Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-08-13
fBY REQUEST

ducred heretofore. has been neither just to
yourself nor satisfactory to the public. The
bab,,ual intervention of third persons be-
tween a candidate and the people. ofii-
ciously assuming TO he his interpreters
subject him to distrust, either OF not hav-
ing opinions of his own. or OF being reluc-
tan, to express them, and 10 give his own
reasons for his conduct. AS TO you, feel
sure such impressions would be uni usI.
While your independence would revolt at
the bare suspicion Of being gagged and
guarded" through canvass, your pure
and perfect democracy would incline you
n y direc, communication with your fel-
low citizens. When it is ipslnuated by
one writer that YOU was connected win
the military organization OF the Union
nar,y in 1884, aud charged by another
that the proclamation was your standard
Unconstitutional orthodoxy, know that you
would prefer to answer for yourself. In
deed, in repelling charges of so grave
nature, the interference of friends would
bu, increase the suspicion of their truth;
and il is 10 protect you from unfounded
iuferences resulting from this source. that,
io the exercise of an undoubied right, |
approach you by direct inquiry.
Having been member OF the jackson
party throtg ghoul The whole of the admins
tration of the late President, your approv-
al of the doctrines and measures of that
administration will, of course, he taken for
granted, unless denied by you iu your own
Hame. The Leading feature Of President
Jackson's administration was his contro
versv with your own Stale, and the doc
triurs thruug gh which he sought to define
his position iu that controversy, are set
ferris in his Proclamation of the 10th Dec.
lt32. rhe following is summary ofihe
ground taken by that paper, lo-wit: That
:. power assumed by one Stale to arrest
an unconstitutional act of Congress, 'is
Incompatible with the existence of the
Union, contradicted expressly 10y the let
rrr fine Constitution, unauthorized by It's
spirit, inconsistent with every principle Oh
wich i, was founded, and destructive of
the great object for which it was formed
That The ordinance, by which conven-
ton of the people of South Carolina de-
cared The projecting tariffs to be uull aud
void, was disorganizing edict," framed by
those whose objects were 'tlisunion," only
10 be carried uto effect through "forci-
BILE opposition" to the execution OF the
laws" which opposition would be "trea-
son." That it prescribed "a course ofcon-
duct in direct violation Of their duty as cit
izens Of the United States, contrary 10 the
laws Of their country, subversiye Of its
constitution, aud having for lis object the
destruction Of the Union.' That .'strict
dutv required Of the President, nothing
more lin reference to Soulh Carolina THAN
the exercise Of those powers with which !
he was then, or might afterwards bc in
vested, for preserving the peace of the
Union, aud for the execution of the laws"
That the several States, through The adop.
lion Of the constitution became zone peo.
ple," the people Of a "single nation" in
the government which, The "people of
the States are collectively represented"
and the unity of whose "political char
ac,er' commenced iu its (the govern
ment's) very existence, the States form
ing one nation" of which they became
"parts,'' aud 10 which the allegiance of
the colonists "was transferred in the first
instance" and due in The capacity Of n.
merican citizens" And, finally, that the
sovereignty of the States was ceded by
giving to the Government The power to
punish treason against the United Stales.'
Such were the doctrines avowed by the
head of your party, aud sustained conrem-
poraneously by federal armament, aud do.
mestic military organization, and placed
as you have been before The people of Soulh
Carolina, as one of his followers, they are
entitled 10 know whether such principles
or measures. either now or in times past,
have been sustained by your participation.
or met your approval!
This brings US down to 1882 only, the
date Of The proclamation. The period.
however, at which you are most conspic-
uousl y put forth as pacihcator, was in
1884, Two years afterwards; and YOU will
pardon me therefore for extending my in
quiries down 10 that time.
By referring to file Of any State Rights
paper published in South Carolina in Nav
of that year, you will find, under date of
the ]7lh April, circular addressed to
"Capt. league" by Thomas p. Spear.
ill.," comprising the form of a military re.
turn, in which '.butcher knives" 'ba,lle
axes" aud ''ball screws" figure with con-
spicuous prominence; and stating that "the
committee Of fre have assigned The FIVE di-
visions of this Stale" The letter closes
thus: IN. B. continr your report to Union
men olone." II you had any knowledge
of the league and Spearin conspiracy in
1884, he good enough to Stale 10 " hom The
division in which you reside MAS .as-
signed" and for what purpose military
organization, which was to he confined to
Union men alone was intended!
Perhaps, however, it would be more
Just that should con6ne my inquiries to
bulletins issuing from the District of Cla-
rendou alone in 1894. And | will now
ash permission to drec, your attention to