard, Lrn.kliail, us Warren, Ligun,
Mason. Mathews, Monro of Ch.rk, Moore of
Oglethorpe, F irk of Jackson, Powers, Uamsoy,
lluid, Bober Ison of Upson, Rockwell, Rvals,
Spal ling, Stokes, Slorrs, Tale, Tilinan, Tor
rance, Troup. Vinson, Wade, Williamson, Wil
liams, Witt;—fid.
N.W's—Clifton, Flournoy. Hull, Lewis, of
Burke, Peabody.—s.
"ssf n mwikw ■mmw «ryi ut wi.xnvmresvi
’ JhW»T«TA«"
WUDNEHDA Yf, NOVKNIIIiKI "s, >’ •
“ It-- jest, anil |)-ar not ”
KTA CK CON Vuvriov'
y,tn/r hit-'l, oj’the I'l'orccili'tiis
of Siiliiriliiy, Nnrember 17.
d n'clock t J . M. he Convention wis called
to order, and again wont into Connniltno of (ho
whole, Gon. Bi.m ksiikak in tlio Chair, on the
Ilcpoi t ot (he Cnnimittre of 21.
M . Ciokdon i>l Pntn on, wididrnw his amend
ment, at dm re pin'll of Mr. Berrien, who urged
its withdrawal in consequence .Tits bavin" fail
ed to meet iho approbation of Mr. Gihnnr, for
which it was nflerail.
The question llien was on the amendment of
fered by Mr. Kr t "M.
Mr. Hot.T of Gwinnett said ho was opposed
lo tho amendment, and tlio otiginal, also. They
had net on a great question, and to
to iho people some mode of action. Gentlemen
talked of assorting tho right, and leaving the
rondo of repress open for future consideration.
If they moan lo apply tho pi inciple, and its ab
straction to tho protective system, let them do
so. If they moantourgßthat it is expedient to
exercise the priiicq In of sovereignty, in iho pic
sent ease, lot them say so. Bid where was die
nso of urging tho principle, unless they make
some Use of it.
Tho question was pul on Mr. Kmrn'a amend
rnent, which was rejected, almost nn inimnnsly.
M . Peabooi’s motion to slnka oni, was also
rejected.
Ylr. Gii MK.il said he disapproved oflho resolu
tion now immediately before tho Convention in
other respects than -the one which had been un
der discussion li contended fin (he power in
a Stale, to judge not only for itself, but for oth
ers—for die Goner,li Gnvni nmonl, A iho other
Millies, Ho did not admit that die power exis
ted in a Stale, to judge for any others—and de
nied that the General Gov« ament hid nn right
to jndg** of its own powers, lie contended that
it had the right to judge, o pially u iih tho States !
liiemso'ves. j
Mr. Ift kpikn observed that the gentleman I
seemed to have misapprehended die ch ir,actor
of the resolution. Ho (Mr. 11. > did cot under
stand it to claim tho right, in the Slate, lo judge
Foi any other State, but only to itself; an I to set
tho objection at rest bn would move to insert the
words, “for itself,” after the word “mii;li” so
that die latter elapse would then read, ‘‘each
State, ns such, for itself, and in v’u tne of its sovc I
reignlv, is necessarily remitted to die exercise!
ol dug i iglit,”—And tlio amcndiiunt was adop
ted.
Mr. Gii.mkr said that tho amendment did not
altogether remove tho objectionable character ;
ol the resolution, and he wonhl move to strike
out the danse containing the wouls “anlliorila- '
live power to into’prel that instrument," Ac. '
Gen. Bkai.i. of Bibb, said be was decidedly i
opposed lo striking nut, according to die motion J
j”st made; and if it was carried, he would have -
the whole stricken out at once, and not leave a t
mere mockery of the all-important ptinciplo con- r
tended for, and which lie conceived absolutely (
necessary lo justify even the proceedings of (bis
Convention; assembled as it was, to interpret ,
the Constitution, and judge oflho infractions j
thereof. The amendment struck at the very
kernel of the resolution, and if successful, would (
leave u* tho merajhell.—He mutftxay, that he
fdt£tl£ta CJjVOHidt.
had been greatly pained end eurpiiscd at *.h° <
course pijmuod by the gentleman from Ogle- |
thorpo. And that assembly will not doubt that c
he differed train that gentleman, on this occa- S
eion with great and sincere reluctanco and re- f
grct, when bo (old them that he had drawn all |:
his leading political maxims and principles from <:
him—and particularly those which justified tho
docilities of tho resolution before them, and i
now prompted him to sustain them. Tho gen
tleman, in i Afoot denied the right of the State to t
judge of infractions of the Constitution, and yiel 1'
dod up all power into the hands of the General
Government. These wore tha doctrines of the 1
Seeedcrs— and of those Fedeialisls of lira Old
School, against whom the Republicans had boon
always strenuously contending, from the com r
niencemcHt of tiio government. Did he not vir
tually assort the supremacy of the General Go
vornment, and deny all power to arrest its will, 1
except that enjoyed even by tho meanest slave a
or vassal! No matter how odious the violation,
or however monstrous the abuse, all that must f
he meekly and tamely submitted to, or resisted 1
like the despotisms of the old world, by Revolu- 1
lion and insurrection, lie know the gentleman 1
did not, could not mean it, but he had, in elloel,
asserted all the old Federal doctrines of those
who had aimed to rule this country like Princes
—and who had but lately been pul down by the *
Republican party, in defeating their great O.a- 1
clc. in his struggle for tho Presidency. He
know the gentleman would not press such a 1
course, if conscious of the deleterious conso
ipioiicoH to which it would load, and the coun ‘
tunnneo it would give to those who had evei
been struggling against the rights and sovereign
ly oflho Slates. He was willing to admit that
the Stales had given away the Swoid and
Purse; hut they had retained the Shield, and
when then rights and liberties wore assailed,
could array themselves in the panoply of State
Sovereignly. He would ask the gentleman to
rolled upon the consequences oflho course ho
had taken, and to consider whether he was now
willing to throw away our buckler, and present
us naked and defenceless to our enemies.
Mr. tin.MKii said he again denied the doctrine
that the General Government could nut judge
for itself; hut ho admitted that the Stale could
judge for itself, also, but had no power to con
Irol the General Government.
Mr. Gilmer afterwards withdrew his propo
sed amendment, and the question was put on
the original resolution as emended, (by the in
sertion oflho words “for itself,”) and was car
riod almost unanimously.
Tho 6th, 7th, and Bth sections were then
rend—And Mr. Cr.trroNof Muscogee moved to
strike out all the last part of tho Sth, after the
words “prosper live and gradual.” He said ho
could not vote (or that clauio, nor any resold
lion or resolutions which contained it. He did
nolferl what it expressed, and therefore could
not adopt it. Ho did nut “look to the justice
and patriotism of our brethren oftlio mamifictn
ring Stairs,” and would not say that he di. 1 .
Thu motion tnstiiko out «as pul to the Con
vention and rejected.
Tlic I Dili section was read—ami Mr. Ui.irnr
( is moved to strike out the wonts, "and elec
j led for that puiposo on the third Monday in
i Moral, •»<.«,," UUO iI C. l -,'llul
ut the” words “linio and;” so as to road, “and
that the time and phe o of such mooting,” Arc,
—which was adopted,
Mr. Gt'Kitnv olTered an amendment requiting
a majority of the aggrieved States to assemble
in the Convention, before they proceeded to bu
siness; which was rejected.
The 1 Ith section was read—And .Mr. Ber
hi n moved to amend it by striking nnt all after
the first word, “that,” and inserting the follow
ing iu lion thereof, viz;—“a Committee of b'u
poriiiteinionco, to c.uisisl of five persons for
each county in this State, he appointed by the
President, whoso duty it shall bn to take the
sense of the people of their respective counties,
expressive of their approbation or disapprobation
oflho proceedings of this Convention, —that va
cancios in tho said committees may ho supplied
by the remaining members—that (polls shall bo
opened in tho usual form, in each county, under
the direction oflho superintending committee,
on the I Ith day ol'Docemhor next, and he ke. t
dfen until tho 2d Monday in February thereaf
ter, for the convenience of the people, and, with
the view to obtain a lull expression of public
opinion, it shall be tho duty oflho Superintend
ing Committee, to attend at the Court H.itiso in
the county, and at the several election precincts
within the sumo, and in particular at the elec
lion to be held on the Ist Monday in January
m xi for county officers, to take tho vole- oflho
people, expressive of their approbation or dis
approbation of the proceedings oft!,is Convcu
lion.”
Mr Barron offered as an amendment, i»
lieu of the original, and the amendment cfTmed
by Mr. Berrien, providing that the proceeding*
he submitted to the people, for their approbation
or disapprobation, at tho polls of llio next Goner
j a! Mention on the first Monday in October next.
And at the instance ofOol. Lewis of Jones, lie 1
agreed to insert in lieu oftlio time specified, Ihr
first Monday in January next. And the question
was then put and the amendment rejected. ;
Thu question was then put on Mr. ISevri I
til's amendment; and it was adopted; and the
section was adopted as amended.
‘The 12th section was read—and Mr. Frit' i ■
ex moved to strikeout 1 registering then irrtes,"
and insert, “receiving the voles;” which was I
adoiit.-d. I
Ou motion of Mr. Berrien, ' first Monday in '
I |
!• Mnn.ny, was also shickcu out, aiul *‘louilii
M'liitlay in .Ur di” insorh'.l.
The ITh section was ’•ernl— nrnl after sever?,l
amendments, Col. Dawson moveil the fnSlmvinn *
as a substitute for the section as ametnlei); and it
was adopted, viz; ‘l3. That when this con '
vention adjoin ns, it adjourns to meet at the rep *
resentative chamber in this place, on the Ist 1
Monday in July next—that all vacancies, oeca- I 1
sionod by death orjresignaliou, be filled by idee- *
tion—and that the counties nut represented, or '
represented in any other way than by election, '
be respectfully requested to elect delegates.”
'1 ho 14th, loth, loth, and 17ih secticms were V
read — and on motion of Mr. Berrien, the blank
in the J*th was tilled wiih “20,000.”
Mr. Beki >kn offered the following as apream
ble, nn 1 it was adopted, viz :
• ! v
•‘‘Whereas divets portions of the People of I
Georgia liave assembled in Convention for the '
puqiose of taking into consideration the giievau I
ecs under which they labor from the Protective I
System, and to devise the most efficient and <
proper means ofreltefi at which tho following t
persons have alteiidWlLjis Dy'egates from the I
counties annexed to their respective names viz : <
J'lhe mimes of Cou.iU.iu9 ami Delegates to be \
ins. rteil here ] ’
He it therefore Resnltexl by the Delegates of ;
the people of Georgia in said Convention assent- r
hied.” J
Tho rer ort was agreed to as amended, and ;
the Chairman was in-ili uctod to report it to the [
Convention—The President resumed the Chair t
—and the icport was received, tsken up, and ,
road by sections. t
Col. Dawson moved to insert after the word 1
“same,” in 10th section, —“that said proceed- t
ings ho submitted by thorn to this Convention, t
and by it to the people;” which was adopted. >
Mr. Hi iison of Putnam moved to insert, also, t
after the word “snne,” in 10th section, “when t
the people of the Sou thorn States, or a majority t
thereof, shall have signified their willingness to i
go into such Convention;” which was rejected, I
Yeas 0, Nay s (53.
Mr. Barron offered a substitute to tho 11th i
section, providing that the proceedings of tho
Convention should he submitted to tho people
for their approbation or disapprobation, at the
Pulls oftlio General Klection, on the Ist Mon
day in October next; which was rejected.
Mr. Berrien moved to insert in 14th section,
after the words “grievances of which wo com
plain,” tho words, "and the other States, at his
discretion;” which was adopted.
On motion of Mr. Berrien, the 12 h section
was reconsidered, and then amended, by stri
king out the word "if,” in the first line, and also
the words “a majority shall he found in favor of
tho proceedings of tins Convention”—after the
words “several counties.”
Tho question was then taken nn tho final pas
sage of the whole Preamble and Resolutions, as
amended, and it was decided in thu afltrmativc,
Yeas 03, Nays 5, as follows :
Yeas —Messrs. Alford, Allen of Elbert, Allen
of Baker, Allen of Laurens, Alexander, Barron,
Beall of Bibb, Beall of Monroe, Bailey, Berrien,
Blackshear, Carlledgo, Campbell of Morgan,
Cahniiiss, Clayton, Crews, Collins of Columbia.
Davis, Dawson, Dozier, Fitzpatrick, Gamble,
Gordon of Monroe, Gordon of Putnam, Greer,
Hughes, Hudson, Janes, Jeffries, Junes, Ken
non, King of Glynn, Keith, Lamar, Lawhon,
Lernliii, Lewis of Junes, Leonard, Lockhart of
Warren, Ligon, Mason, .Matthews, Moore of
Clark, Moore of Oglethorpe, Park of Jackson.
Powers, Ramsey, Reid, Robertson of Upson,
Rockwell, Ryals, Snald ing, Stokes,'Storrs, Tale,
Tillman, Tonance, Troup, Vinson, Wade, Wil
liamson, Williams and Witt—(s3.
A r -njs —Messrs. Clifton, Flmnnoy, Holt, Lew
is of Buiko, and Peabody—ft.
Mr. Hoi.t ofGwiniiolt under the pc mission
oftlio Convention, staled Ins masons for voting
against the Report. lie said licit in addition to
the views given in his former remaiks, lie was
opposed toil because it provided for a future
lime ofnieeling, and ho conceived that it bad
no right to assemble again. The delegates
worn elected to assemble on the second Mon
day in November, .V they* hail done so, it com
pleted their session, and no expression had been
made by them, of a wish for the Convention
to meet again,
Mr. Flournoy of Talbot, also, explained
said he was in favor of resistance to the Tariff,
and of decided efficient resistance, if necessary
even unto death, and agreed with the gentleman
from Oglethorpe, that when our rights woio
assailed, wo might use all the moans in our
power to protect them. But lie believed, also,
with him, that we had no right to control the
General Government, and was therefore oppo
sed to tlic slh section as it then stood. He was
also decidedly opposed to the clause whieh do
dared that they still looked to the justice and
patriotism of their brethren of the Manufactu
ring States. He entertained no such hope, ami
looked to no such source for relic's. And ho nl
so denied ike right of the Convention to assent
hie again.—And for these reasons ho was oppo
sed to the report, and had voted against it.
Mr. Berrien moved that a Committee of five
ho appointed by the Chair, to prepare an Ad
dress to tho people of Georgia, illustrating the
objects and proceedings of the Convention, and
to ho attached to tho journal of the same; which
was adopted; and Messis. Berrien, Ci,avion,
Gordon of Putnam, Beam, of Bibb, and Tor
rance, were appointed that Committee. 1
Messrs. Mm. 11. Torrance, Samuel Rock
wem.,.lno. 11. Howard, Samuel Boykin, and
Ja s . S. Calhoun, were appointed as a Central
Committee, uncording to the provisions of the
Iftlli section of the Report of tho Committee of
21.
On motion of Mr. Berrien, it was “Resolved,
unanimously, that the thanks of this Convention
he tendered to the President and Secretaries,
for the able ami faithful discharge of the duties
of their respective offices, and to tho Trustees
oftlio Methodist Church for the use of the same.
No further business being presented, a liberal
subscription was made by tho members, to pay
for the Printing, and ether contingent expenses, 1
and
The Convention then adjourned to the first
Monday in July next. 1
CCOTCST OF Til j: SCCEDCRS. I
Wo give below the Piotnst oflho Speeders 1
from the late Stale Convention, as it was laid on ,
the table of the Convention, by Mr. Forsyth of
Richmond. They declare, therein, that they i
“h ive boon appointed Delegates”, \c, What .
right have tltoy thus to a«sumo that they havo e
been appointed, and that the non secoders have, ,
not! Were not some of their credentials very ,
questionable ! and where is the evidence that i
tlic whole were better generally, than those of j
tho others ? Isnot this exceedingly arrogant and ] ,
presumptuous f Their reasons for setodiug, (
arc— t
rs.-st - -Merc iVm twenty cnumics arc unrepresented
iu li t* vViivcr-liuh. T. c c (il’sn •• n ;iiiri of a 8
pui ilci iv|*rc - cni;;!ion in sm\ ci.-e, ci.tkc U prolyl, r
Wo, nml iiillio pnwti iu-tiin-'c rn tic. - it aim, >t ivruiiu,
l :;u t v.tv iitipwitam vote ol'll.c uuijmily ofl it* L'uiivtM- s
ii. n tvih l»o, in i iJuci, .1 vo!c ul’flie inliuiiiiy iicojilc.’’ L
There were twenty-one counties unrepresent
ed. And what of that—their right of represen- c
tation had not been denied, or impeded; and a
will it he assumed that a neglect, or refusal, on "
«
their pari, to exorcise that right, absolutely dcs' i
troyed it in others, auii thereby disfranchised
them ? or that it in the slightest degree vitiated
or prejudiced their right 7 What right have 21 t
counties, more than (bur or five—oven if they t
had been all dissentients—which was not the 1
case—to destroy tho will of all the rest, or to pre
vent their assembling for an expression of tlieir 5
will t There was a general right to assemble, 1
and their voluntary abandonment of that right, 1
could nut destroy it in others; and the largo tna- !
jority who assembled, had therefore the right to I
act as a Convention of the Stale, and as the lie- •
pressnlatives of “ the People of Georgiaand 1
their acts, adopted by a majority of them, are I
properly as authoritative & decisive in every re- |
sped, as the acts of a majority of the whole, had 1
l ho other twenty one boon there. To deny t
this, would be virtually to assert the right of the <
minority to govern tho majority, Suppose tho '
Seeedors had had the in ijnrity, will it he believ- i
that they would have denied tlieir own right to ; I
act in opposition to the will of the minority, even ! .-
though that minority, by counting with them- j i
selves tho absent twenty one counties, would i
haVe formed a majority wflhe counties or tho I
Representatives of the Stale ? For instance, i
suppose, having a majority, they had carried Mr- I
Forsyth’s inquisitorial Resolution , to enquire in i
to and report tho exact authority of each mem- ’
ber—the resolutions under which the election in I
each county was held, the notice given of tho i
time of election, the manner of holding it, the I
number of votes given at the election, andjho '
number of votes iu the county—and the minori
ty —now the majority—had seceded, in accord
ance with a previous declaration, that they would
secede, if tho resolution was carried—would
.Mr. F orsyth and Ins friends have acknowledged
their right thus to break tip the Convention, and
govern the majority? We think not. Would
not Mr. F. have declared again, as he did de
clare before his project was defeated, that the
minority should nut govern tho majority—and
have urged his parly logo on with the business
of ilia Convention, regardless of the Protest and
secession of the minority 7 Would he not hive
said—“the object of the minority who have se
ceded, was evidently to govern the majorityi
and to curry their own views, if possible, regard
jess of all consequences. If they had found
tliomsehcs in the majority, they would doubt
less have proceeded, even if we had withdrawn
—and why should nut we do this ? But finding
they could not carry their point in any other
way, they secede, for the purpose, if possible,
of breaking up the Convention, and destroying
its influence with tho people—desperate at de
feat, and determined, if they cannot govern, to
prevent any others from doing co, if possib'e,
utterly reckless of the means hy which they ef
fect their ends. We are evidently a majority,
and the re lb ie, tvoio equally as capable of carry
ing our views had they remained, as wo are
now; and “iir voice will consequently he at
uniiili the voice of a majority of the delegates of
'the l\np!n ofGcingia,' now, ns it was before
they Denuded, or would have been had they re
ma'med. They, ns a miuo.iiy, cannot be p, r
milled to govern tlm majority, and lor us to
withdraw now, ami permit the Convention to be.
dissolved, would set a most disorganizing and
d ngorous precedent, uuthuri/iog a factious am)
desperate minority, always to dideiil tho wilt of
the rm-jorily, whenever they c< old not carry
tlieir own, Had they refused to reeuitniz- this
as a Convention of the people of Georgia, they
should never have taken their seats m it, ha'
have refused to do so and protested against its
authority in the fust instance. Then there would
have been some reason and consistency in their
conduct. But, so far from this, they took their
scats in the Convention, at; I oll’ere l their candi
dates fur Chairman, President, and Secretaries,
and voted (or them, evidently w ill a view of
acting , if they could do solo suit ill missives.—
And it is therefore just to believe, th it they so"
coded, and strove thereby to break up tho Con
vention, not because they did not believe it a
Convention of “tbc People of Georgia,” but be
cause they could not make it, ns suck, express
their wiil—tho will of the minority, ‘which ill
not govern where I am, so fur as my efforts can
avail In priwnnlil.’ Tlieir pretence, of adding
to their number of comities, those unrepresent
ed, to.form what they call .a majority, is most idle
and fallacious—.'t.hu veriest political ehea'ery,’
and ‘refinement of technical cxquisilivness’---
and such a one as none hut a desperate and sac
linus minority would have adopted. What have
the twenty one counties unrepresented to do
with them, more than they Would have had to do
i vvi'h i is, had wp been in the minority, and cho
sen to avail ourselves of such a flimsy pretext ?
T/iny abandoned tlieir right to speak or decide in
any way, through this Convention, and thereby
yielded it to those who might have ihe majority
in it. Ami some of them —probably half or more
[Wo are inclined to tbiuk that half or mure, of
them, have not expressed themselves on the
subject, either way ; and one. at least (Fayette)
has declared in favor ofeificiunt and decided Re
sistance.] — agree with ns, and leave Ihe snoed
ers still in the minority. But be that as it may,
they cannot be counted at all, cither for them or
us, in Ibis m ilter. A very large majority us tho
People of (lech-gin -all who chose to do so—
sent hero their delegates lea Convention ; and
a ma jority of those have the right to express the
voice of it. One of the RaUs of this Cornell,
lion, adopted hy it holorc the seeedors withdrew
fom it, an I without any material objection from
ilium, if any, is as follows, vz : “ Rei.j; I,
Upon tlm appearance of a quorum, which shall
consist of,i majority, the President shall take the
hair, and lie Convention shall bo called to or
der.” — From wbi-ii it appears, that a majority,
as decided liy tho whole, with the concurrence
of the Decoders, Constitutes a quorum, capable of
doing business, and that while such a quorum
remains, it is on. duly to proceed will: itic Imsi
ness which called ns together. Wo have a ma
jority, ami a quorum, and we must, Ilnlreforci
proceed to business, who her we have the whole
Convention here or not; tin-so the whole have de
cided.— Would not all this if the ease were rever- 1
soil, have been reason and justice, in the voice 1
of Mr. Forsyth ? And if so, why is it not equally 1
so, now, in the voice of any one of the non seeo- t
ders ? I
“ Stcond— Not’nnly have more film twenty enemies
plainly indicated mat they Ui-upprove the tiimvenn ni, 1
by declining in elect (telesales, Ini! many nf those which I
are icprescuicil, emit- appsimuiciil-, am Im-.nise tl-cy
approved nftlie Convention, Imtlhailla.-ii del-gates miitn ‘
cmkviver io avert the evil* which Uicy anticipated tin.a |
ihe melting, and in the cxpeclaiimi that tln.-e ,i .isl
urn lea VV",,,,) vv„h, trow, whenever a em.r-c *,• I I
dopier! .neons,stem whh the rights of their cna-aic.
Aovv, whore is the evidence ofall this ' :^ O M
than twenty” at any rate, have “plainly indicß
teu ’ no such thing, as that they “ disapprotß
the Convention”; for Fayette county p ,s S *
Resolutions in approbation of it, and rerolvin"*
send Delegates; but why they did notcomcl
not known. Where is tho' proof that “ majtk
made appointments, not because thev apmovß
the Convention ?" 0,-, ihal any did, '„J
Richmond, and perhaps one,.two, or three ii, o 9[
Am! if many, in reality, did so, “ that their d
logates|might endeavor to avert tho evils vvhW
they anticipated from Ihe meeting,” w j, v Sk
such delegates abandon so sacred a trust?
they were elected with such views, was i;
manifestly their duty, to remain to the J ;l3t mj
contest to the utmost, every measure
which tiiey could not approve- instead B*'
running away from the "anticipated e\ W
they wore sent to “ arert ” ? Do men that 2
a house on fie, runaway ftom it to save it ? gb
If they see others setting It on fire, will they M
runaway, to endeavor to excuse ihoinsi-iJBy
from all blame, hy saying liny had no tuwxl &
setting it on fire ? Did their Secession ;nduc¥'
the majority to pause, or could they expect ihdtd
it <vas likely to do so? Did it, or could it, i„ faetl
tend to any one good object, that might not hutwJ
been equally as well, or better promoted, by r M
mainina? What it they say the majoiitv wMi
largo against them, ar.il could have carried A
objects as well had they been there, as it
without them, still they might have made an
fort against those objects, if they disapprovHs
them —might at least have tried to defeat
and could have protested against them, ami BP
Convention, at last, if they failed, as fully
c (Factually, in every respect us tlmy did do; a X&
far more reasonably. Their friends hav e ~'i: , ;Aß
od for some of them, great and decidedly supßt
rim- powers of debate;., such as continually ex
posed tbe weakness ofall their adversaiius ar
guments, and vanquished them at every s'c-.'M
Without pausing to Bn juiro into the 'truth B
this, we would merely ask, if this worn realMi
the case, and they believed and fell their g ro A
superiotity in the respect, why di.l they so tmpaffl
rinlionlly abandon nil tho advantages of thesl
powers A that superiority, at a time when lht>9
professed to believe their country indarmer anfl
i» of every r lib t they could give it ? VVafl
ibis tho part of patriots, or of men sent to ‘averA
tho very ev its they runaway from, and with sn, |f
vast powers, too, to have made those evils maA
ifest, and exposed all the or ors and abuses q|
their adversaries? Pretty fellows,’ they,
deed, to be sent to standby iheir country in ill
hour of fangor—deserting it, ihns, at i|„. f lr S
approach of the enemy, and loudly boasting, inf
•heir retreat, of tin ir vastly superior advanlagi S,
and immaculate patriotism ? Did they, indeedS*
believe, that there was not oven one honest iboSj
n-led i l l ,l l vid l l d among their udvorsaties, tvliotfl
they might recover from his errors, by ).! iirii.jl
the weakness, wickedness or danger of thur'el
errors open before his eyes, in all tin ir cal- ed-l
uc-:s and dolb.ini:j —i la.-k ceil a inly by not
mean-dillb nil, in in n so easily sn urior jo
pieiiuu, i;ii<-ligotiee, genius, arid talent—or did I
they lujftevo there was not one worthy of evm
so little trouble in reel liming, m- that any po,-
tr-n ot lln-ir ceiintryiiieii who ddliirud limn
tin m weio unworthy oftln-i con ideralmn? The
subject was one us deep and eviting interest, j
not only to the memhns ..(’the Convention, he J
to every individual iu the State; and, as the]
lobby and ga'lery were err.wiled to excess, they!
might at least, if their views wmo correct, havj
mate.is.lly henefirted their cauntrv, hy lavinj
them before the many hundreds ihme attend-!
mg, and who, when th -y dispersed,] would bavol
carried them to every qu o ter of the Slate, andl
having seen the errors of the non-socoders ex-!
posed there, would themselves have been prof
pared to expose them elsewhere, whenevej
they were urged. Was it i ight to abandon ihl
boiicsl hearts there assembled, to the evil
flu cue of all the miexposod errors and
of the non seeedors-the nullifiers,
rebels, traitors, &c. Ac. without one efl’orl eve to
to infohn them correctly, when tlieir snpcriol
talents and eloquence might have made thosa|
errors so palpabld to llin.n, and so open before!
all, that oven those who clung to them must]
have hold down tlieir heads in shame as they did I
so T And Wore none of those objects worthy
of their consideration? Plisnw I what honest
man can admit the superiority, either in head or
heart, of men who would aetllms so manifestly
incensis'ent with the dictates of sound patiiot
i-oir, virtue, conscious rectitude, or common
sense I
Bmwe are told that these “many oftlie coun
ties reptesentod, expected that their delegates]
would withdraw, whenever a course should bo •
adopted inconsistent with the lights of tlieir;
constituents.” And we would again ask whore
is the evidence of there being many such, or]
more than some two or three ? And in the ab-s
si.-noe of such evidence, who will consider it]
reasonable or probable lint there were more ?J
ihero arc, it is true, so no lew of our people,!
who are unfortunately deluded into downright!
slavish degraded Submission —submission to]
whatever tyranny or oppression the General]
Government may choose to inflict upon us—
others, loo—alas, that it should be sol who ara
deeply interested in such submission— a large
portion of the people of Richmond county, for
instance-Nm them men- and tho Northern men
generally tlmmghout ilia State, with a few hon
orable, very honorable, exceptions. But that n
majority of" many of the counties” of this
State, a-o in favor of such submission, and op
posed to any measure however mild, that a Con
volition could adopt for their relief—either im
mediately or after the consultations rind deliber
ations of a Southern Convention- and to he first
considoiod, and jadopled or rejected hy them,
selves will scarcely bo believed. We nmd
say that wo cannot believe it. The fc’eceders
know, tyhen they signed this Protest, that:
tho Report of the Committee providing fur tiro
cal! of a Southern Convention, to which they had
objected, provided, also, that that project, if*
dopted hy tho convention should be fiist submit,
ted to the people, for tlieir adoption or rejection,
before it could be acted on- and if they had
confidence in the people, and wore willing to a'
bide hy tlieir will why shun) I ihoy be opposed to
or afraid of thus submitting nny project to their
consideration ? I 3 it reasonable to behovo tfp.t