Page:Nullification Controversy in South Carolina.djvu/349

330 The preamble reviewed the objections of the Union men to the oath and stated that they regarded this attempt to make them violate their obligations to the United States as one of a series of measures devised to destroy the government of the country and to dissolve the Union; they expressed the hope and the belief that their opponents would not be insistent to the point of shedding blood, but if they were driven to it, force would be opposed by force. They would try every peaceful and constitutional remedy first and hoped that the judicial tribunals would relieve them. The resolutions were much like those of the earlier Greenville district meeting; they recommended that the Unionists should elect officers of their own party whenever they had the power to do so, and not serve under any officer who might be appointed to command them. They then provided for a system of organization for the party. A conunittee of five members was appointed to correspond with a committee of three in each regiment, who should correspond with a committee of three or more in each beat company. These committees were together to form a convention to meet whenever and wherever required to do so by a majority of the committee of five.