Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1844-10-02
1ConeIndea from, the First Page.

(Conclnded from the. First PageJ
,hc Stnte can be pledged TO any course. neon
: e;stent with its true interests, among which,
nnd the head Of which, | admit will rank us un-
taroished honor. Pledges Of State. like those
of an individual, must be To itself or 10 olners.
Pledges Of the last kind must be in1afliapy ne1.lly
performed. however disadyantageous or i'nPo''
ilic, unless they involve moral guilt ~. Leuses
OF tile State loitseIf however, are very uillefeh:
They can never mean more than is always re-
ouired, independant Of any pledse;-'hat sue
Shail nct with wisdom. firmness and colsIsiet-
cy according to the circumstances oil the tinie
and the, occasion when she IS called to act.ssli
The 5Iedge be rash or nnwise will 1t he urged
ii,at she. is bound to actl The question wlll
always be, pledge or no pledge, what IS wise,
what is expedient, unless it be dlshonorabie.-.
When the pledge is not to athlrd person. sure
ly it cannot be obligatory OK reputable 10 40
thing which is unwise, rash. inespedient' ana
perhaps destructive of the very object which
the pledge was intended to advance. "a a piedge
to ones selfs no more than giving puohcny
to it, if it be wise and proper and aoneIaoie, a,
moi to execute il shows weakness and instlplii, m
~. aud therefore il ia dsreputable not 70 no 80
On the other hand it would display weakness '
or obsinacy to do what was unwlse, rash OF ~
disonorable because one had pledsed huissu
to do so. It therefore seems to me, liat 'ne
question before us is entirely Tree from any
embarrassment Of pledges. But there seems
to be difference between the pledge oi aii III
dividnal aud that Of q Stale byits representa-
tves The pledge Of these cannot involve
the free deliberations of future tunctlonaries,
where there is no third party concerned:
the pledge be wise and proper, II is liie ou'y
of the successors to redeem 1t, bul surely not
otherwise. The question them seems 10 me
rs free as if no pledge had ever been nade;
and is, ought the State TO resist ana whal snall
be the mode and time Of that resistance :,
Much has been said about u leader, you VIII
be much better without otIe, such leader may
be fit instrument to dictate the movements VI
q faction but moi those off people or nation.
Resistance, 10 be effective and reputable, must
not be demagogical, but national. itls paltry
and feeble, in this great question:, affecting so
many States, to talk Of a leader. The nalloh
must move. and you must have many leaders.
No people prepared for great achievement
will ever want leaders. you ,oant a due Prcpara-
tiou of the national mind and spirit for a great
7nouemcnt, pou ,cant also settled principle and
a dctermiaate object of aei,on. which no lndivid-
nal should be permitted TO dictate. The peo.
leader, debase themselves, resemble a mob, and
exclude from their ranks all the sober, delIber-
ate, steady, good sense Of the community
which cannot be expected to follow the author
itatiye dictates Of leader. The principle aud
object of action should be established by the
people themselves, (who should not surrender
the character Of thinking beings.) by the ad-
vice and assistance of the leading men in their
respective States. If the States unite, this
will he done in Convention Of the States,
and ifthe act separately, by their Legislatures.
When principle and object of action shall be
thus established il will be national aud you
will have leaders enough, and they will be fit
and appropriate leaders embracing all the good
sense, talent, and character of The country
The Congress which declared the Indrpen.
dence Of the United States was not governed
by a leader. The Congress which declared
the late war against Great Britain was not gov.
erncd by leader. Butthese acts were brought
about by leading men who knew and spoke
the will of their Constituents.
The last incidental circumstance which
shall notice, is the serve aduation which is
paid 10 the Union, at a time it would lc natu-
rail- and, Think, just to feel resenlful. II does,
indeed excite my special wonder to see South
ern men bowling before the idol and shouting
Hosannas TO it as if il were in the acl of show
ering blessing upon US. These are confess,
music hateful TO my ear. lcould ms much
respect the spirit ofa man who had fallen un-
der the had of an adversary and who should
choose that moment to culogze his virtues, his
humanity and his beneyolence. blame no
Just respect TO the Union. have loved the
Union as much as any man in it. still respect
il and wish 10 preserve it, but it is moi in my
heart. while my country is snartins under IFS
lash, to ponr out me devotions to it. should
consider ii moral defilement. In nation it
is a sign of dark and feeble mind and pusil-
luminous spirit.
No man with such spirit can duly love his
nearer and dearcr Institutions; no man with
snch spirit will be ready to resist the wrongs
done to them. Reflect on The purpose of a good
and benicienr Government. Such Govern.
ment is frequently described by figures. sigf-
cant Of benefits received and love returned,
which our hearts rather than our minds suggest
and which are therefore more emphatically
iust-itisc called parental protector and kind
nursing mother. Now name single blessing
ofsuch Government that you enjoy. Does
it make you (;hc South) great, does it enshrine
You in honor, does it make you rich and pros.
peious does il secure your properly, does it
protect the peace of your sumbers, does 1t
shield you from the fana,ie incendiary or does
il not hold up his torch and enliven its fame,
and invite him to apply il TO your most COM
bustable maleria9 Name, if you can one sim
gle benefit Of good and beneficial Govern
ment which you enjoy under it, Thanks 10
sturdy nature we still live and breathe in spite
Of its infctions. Even this we owe to our neg
lected and forsaken Stale Institutions. But
your assaiants tell you plainly that even this.
The bare breath life, which they have left in
you, you enjoy merely under short reprieve,
until their plans are ready for the execution of
that doom Of desolation and ruin which they
have pronounced against you and which they
are hastening on with all their zeal and power.
In the Halls of Legislation they nre already
permitted tc. tell you i, that your presence there
is apolulion of their pharsacal purity; and aie
you, proud ireemen, edo you not so call
yourselveslwith what truth shall not decide)
-humb!y to solicit their forlorn embrace7 Surr.