Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1838-04-12

Scp&iohob party uucuty CouIu nave COntrOlt-
ed my course OH the present occasion.
am not among those who pay no regard to
party obligations; OH the contrary, place
iidelityto party among the political virtues.
but assign to it IL limited sphere. con-
fiuc it to matters of detail an, arrangement.
and TO minor questions Of policy. Beyond
that, on all questions involving principIcs.
or measures calculated to effect materially
tho permanent, interest Of the country, / look
only to God and country.
But the Senator did not conGnc his at
tack to my conduct and motives in refer
cncc to the present question. In his eager
ness to weaken the cause support, by de-
stroyins confidence in me, he made mr. in
discriminate attack on my intellectual fac
ultlcs, which he characterised as mciaphys-
neal, eccentric, too much Of genius, and TOO
httic common sense, q. course wanting n
sound and practical Judgment.
Mr.. President, according to my opinion.
there is nothing of which those who are
endowed with superior mental faculties
Ought 10 he more cautious than tn rcproach
those with their deficiency to whom Provi.
dcncc has not been so liberal. The faculties
nf our mind arc the immediate gift of our
Creator, for which VIC are no farther re.
sronsiblc than for their proper cultivation.
according to our opportunities, and their
proper application to control aud regulate
our actions. Thus thinking, | trust / shall
bc the last 10 assume superiority on my part.
or rcproach any one with infcriori,y on his
but those who do not regard the rule, when
applied TO others, cannot expect it TO be oh
served when applied to themselves. The
critic mus, expect TO be critizctl, and he who
points out the faults Of others, to have his
own pointed out.
cannot rctort on the Senator the charge
of being metaphysical. cannot accuse
him of possessing the powers of ANALYSIS
and generalization. those higher faculties of
the mind (callcd metaphysical by those who
do ut" possess tlcm,) which dccomposc g. re
solve into their elements the comnlcx
masses OF ideas that exist in world of mind
rs chemistry docs the bodies that surround ms
III the material world and without which
those deep and hidden causes which
are in constant action, AMI producing such
mighty changes i'll the condition of socir,v
would operate unseen and undcfectcd =
The absence Of these higher qualities of tho
mind is conspicuous throughout the whole
course of the Senator'S public life. To
this it may be traced that he prefers the
spcclous TO the solid and tho plausible to tho
true.
L" the same cause, combined with an mr.
dent temperament, it is owing ,l,a, VIC ever
lind HIM mounted on some popular and f,-
vorltc measures which he wlDs alono
cliccrcd by the shouts ofthc multitude. aud
never disnounts till hc has rode il duwn-
Thus, 1T one time VIC lind him mounted on
inc protective system, which he rode down.
AT another, on internal improvement. and
now he Is mounted on bank, which will
share The same fate, unless those who are
Immediately interested shall stop him in his
hcadlonG career. Ii is the fault of his mind
Il re on n few prominent and strikinn adj
vanlaSes and To pursue them eagerly with
out looking 10 consequences. Thus i'm ,he
case of tic protective system, lie WINS strsck
with The advantages nf nfnlanufacturcs.IfS51
believing that high duties was the proncr
mode Of protecting them, lie pushed for
ward the system. without seeing that he was
cnrIclIing one portion of the country at the
expense of the other; corrupiinc The one and
alternating the other: and finally, tiyi,iun
The community into two great hostile inner.
csts, which terminated in the ovcril,ro,v ,f
The system itself. So, now, lie looks only
to uniform currency, and hank as Nh.
means ot securing il, without once rcfIcc,-
ing how far the banking system hns pro.
dressed. and the difficulties that impede rs
farther progress; that banking and politics
are running. together to their mutual dcs-
'ruc,ion: and that the only possible mode of
SAVING his tavoritc s. stem is to separate il
from the Government.
10 the defects of understanding, which
':c senator attribuieSto me, make no re
ply. IT Is Tor others. and not for me, to
determine the portion Of understanding
winch 1t las pleased the author of nv being
10 bcstow on me. 1t is, however. fortunate
i"r me; maj the standard by which shall
hc Judged, is not the false, prciudiccd, and,
rs have shown, unionndcd opinion which
The Senator has expressed; but nv oc,s.-
They furnish materials, neither rcw n,r
scant, to form Il just estimate of NV mcntal
faculties. ] have now nccn more ,j,,n oG
years continuously in The service of This
Government. i'll various stations, and have
taken part in almost all the great uucs,;ons
which have agitated This country ,Inr;ng
this long and important period. Throurh.
out the whole, have never followed cvnnt.
hut have taken my stand in advance. omen.
" and freely avowins my opinions ON nh
questions. and leaving it TO time and cxnc-
rlcncc TO condemn or approve my coursc'-
nus ac'ine,l lave cltcn and on crcn, oucs-
tIons. separated from those with whom !
usually acted. and if am rcallyls dcfcc-
tive i'll sound and practical judgment as the
Senator represents, the proof, ifto be found
any where, must he found in such iuston-
c's' or where | have acted OH my sole re-
sponsihiIity. Now, ask, in which of the
many instances of'he kind is such proof to
hc found! IL is not my intention to call 10
the recollection of the Senate all such: hut
that you, Senators may Judge for your-
selves. it is i'll Justice due to myself, that
shon!d suggest few ofthc mosi prominent.