Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1840-12-19


ION. Il = not lor u to speculate upon the
CONSISTENCY oi Mr. VAS BrRrN, of lhc hots
winch placed hin aud h,, patty tb thrst present
position. The contest IS sut Pooeple' an We
can be true to nutsel,e-. ouiy 10y sNmg h'm cur
continuance and support.
Iuere can be ne good reason Why South Gar
olgaa should preserve aa attitude oi neutrality
but, opposed as she Is Ia lhe motley eoa'5'nauon
which iouns the Wing panty becomes hyt to
vote against Its mousuous pretentuns. When
we contemplate The deep delus'"n ol 50 manN
thousands OF he southern people, We want words
"a express one aslnulsAnent Tint So large a
pogllou should have been sutccd from Their prop
~ alley auce, and drawn into the support oi
party aa,ch has 40 utilization with them, against
an administration Much 81, period OF peculiar
pei |, has pledged It's Nhole power TO the support
at nuf rights sud iatofy,ls, T. a p iriedl phennm-
euer. ehseuts rarely eNahted. Bul while vs.
rt-tct tn, division, Ne loudly nope nat the day +
Uoi tu d .sttpt, when the South vii he uuted 10
i nau, un the ground aow occupied by auf staff.
Threatening a. uai be the sl1ns OF the tunes,
We will not despair Of the Republic, Thete mast
be sufficient vHtue aud intelligence ~ people, 10
awaken them sooner ur latrt, from the delusiuu
under which lhey labor. When General HAKRl-
SON comes INTO power, bret perod, | lhmk,
Will deveiope the character OF his administration,
and vludlcate fully the course OF South Carolina.
| In contemplating the present CONDITION ol
| things, nothing alarms me SO much Tor the sta
biIy OF our political institutions as the growing
/ corruption ~ our elections. Tho INDUSTRIOUS
| fraud, which have been developed IN many parts
| OF our country, must awaken 10 the bosom oi the
| patriot, emotions Of the most painful chafac-
ter. Our only security rests in the gmry Of
the elective franchise. II men are to be sold
| N the market like cattle, soon our country Will
| not be the nursery OF tteemen, but the'mIscrable
abode Of degraded slaves From the peculiar
nature OF our political organization, putty IN
elections Is Indispensable The sovereign power
resides N the people aud II they become unfit lor
the purposes OF government, all ls lost.
am sorry to believe that, throughout our county,
The -prn Of party has, 10 great extent, Ia.
ken the place Of patriotism. Lave OF county Is
emerged IN party deyoton; aud under this fell
influence, principle is forgotten, The Constitution
violated, the nights OF States invaded, and the
| pubic morals ttodden under foot 1t becomes
Us, elluw-ctlzcus, the people OF one Of the
! sovereign States ol tbs tunl.delacy To quad
| a. alnst this most destructive influence, and do
our duty to Our common county. | feel ASSURED
| that the present Presidential canvass, has bern
marked by deeper and more vide spread corrup-
tlon than any former event ~ our history, aud
that, # The pure AID wItuous Of the LAIRD d. not
soon coMe To the rescue, We viii, ere long, be
involved n all the prIlis oi bloody revoluHon
" oud could believe that this WIS but a PIC
tute OF fancy aud not The sober dictate Of lea-
son. Thou h It be true that South Carolina has
not reached that depth Of corruption, which We
] hnd N The more crowded communities OF Other
sections, she cannot clam exemption. There Is
loo often an lmpurty IA ouf elections, which i,
dscreduable TO a Wrluou aud enlightened PEG.
PIE. loo ofl,n We see l4uuranc" niumph over
wisdom, wee over vlllue It not to be DISCUS.
ed, thai here hundreds, sell lner votes for mo.
ney aud aud Tor whlskeN ana ha, III many in
stances, he whose Wlue and Independence pre-
serve hun rom the common demUfdi,lna pfac
tees .oi candidate, Is huut d down ahd sacfi.
fled as d victim. The placlee Of b,ttua on
elections, i, most prohhe source ol corruption
he Most important Of all the privileges Of
IA freeman, s'conyeried uto an occasion lol min
lseuos to aydrce aud cuptdily, aud accusing The
worst passions OF our mature. II - lnt iancbo-
y fact, that from the petues District Election,
to the Presidency Of The I0ltd States, multi
tudes are controlled IN thtlr votes, by the pecunl-
AIRY interests winch they have at sttke, aud The
highest qualifications, and most bfilhan, srrvlces
are thus entirely dlsregarded. That man is blind
indeed, who upon reflection, does not perceive
the enormy Of the evil, and that we must fall
beneath The ponder0u4 mass Of corruption, which
IS rapidly accommodating. unless II Is soon counter
acted. call upon every man n South Carolina.
to exert hs best rttol, n preserving The purify Of
the elective iIaHrbl~t; To- ldkt h- sland against
that spirt 81 llGent1u,ness, winch, ~ the name
vi freedom, Is dtin-m2 lar and aide it, desiruc-
tive influences. must thai he peopIr o out
beloved State wl ase 10 lhis subject hen cal,
NEST CONSIDERABLE; bal 40 enlightened pubic o.
pinlon Will purify he baol box, and that ia day
not far distant, when he who would offer
bnbe 10 freeman, shall be branded vita gnomi. |
ny aud disgrace. II oar common Government
IS destined 10 fall, let us to the last, acqua our
selves like men amid The general degeneracy,and
prove that We are worthy OF tue aud rational lib
cry.