Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1838-08-30


TO the end Of time. Now, tell me in
which one of these villages would you have
hech The more respectable, and weather.
man. had you spent these 10 0or Is years of
your life.
! Nor is II pccuniary loss to individuals
alone. The public sustnins loss of the as
tohisl'ing sum of SJO.OOO.O0D per annum,
| an amount sufficient in one year TO build
2OOO Academies. allowing $1,000 each; 81
Colleges N $4,000 each; 2GO0 Churches
at S20.0OO, each; 100 Asvluns II, SD, 900
each: support and educate 2O.O0O children.
al 500 per annmm each; pay the rent of
| 100000 poor families at $IOO each and
nfrcr doing all this, there will remain $40
o0O to be appropriated to bcnrvolcn, pu:-
poses, Such appears to bc the pccuniary
disadvantages under which wc labor from
the ELECTS of ardent spirits. Iithcsc facts
arc so, AMI that they arc. is undcuialc /
ask morally speaking: Can it he right to
con1Innc lis traffic! Can it be rish, TO sell
that, which destroys The physical powers of
man Can II be right TO sell thai which
produces poverty, disease and death! Can
u he right tn sell lha, which is filling our
land with widows. and orphans! Can il be
right to sell llla, which is The cause of three
ionrlhS "f all The riots, nan>lauglicrs bur
Slai"s, murders, larccnics, and many Other
civil offences, pcrpciratcd in our land. Is
II shid, II oo NOT others will! Then il is
right To steal because others will; il is right
I" spread disease and death in our uci.bnr-
s'"d, because others will; il is right 10 beg
gar The children of other men. because 9th
crs VIII; II Is right To make widows and
orphans, bccnusc others will: it is right 10
muse poison into the cup of domestic han.
piness, because Others will; it is right to lose
our souls because others will.
But the subject is worthy Of another re-
nccion-thr manner in which we arc affect
cd politically.
History informs us that no nation has ever
become great and happy, without virtue
and intelligence. Reason teaches us, thar
this Is not particularly true in a rcpuhl-
can government. There the people CON
constitute not only the Judiciary. but also
the executive authority. They give orders
70 the Senate; and control the proceedings
OF the cabinet. 'Fis the people. thar mus,
give form and character To their institution
And when II is seen, that their laws arc
framed upon the best principle of policy.
and Justice; and cxocurcd upon the hes, sxs
'eui oi prudence, thcr 5OIernn!e eni will re-
main firm; and recommend itself to the
favorable regard Of every reasonable man.
Bn' should the people be ignorant, vicious
"i:d in.cmrcla,c: should they be governed
y their passions in the execution of their
authority; then will the Banner of liberty
cease to wave its peaceful colors: but torn
INTO fragments, will originate civil discord.
political 'ii>sentions, and factions and leave
M other alternative. but death or tlcsnotism
fh" visions of ii prophet are nor required
t" ioccell the destiny of iha, GOV crnn,cni,
tI,n
republics fan.iquity afford melancholy cx-
,mp"s in proof of the assertion. Nations
are permitted to ndvauce in wickcdncsS.
until they reach thai point which is attended
with scli-dcstrmction. So fell Gnmorrah,
Babylon. Greece und Rome; Greece the
mother Of arts and sciences. aud The patron
OF liberty! When read of the celebrated
brt'c> o! acknowledgements. S;Iamis.
t'la,ra, and MNcac-hcr public games
where poets, orators and philosophers con-
t"ndcd for intellectual priZcs;-thc hich
stale Of perfection TO which the arts and
sciences were cuIlivatcd-hcr philosophical
Schonlsand Academics--ihc universal splcn
dor of her public bul,Iincs-thc cxccllcucv
OF her republican insritutions-hcr national
%lory aud prosperity; and compare her then
tlourIshlnS condition with its prcscn; state
of ignorance and sloih, am nvolun,arilv
forced to ask, Can~t ,hou be Greece!
Nor does Rome exhibit "A scene of less won :
der and ;!sl0usumcnt. She W as the mistress
OF The world and the seal Of pO!itc learning
and litrvaturc: but hv the introduction of
foreign luxnrics and vices, her political svs.
ten became corrupl; and she fell 10 pieces.
| After which an age Of darkness. ignorance
| and superstition hroodcd over the world for
centuries; by which il seems, as if she
! was:hc very ccntre of the system of Tie
political, Intellectual and moral world; and
all nations, kingdoms, and cities. Now,
| Her bards
! SIN" Ii, a language that hail, pcrished;
lnd 'hclr Wild harpS suspended ocr their graves
| Sigh to the desert winds IL dyi,i. stran''
These instances Of national catastrophe
should teach us lessons OF wisdom and prtI-
dcncc. They point To the causes w hicl,
have produced SO signal and cnnniiolI.
elects. and according TO the principle OF
! philosophy; that similar causes produce
| similar elects, it is natural 10 expect. that
as soon as our political institutions arc
taIntci with corruption, the fair cdiicc ol
our republican government viii fall to ruin
loSuard against causes so fatal TO the hap
pinrss, greatness and glory OF this naron,
| should be our chlci concern; and in no way
can this be so successfully done. dis by re.
| moving the causes themselves, " hich lhrea,
| en- us destruction. "AccusiOm your mind
| sad ihuclOn 10 NrstiaS ''iO discern I'm tho
ta'c ol nations, that rccompcnsc, which the
! great Author of nature has annexed 10 tn,
practice Of virtue. No state ever ceased
!" be prosperous hut in consequence of hav.
| ing upDartcd from flnsc ;rst;,n,;,n >,