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South Carolina Senator
General JAMES HAMILTON has consented to accept a seat in the United States Senate, to serve out the unexpired term of the late Judge BUTLER. We are glad of this, and trust the Legislature will elect him to that position, for he is a man of brilliant talents, and will confer honor and dignity upon that high position. But he is a little more eccentric than the average of South Carolinians, on the subject of Disunion. The letter in which he indicates his willingness to accept the place, shows the curious conception he entertains of the duties he will be called on to discharge. He expects to be called on to inaugurate a revolution. Within the next three years he anticipates a national “crisis,” and he wishes to be on hand to meet it. What is to be its precise nature he does not say; –but it is to be connected in some way or other with Kansas, and is to give South Carolina an opportunity of deciding again whether she can remain in the Federal Union “with honor” or not.
We confess we do not understand General HAMILTON’S fine rhetoric on this subject. Kansas is to present herself for admission as a State, with such a Constitution as her people may adopt ; and we do not very well see how General HAMILTON, or anybody else, can object to her admission, provided her people are allowed a fair chance to decide for themselves what sort of Constitution they will have. It will probably prohibit Slavery, –but this is a matter with which South Carolina has no more concern than Massachusetts would have with a popular decision on the other side. The national Administration is fully committed to the doctrine of popular sovereignty, and it is only by fully and fairly redeeming its pledges upon this subject that it can retain the support which placed it in power. South Carolina has no right to complain of this. She claims justly complete and entire control over her domestic institutions, and she must concede the same right to Kansas.
We do not believe Gen. HAMILTON will be called on to take part in any such revolution as he apprehends. His duties will be less arduous and more agreeable than he fears. Kansas will not create a crisis, nor give South Carolina any provocation or opportunity for deciding that she cannot remain in the Federal Union. When her people, properly and fairly represented, shall have framed a Constitution and given it their approval, there will not be a dozen votes in the Senate against her admission as a State. Gen. HAMILTON’S brilliant oratory will find in that body some more agreeable theme than the disruption of our Confederacy.
