Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-05-16
EageGeAa Court House, S. G. May A6, AS39.

olutionize and uproot the very foundations
Of our Federal system. And IN the name
oil humanity, they would tear down the
prop and pillar Of the last fond hope OF
human kind--the sovereignty Of these U.
States! Such is The political character and
tendency Of the abolition movement. But
this is mol all. There are fearful moral
cviis involved in the designs of the aboli-
lionists--lhe violation of law and of pieh-
ted faith. Nay more--allicd 10 abolition
ism is bliud; reckless, lpverish fanalicism.
The, wild, enthusiastic, and impetuous
spirit which kindled The fires Of Smilh6eld,
and slrewed The plains OF Palestine with
the corscs Of the Crusaders. stands-wiIh
lighted aud uplifled lorch-hard by the side
OF abolitionism. ready 10 spread conliagra-
ton and deal:! arUuEh the land.
Bul TO return To the subject Of slavery,
and of the right of petition as relates to
the District. Tine question will-be asked,
no doubt, if the citizens of the States have
no Legitimate right to petition Congress on
The subject of slavery in the District of CO.
lumbia, and if Congress are not bound to
receive such petitions. why it is that so
many thousands have signed petitions of
This character? The reason is obvious, sir.
The prime movers in abolition proceed
ings and the great bod y Of the intelligent
signers to abolition petitions, hclon, to
the Federal school III politics. They
are consoldationists, and repudiale the
doctrine Of Stale rights. They regard
The powers OF the Federal Govern
mentas omnipo1ent. Hence they believe
The Federal Legislature moi only have the
power to abolish slavery in the District Of
Columbia. but also in the States. The
Federal or National Bank parry can be-
levc nothing short of this Sir, this whole
abolition movement had its origin in Il
Federal heresy. Aholi,ionism is the veri
liable offspring of Federalism. II looks
TO Capitalization for the realization of its
hopes, and the consumation oi'iIs purposes.
Withdraw from aboIilinnism the sustain
ing arm Of Its parent Federalism, aud it
inevitably becomes helpless, and in dies.
pair falls PROSTATE in The dust. In confr-
nation of what have usl stated, ! wOnld
appeal TO The known aud acknowledged
principles of the Federal party. | would
appeal TO he journals of fCongress-to the
recorded votes flhc members of Ihisiinuse
on all test questions touching aboli-
ton. ] would appeal TO the history of the
recent elections, aud especially tn The cleo
tion in The State of New York, where it is
well known every aboliliOnisi aud free
negro voIed the Federal or Wing ticket
Nay, more. 1wouId appeal 10 The ten
thousand abolition petitions with which
this hall has heen flooded for the last four
wears. | will hazard the declaration and
| challenge aud defy successful coniradic-
lion, that among The hundred thousand
individuals that have signed petitions,
praying for The abolition of slavery in The
District OF Columbia, there are not 100
who are known 10 he friendly to the
present administration. Who will, who
can, who dare deny the truth of this as
sertion?
1.-THE Federal Legislature have power
under the constitution To "abridge tho free
dom of speech, or Of The press" as has not
only been commended for hut The exercise
of such power actually sanctioned by The
Federal party in he time ofihe elder Adj
ans, and if they may charter national
bank, as is also contended, aud delegate to
such corporation the power of leeisa-
tion, in the grant Of creating. at pleasure,
other banks. aud other directors, within
any of The States or Territories of This
Union, in defiance of The wishes, and in
contravention of The laws of such Terrific
ries, why, would ask, should they moi
also claim the power 10 abolish slavery,
not only in the District Of Columbia, hut
also in the States! To contend thai Con.
ercss have the constitutional power to do
the first named acts, and not The latter,
would be sheer and gratuitou< nonsense.
repeat, therefore. that The only hope of the
ab0ilionists is in the ultimate triumph ol
the Federal party, and of Federal princi,
piles. So long as the Democratic or StaIes
Rights party shall maintain The ascendan-
cy, the efforts of The ahoilionists will be
comparatively innocuous. But whenev-
er the political power of This country shall
he swayed by Federal hands, the designs
of the abolilionists will we'll nigh have
reached their consumation. Shall | be
told that the Federalists are not all aboIi-
tionists! This may he partially true
But then, ,are not all abolitionisls necessarily
Federalists? How can they expect to
accomplish the object-lhe general aboli-
ton of slavery-bul through the Federal
power, and in pursuance of Federal prin-
eiples? Certainly they cannot be so gross
y ignorant as to suppose that tn. Dem
ocratic State Rights doctrine of strict con-
struction would.be favorable 10 their views,
or that il would epossihle to achieve their
object through the influence Of Democratic
principles, or by virtue of Democratic le.
gislatiou. But again, if the Federalists
are moi now all aholitionists, the time will