CONVENTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 REPORT AND RESOLUTIONS 
 
 KROM THE COMMITTEE ON 
 
 Reliitifliis witli tlie Slavelioldiiiff States. 
 
 I'KOVIDING KOU 
 
 COMMISSIONERS TO SUCH STATES. 
 
 Adopted in Convention, Monday, December 81^ 1860. 
 
 CHARLESTON: 
 
 KVANS & CfKlSWELL. PltlNTKHS TO THE CONVENTION. 
 No. .3 Broiid nii.I 103 East Bay t-treet. 
 
 ISGl 
 
THE 
 
 WILLIAM R. PERKINS 
 
 UBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 DUKE UNIVERSITY 
 
 Rare Books 
 
CONVENTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 REPORT AND RESOLUTIONS 
 
 KROM TUF. COMVITIKE ON 
 
 Relations witli tlic Shivelioldiiio- States, 
 
 I'KOVIDISG FOK 
 
 COMMISSIONEES TO SUCH STATES. 
 
 Adopted in Convention, Monday, December 31, 1S60. 
 
 CHARLESTON: 
 
 KVANS & COGSWKLL, PKIXTKKS TO THK CONVKNTION. 
 No. 3 Uroad and 103 East Bay Street. 
 
 1861. 
 
REPORT AKD RESOLUTIOI^S 
 
 From the Committee on Relations with the Slaveholding States^ 
 providing for Commissioners to such States. 
 
 The Committee on "Relations witli the Slaveholding 
 States of North America," beg leave to report, that they 
 have carefully considered the three several propositions 
 contained in the resolutions referred to them, which were 
 submitted in Convention b}' three several members from 
 St. Philip's and St. Michael's. All the resolutions re- 
 ferred to the Committee look to the purpose of Confede- 
 rate relations with our sister States of the South, having 
 common interests with us, and every cause, as we trust, to 
 indulge towards us common sympathies and to contract cor- 
 dial relations. In such a purpose the Committee entirely 
 and unanimousl}' concur, and they recommend that every 
 proper measure be adopted to accomplish such an end. 
 Upon this subject so much unanimity prevails and has long 
 prevailed in this State, that an argument thereupon would 
 be wholly superfluous. All seem to agree that the first step 
 proper to be taken for the purpose of promoting and securing 
 the Confederation we seek, is the appointment of Commis- 
 sioners, by the authority of this Convention, to such States 
 of the South as may call Conventions to consider and 
 determine their future political relations. 
 
 The Committee advise that such steps be taken by this 
 Convention, hoping and believing that our sister States of 
 the South A\nll correctly interpret our action in taking the 
 initiative as arising, by no means, from any presumptuous 
 arrogance, but from the advance position which eircum- 
 
stances have given to tliis State in the line of procedure for 
 the great design of maintaining the riglits, the security and 
 the very existence of the shivehokling South. 
 
 It has been a subject of anxious consideration with the 
 Committee whether the Commissioners, whose appointment 
 they recommend, should be instructed to tender any basis 
 of a temporary or Provisional Government to the States to 
 which they may be accredited. 
 
 The instrument called the Constitution of the United 
 States of America, has been suggested as a suitable and 
 proper basis to be offered for a Provisional Government. 
 
 This suggestion has been commended to the Committee 
 by various considerations, which cannot now be set forth in 
 full or at large. Among these are : 
 
 That the said instrument was the work of minds of the 
 tirst order in strength and accomplishment. 
 
 That it was most carefully constructed by comprehensive 
 views and careful examination of details. 
 
 That experience has proved it to be a good tbrm of gov- 
 ernment for those sufficiently virtuous, intelligent and 
 patriotic to cause it to be fairly and honestly construed and 
 impartially administered. 
 
 That the settled opinion of this State has never been 
 adverse to that plan of government of Confederated States 
 on account of anything in its structure ; but the dissatisfac- 
 tion is attributable to the false glosses, and dangerous mis- 
 interpretation, and perversion of sundry of its provisions, 
 even to the extent, in one particular, of so covering up the 
 real purposes of certain legislation, (meant to protect 
 domestic manufactures in one section,) as to estop the Su- 
 preme Court, in its opinion, from judicially perceiving the 
 real design. 
 
 That it presents a complete scheme of confederation, 
 capable of being speedily put into operation ; familiar, by 
 long acquaintance, with its provisions, and their true im- 
 port to the people of the South, many of whom are believed 
 to cherish a degree of veneration for it, and would feel safe 
 under it. when in their own hands, for interpretation and 
 
administration, especially as the portions that have been, 
 by perversion, made potent for mischief and oppression in 
 the hands of adverse and inimical interests, have received 
 a settled construction by the South. That a speedy con- 
 federation bv the South is desirable in the hio-hest deo-ree, 
 which it is supposed must be temporary at first, (if accom- 
 plished as soon as it should he,) and no better basis than 
 the Constitution of the United States is likely to be sug- 
 gested or adopted for temp(^rary purposes. 
 
 That the opinions of those to whom it is designed to 
 olfer it, would be conciliated by the testimony the very act 
 itself would carry, that South Carolina meant to seek no 
 selfish advantage, uor to indulge the least spirit of dic- 
 tation. 
 
 That such form of govenuuent is more or less known to 
 Europe, and, if adopted, would indicate abroad that the 
 seceding Southern States had the foresight and energy to 
 [)ut into operation forthwith a scheme of government and 
 administration competent to produce a prompt organization 
 for internal necessities, and a sufficient protection of foreign 
 commerce directed hither, as well as to guarantee foreign 
 powers in the confidence that a new Confederacy had im- 
 mediately arisen, quite ade(|uate to supersede all the evils, 
 internal and external, of a partial or total interegnum. 
 
 That its speedy adoption would work happily as a revivi- 
 fying agency in matters financial and commercial, between 
 the States adopting it, and between them as a united power 
 and foreign commercial nations, and at the same time 
 would combine without delay a power touching purse and 
 sword, that might bring to a prudent issue the reflections 
 of those who may perchance be contemplating an invasion, 
 or to an issue disastrous to tliem, the attempted execution 
 of such unhol}' design. 
 
 Such are some of the considerations, very rapidh^ stated, 
 which address themselves to this subject. It is contended 
 that some limitation of the power to levy duties, and that 
 to regulate commerce, (and perhaps other provisions of the 
 said Constitution,) may be desirable, and are in fact so, to 
 
6 
 
 some of the Committee, yet these moditications may be 
 safely left to a period when the articles of a permanent 
 governiTTent may be settled, and that, meantime, the Con- 
 stitution referred to will serve the purpose of a temporary 
 Confederation, which tlic Committee unite in believing 
 ought to be sought, through al] proper measures, most 
 earnestly. 
 
 It is also submitted, that if tlie tender of the said Consti- 
 tution, even as a Provisional Government, should, in the 
 opinion of the Convention, be accompanied by a condition 
 that it be subject to specific limitations, expositions of am- 
 biguities, or modifications, the Committee Avould respect- 
 full}' refer to the Convention itself such matters ; and this 
 is done, not because the Committee would not willingly 
 consider and report upon such subject, but because they 
 deem it due to the Convention and the public interest, that 
 they should now lay before the Convention the substantial 
 propositions contained in the following resolutions, which 
 the majority of the C.-ommittee recommend to the Conven- 
 tion as fit to be adopted, viz : 
 
 Resolved^ First. That this'Qonvention do appoint a Com- 
 missioner to proceed to each of the slaveholding .States 
 that may assemble in Convention, for the purpose of laying 
 our Ordinance of Secession before the same, and respect- 
 fully inviting their co-operation in the formation with us of 
 a Southern Confederacy. 
 
 Second. That our Commissioners aforesaid, be further 
 authorized to submit, on our part, the Federal Constitution 
 as the basis of a Provisional Grovernment for such States 
 as shall have withdrawn from their connection with the 
 Government of the United States of America; Provided, 
 That the said Provisional Government, and the tenures of 
 all officers and appointments arising under it, shall cease 
 and determine in two years from the 1st day of July next, 
 or when a Permanent Government shall have been organ- 
 ized. 
 
 Third. That the said Commissioners be authorized to 
 
invite the seceding States to meet in Convention, at such 
 time and place as may be agreed upon, for the purpose of 
 forming and putting in motion such Provisional Govern- 
 ment, and so that the said Provisional Government shall 
 be organized and go into effect at the earliest period pre- 
 vious to the 4th day of March, 18G1, and that the same 
 Convention of seceding States shall proceed forthwith to 
 consider and propose a Constitution and plan for a perma- 
 nent Government for such States, which proposed plan 
 shall be referred back to the several State Conventions for 
 their adoption or rejection. 
 
 Fourth. That eight Deputies shall be elected by ballot 
 by this Convention, who shall be authorized to meet in 
 Convention such Deputies as may be appointed by the 
 other slaveholding States who may secede from the Fed- 
 eral Union, for the purpose of carrying into effect the fore- 
 going resolutions ; and that it bo recommended to the said 
 States, that each State be entitled to one vote in the said 
 Convention, upon all questions which may be voted upon 
 therein ; and that each State send as many Deputies as are 
 equal in number to the number of Senators and Repre- 
 sentatives to which it was entitled in the Congress of the 
 United States. 
 
 D. F. JAMISOIiT, President 
 
 Attest: B. F. Arthur, Clerk. 
 
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