Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1836-04-21

us in our own cshHyatior, and that of the
world in general: To blast our reputation,
while they overthrow our domestic institu-
tons. This is iicymodc i'll ~wl,ic5il,cy arc
attempting abolition, with sucl, ample means
and '%nn,irine industry I; and hG,o is Ike ti,ae
Tor all who are opposed TO them ,o meet !i,c
attack How can il be successfully met
This is the important question. I'Iicrc is
but one way we must meet the enemy o,
the frontier, on tho question of receiving;
we must secure Tia. important pass-il is
our Thcrunopyl,a. The power of resistance
by a universal law Of nature, issOn G.r cN-
icrior. Break through the shell, penetrate
The crust, and there is no resistance within.
In The present contest, the question ON re-
%ccivinm constitutes our frontier. ii IS tn,
FIRST, the exterior question, that covers and
protects al! The oilers Let i, he penetrated
by receiving this petition, and not Il point
oi resistance can be found within, us fur lis
this, Government is concerned. If we can
not inainiaii ourselves there, VIC cannot ON
amy interior position. Or all the questions
that can be raised there is nut one ON which,
we can rally on ground more lrnahlc for
ourselves. or more uutcnnhlc for oul orpo
ncnis, not excepting the ultimate question
of abolition in the States. For our ri.l,t
TO reject this petition is Il truth "a clear
and unQncs!ioiial,lc Us that Congress las 10
right 10 ,,bniish slavery i'll tlc Suites.
Sucff@is the i.ninr.;Hc"e of taking our
stand mni"vnhlyon the question now hc!ur,
us. Sucl: are the advantages thai wr OF the
South would sacrifice, and lie al;nli,iorris,s
would gain. were We TO surrender tli;, inn
por!ant position by receiving this petition.
What motives have We for making So great
II sacrifice! What alvani; grs can we hope
to gain that would justify lis!
We are told of the great advantage Of a
strong majority. acknowledges i, in Il
good cat>c, aud on sound principles.
feel i'll the present instance how much cur
cause would he strengthened by Il sircmy
and decided majority for the rejection Of
these inccndiary petitions. lfany thing we
could do here could arrest the progress CT
the aho!itionisls, it would be such IA rejcc-
ton. Nut az advantageous as would be n
strong ma jority On sound principles, it il in
the same degree dangerous, when en- the
"lT"eitC-Wl:ci ii rests "n improper con.
cc.si; rs, and the surrender Of priucirlcS,
which Hc,!id he the case nj present. Such
IL majority Must i'll ,bi, instance he vnr-
chased by concessions to the aboli,iuu.sts,
and Il si':r"h;lrr, on our part, that wUmld
Gcino!ish Ill our ouiworks. give uo all our
stron. positions, and open I'LL the passes TO
the free admission of our enemies. II is
only TN hi, condition that we can horc to-
obtain such Il ma;ority--a minority which
must TIC gathered ioScthcr from I'LL sides.
and entertaining every variety of opinion.
10 rally such ii majority. the Senator from
Pennsylvania has fallen on the device to
receive ti,i, petition. and inimcdia,cl, re
lcCt it. without consideration or rcilcrtinn
To my mind the movement looks like {;
iric!i-a mere piece Ct @ar,iiicc To iugglc and
| GtC{iSr. intend .,n. ,tisrn.n..t "a, tb,,
senator. | doubt not his intentions are
good. ans! believe his feelings are will, us
'n' must say that the course he has :n.i-
mated Is, III my opini"!. IA: worst possible
for the siavch"!tin- states. 1t surrrniers
All 1" >S+sl eivea ~nnL.ins ;n
turn, that ""nid tc ~ the least advantage
To ~. Let he majority for the course IL
indicate, hc ever so strong, can the Senator
hope that it will make amy impression on
the ahollt!rni>!,! Can he even hope of
obtaining his position of rejecting their
petition; wiili"nt consideration. agairs,
them Dee. he not see that. in assuming
jurisdiction ly receiving .!,ei; petitions, tic
gives an implied p.cd@c TO enquire, to de-
%Iherhtc, and decide on them! EXrcricucc
will teach him that wc must either refuse
To receive, Ur 20 Though. | entirely co :
en-" with the Senator from Vermont, Mr..
f%Ie:,tiss, nn ihut point. There is no middle,
ground that is tenahlc. and, least of all, ihat
proposed to be occupied by the Senator
from pennsylvania, and those who act with
him. In the mean time, the couIsc he pro-
poses is calculated to lull the people of the
s!avcholding States Into n false security.
under the dcluSiyc impression which it is
calculated to make, that there is more uni
versal strength here against the aboiitionists
than real does exist.
But VIC are to!,l that the right of petition
Is popular in the North, and that to make
an issue, however true, which might bring
1t in question, would weaken our fricnd.
aud strengthen the aboli.ioniSts. have no
doubt OF tho kind feelings of our brethren
from Tic North, on this floor; but | clearly
see that, while we have their feelings i'm
our fav0r, their constituents, right or wuns,
will have their votes, however we may he
affected. Eu | assure our friends thar We
would not do amy thing, willingly, which
would weaken them at home and, if we
could lie assured that, by yicldin. to their
wishes the right Of receiving petitions, ,hcy
would he able to arrest, permanently, the
progress Of the ah%olitionists, we might then
i've induced to yield; hut nothing short of
the certainty of permanent security can i'll
hucc uS To yicld an ilcb, II 10 maintain
our rights must increase. the al,uiiiionists,
be 1t SO. l would 1T no period make the
least sacrifice Of principle for any tcmpora-
~ advantage, and much less AT the present.
II there must i;c an issue, now is oar time.
We never can he more united or better pre-
pared for the struggle; and /, for one,
would much rather meet the danger now,
than to turn it over to those who arc 10
come after us.
But putting these views aside, it does
seem to me, taking Il general view of the
subject, that the course intimatcd by the
Senator from Pennsylvania is radically
wrong and must end in disappointment.
| The :,ttpiuut IN unitn all n,u,t " =, ..u.