Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-07-16
PRESTON S. BROOKS.
Columbia, 18th July.
For Me Adrertiser.

is not my object or Wish 10 engage III He"s
paper controversy with any gentleman. Bnt
simply to exercise that right which every free
man is entitled to in republican government
viz: TO express his opinion freely and untIan-
me'leti bv any arbitrary or conventional restric-
tinn What other rnorlve could aciuate mel
have nothing to gain by the Governors cleo.
ton let it terminate as it may. am interested
only so lur as ain citizen of South Carolina.
and as such subject alike with thr rest of my fel-
low citizens, 10 the influence which the Gov
ernor's election may exercise upon the pros
perty aud welbeing Of the sane.
With neither of the candidates am person.
ally acquainted, and for neither one Of them. dol
entertain greater par,iality thanthe other, person.
ally and viewed in their social relations. But
must he permitted to say, that regarding them
as politicians, am not neutral. Ipreter decid-
edIy, Col. Hammond TO Col Richardson. and
believe that he is better capncitated to discharge
the gnbernatorial duties, than his worthy COM
! petiior The reasons which have Influenced
or diclat, my choice of Governor. in my num-
! BILE opnion are based upon the immovable
basis of truth, and Just appreciation of merit.
aud believing, us do. that magma est rer'toS et
preralebit. I cannot suffer myself 10 doubt tine
succrss ofCOl. H.. and the consequent triumph
of candor, ngenuullsness and disintere~ted pa
riotism over the intrigue. double dealing, and
machinalions ofthe "spoiIs parry" But not to
| Indulge in coneclnres and mere assertions, and
to come 10 the proof The course which Col.
Hammond and COL Richardson pursued, and
the position which thev occupied in 1882, when
clouds Of darkness overhung our political horl-
| zon, and threatened to burst upon lis with all
their accumulated force and fury, involving us
in one general and universal ruin shall not
attempt to rrcaptulatc, as they have been slltti-
| centy dilaed upon by olhsis who have written
on the subject. My motives for Withholding
an expression of opinion on this subject, are
not BECAUSE 7 regard the struggle of 1882, be-
tween the old Union and Notification parties, as
one of an unimportant nature. and that period
rs an era sterile in striking events-nor because
Ibeieve that the course which the leudlng men
of our State pursued at that momentous crisis,
is OF no consequence, and as entirely dlscon.
nected with the subject of the gubernatorial
election, and the claims necessary to recommend
candidate to the important and responsible
Station of Governor, US some would say, VINO
| i;laciously contend that il was provided IN tile
IT exist 6sfiiHfct1on cf parties, but that
| they shouldbe uuiled into one undivided whole.
refrain from dllating upon this point Tor the
reasuns above assigned, to wt:-that they
lave been expatlated upon at sufficient length
by Others One, and believe the only argu-
mGnt which the untirirg and indef;ltigab,e par
tzans of Richardson have urged ds IL reason why
| he should be preferred to Col. Hammond, Is
that his election will afford favorable oppor-
tnnity Of causing former aniinosi,ies to be bu-
ricd, and past differences 10 be adj jusied, and
thus by establishing spirit of harmony, una-
| limty, and goo feeling among the two parties,
III, ,,,f,
strength, which has beeu severely palalyzedb by
internal dssentons andto consolidate it into Que
undivided and unbroken phaanx. Is it not
strange that the sagaciu,lj fars enug and patr:-
o;c friends of Col. K. should have just found
out lhe remedy tpshaa the woullds occasinned
by the struggle Of 1852. That they should at
this late day have just hit upon the man (wno
iappened 10 be Coz. X. richly (a> thy say
endowed by nature with all those noble and
elevated traits of character, which 80 elninently
qualify him lor the accomplishment Of the most
glorious object. Does any one belv' that the
Irresponsible hungry few" who met in solemn
concave ut Columbia, and n0mlnated Col. K.
who pledged themselves to move heaven
and earth if necessary, 10 secure his eleclon,
and who since that time, carrying out their
promise. have put forth every energy, and
strained every nerve, to manufacture pubic
opinion in his favor.-l say DOES any one be-
lieve that these very disintcrcsted gentlemen were
prompted to that step by those lofty and patr'-
oc motives which they in the p!enitudc OF tier
egotis,n, would arrogute to themselves
But Ia waive the point as TO tlIe sincerity oil
tiIelr motives for the SAKE of argument, let Us
tesI tine validity Of their argument as to the
beneiiclal eilecI which the election oil Col K.
would have in reconciling the old Uuon and
Nulli.icntio parties of'.52 Wewill commence
this investigation by inquIring ni What party is
Cal. Richardson. the nominee and BY what per-
sons durs he expect TO be slppotedl Doub-
less he is the nominee Of tile Union parry, and
will be supported by that party, and a few a.
poslate and hrokrn.duwn Nulliticrs. This tho
true. will not I've openly and unequivucally u
VOW wed BY them: aud whyi Because the Union
party in this State is in the minority, and us
such, to present him before the people US the.
nominee of that party, would be the greatest
piece of foery that could he magiued-since
it would unquestinnably weaken his power, if
not inevitably defeat his election. But how
will they overeap this barrier and overcome
this diffiruIty7
BY representing Col. r. as the nominee and
favorte of both parties; and Tor what purpose !
is this done, if not to secure the support of both.
The friends Of Col. K. have advanced many |
plausible reasons why he should be elected;
they have displayed much of the diplomacy Of
Richen; aud no doubt they have induced
some to believe that he is the nominee and fl-
vorite of hoth parties. But is tins true-and
are the arguments which they have adduced |
NOR, than plausible. and sophIscaf To |
prove TO me that they are not, and 10 convince
me that Col r. is not the secret nominee Of
the Union party, though professedy and os-
tensibly he is not they mus, tax their ingenuity
and imagination more severely than they huve
ye. done.
The consequences Of electing Col. r. can be
anticipated from what we have already expert |
enced Scarce has the canvnss for Governor !
commenced, before we see the wounds rippeo !
open which were inflicted in 1872, and which |
we had hoped were healed ny forever. Former
anmosites and past "reminiscences are vividly |
4 al