Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-09-24
a NULLIFIER.
CLARENDON, Aug. 9, 1884.


Werros-The judiciary of The State
having inIerposed The authority vested by
people, 10 prevent the enforcement Of an
UNJUST, prosrrprive. and unconstitutional
act; a lawfoss party has dared to attempt
The snbverSinn ofils depcndence--the in
timlda'i"n nfthe Judges. and even IL ihrca.
Ten The abolition Of This department Of Co.
vernmcnt.
The purity ofthc judge,-the high
character of The court, the importance of
an independent iudiciary-cilher OF these
considerations. it might be reasonably sup
posed would have been sufficient, 10 have
an INSTITUTION from the rude hands Of law
less violence. But asrinst The RUTHLESS
deSien of party conspirlne t" destroy the
institutions ofth c0nntrv-neit!cr truth
nor Justice. nor viriue can avail. Men
W hO have worn the ernline without spot,
are tn be dragged dow II to inlamy. and dis
sracc--punished for motives not deeds
aud degraded because they dare mol vlo-
late The dictates Of conscience. The ben
eft of system which the happy expert
encc of many years has perlnmcd, The
comparative perfection of Judiciary which
the American public has pronounced as a.
mnng the best in the Union-unilornlty
in the Interpretation OF The law which
changes in Il judicial system must always
iulcrrupl-all these are to hr sacrificed IN
Il moment. hy the sudden phren%y OF a par
ty, armsaIiug to themselves The omnipo-
tence oI the people-and impclled by lne
reckless spiritofa mnh. They appealed to
the Court; they argued IN The Court, they
claimed The exercise cf the high preroga,
ri>c of the colr, TO decide on the cnnSilI'''
,ionalily OF laws; b"l when that decision
did MOI comport with their interest and
selfish ambition, they defined, they abused
They scorned and they would punish.
They declare sovereignty 10 he supreme
and indivisible, and allegiance The ohliga
lion To obey it. If then the power which
imposes the obligation cannon he divided
nciiher can The obligation itself he divided
The profession of allegiance TO one power
they therefore mean as the negative Of i
TO every other: and in The ahjuratlon Of ar
exclusive, paramount, allegiance 10 thu
Stale, they commanded us 10 abjnre on
allegiance to the Union-,he right to it
, prutectiou obedience to its laws, its lrta
lies and its conslitution.-Would this ht
less Than dissolution Of the Union; and no
, t.y III. ;,nw-r which created it, not by TIT
/ people who lormeu it, MOI by the solemn
S edicl of convention sevcrins the lies b,
: which wc are connected "iill ths Fcdrri
t:n:rrun.emr: hut by virtue "f The "o"c'
vested ia The Legislature. 10 amend ID
: Constitution of this State. IL allcgianc
: were not due tinrr the citizens oftlis Stat
0 TO the Union could there exs, a necrssit
2 to require us TO ALLURE it: if ii Is due, ha
!. The Legislature the right To Withdraw it!
: Thus The power to amend the Constitu
: lion of this State is to bc exercised by a ra
pacinuS party TO amend The Constitution q
ihe UniIed States. resting as il does upo
= an authority sn high as that which sane
timed the Constitution Of this Stale.
Convention formed the Stale Constitution
aud Convrnlinh OF the State of Sout
Carolina. adopted The Federal Consii'u
ton; both tll,'n are of equal authority; am
: vet the power 10 amend nne is conver'e,
: into the power 10 absolve the people from
their obedience to the other-and are me-
, TO he deemed unworthy to administer il
the temple of ofjussice, to be barred 10 rrivl
: leers of treerncn; prescribed; exled; out
: casts and Irairors-because they cannu
c take This perjury 10 their souls!
: We are not inscnsible to The hazads G
o The contest in which we are engaged; "
\ are moi blind 10 the pcrils which we mus
r encounter. Forescriug them, we ar
VI prepared 10 meet lhem-knowinn then
r we brave death, rather than perjury, an
anncalinr 10 God for The justice Of on
L coursc we trust the issue to his Prov
dcncc, and offer 10 tic world the result {