The State of South Carolina's history in the 19th Century shows a strong desire to be independent from the Union. Two events, the Nullification Crisis and the 1860 secession movement, highlight this fact without question. But, little is known of South Carolinas other attempts to be independent, whose roots go back to when she was a colony. Early in the year of 1776, before the Declaration of Independence was signed, South Carolina declared her separate independence, appointed John Rutledge her President, and raised her own forces, with which the Battle of Fort Moultrie was fought. The commissions of General Moultrie, General Marion, General Sumter and every other officer of that period, were signed by "John Rutledge, President of South Carolina." South Carolina also entered into a treaty with France, and acted in all respects as a separate sovereign and independent State, and as such formed a confederacy with the other separate States, in the year 1780.

In 1765, certain citizens of Charleston, South Carolina, forming a company, seized and destroyed the British stamps in Fort Johnson, having in open day, and without any disguise, surprised the garrison and taken the fort, ten years before the clandestine seizure of the tea at Boston, on board of a peaceful merchant vessel, by some hundreds of citizens disguised as Indians.

John Rutledge, for those who do not know, is the author of the UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, being the Chairman of the Committee which approved and reported the orignial plan, with a few small alterations, which was first submitted by another South Carolinian Charles Pinckney.

James Madison was not on that committee, as many historians like to credit for the work.

[taken from the "Catechism of the Constitution of the United States, The Old Guard, Vol. 5, Issue 7 (July 1867), H.Seymour]

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David Upton