Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-01-06
From the Patm~tio Banntr.
THE WAR AND THE OPPOSITION.

The leaders ni The wing party IN Congress,
in relation 10 our war with Mexico, are
any thing bul .pairol.c. How much So
ever We may have differed as TO the ori-
gin, necessity, character. or justice of this
war, ii is unqueslionably the part of palr-
otis,n, TO sacrifice all difference of opinion
upnn the ALTAR of common country. and
Ia sustain the country when she has spo-
ken through her constituted authorities.
The spirit Of parry, when restrained within
due limits the limits prescribed by palri
olism, orIhat supreme love we owe 10
our country. is by no means to be 'depre-
caled. On The contrary. it works safely,
and ensures fidelity and purity in the ad.
rinisIraliom Of Government but when
party fprgets. or. if uol forgetting. actually
disregards The only principles upon WHICH
it can be reconciiej to patriotism, from
tha, moment, il loses its essential. vital
element, forfeits our esteem. and DEsEHE.
RATES INT" MERE FACTION.
Far be il frnm Us. tc attribute ,he-sen
liments nr GIDDIsGs, DAVIS, aud others.
to the Wing partySas a wh6e. The fire
Of patriotism burns no where mnre brightly
than in the bnsoms of nulliudes who call
themselves Wings, Although we claim
10 he, as firm aud uncompromislng in our
Democratic principles as an abiding con.
yiciinu of their truth can make Js, we are
are not one oflhose who would arrogate
all The decency, all the respectabiIiIy. and
all The patriotism TO our own parry. This
is species of moral wrong and usurpation,
Of which, we hope never ~ be guilty.
We would not find fault with the Wings
lnr questioning ei,her,lhe necessity or jus
tice of his war; in Government like
ours, the uIuiosr freedom Of opinion, and
latitude of discussion are allowable. These
sacred and inaienable rights of freemen,
however. should always be exercised in
strict subserviency to the demands of pat /,
rioIism. The love and allegiance we owe
10 our country are like those we owe To
our parents. This very love and aIlegi
ance, flhey be sincere, woul" prompt US
to desire tina, they be not placed in wrong
position. We might advise. reponstrate,
prnlesl. We might even expo,luaIs, bnl
never, either directly or indirectly, should
we oppose. As il is with The moral lies
and allegiance which bind ,us 10 .ur pa.
rents. so il is viii: 'fhe Pdllic9l ones which
bid lis 10 our country. They are equally
dictated and enjnlned by nature. We may
he Iratorious TO our country, b. simply re-
fusing 10 lend thai aid which il is in our
power to render, when. from our position.
she requires il at our hands. Treason
cannot, perhaps, in sir,cl propriely of Ian
gnage, be predicared of free Governments.
Treason, in q technical sense. is the high
est and most aggravated form of fscdition.
II is an offence. coinniited against the Sc
curity Of the king or kiudorn-as, f.r
example, 10 compass lhe dealhaol the
king. rr rDIIuvv VIII ugainsI-nIin, or to al
here 10 his enemies. or giue them aid. In
monarchies, such crimes are visited with
The most sgnal punishments, and we can
perceive no good reason; Why, even in
free governments, they should be treated
with less rigOr. The word treason i'm
plies MOI only hostile intentions, but fraud
and breach Of trust, and generally, trcachc
ry, word Of the same, or a similar origin.
But there is another, aud still higher and
more aggravated kind of treason. which.
because guilty ol no direcI, or oUert act. is
nof therefore. the less criminal. On the
contrary. by virtue Of lis very impuri,y il
is the mrre Infamous This is moral trea
son. and oflhis have such men as Gid
dings, Davis, GrnIry, and perhaps others:
been guilty. As We said before, party
spirit aud uppnslIina. when restricted
within due bounds are not only alona
bic, uul right. They foster spiri, of
vigilance in The people, aud Are among the
mos! useful guardians of ofIiberty. ABSTRACT
" considered. they imply merely con
trariety Of npinion, and so regarded, ihey
admit of neither condernnalin nor praise.
Il ls not opposition itself. bur The crcum
stances under which il acts, that stamp it
With apccul,ar aud distinctive character.
Allied with faction, il ceases 10 be lawful,
to bs harmless, 10 be patriotic. IL Then
constitutes one of the greatest of political
evils. and is the more dangerous. mas
much as il alwars acts und r The Specious
garb Of patriotism The opposition to
our war with Mexico, so far .as it has been
developed, affords melancholy evidence
thai The ties which bind some, also TOO
many. TO apurty. are stronger than those
that bind rhem 10 their county! 1t is no
lnns"r oppnsiliou-iI is faction, and dan.
gerous faction. Nor ls it necessary, as we
intinated above, that il should resort To
treason and reheliou Unfortunately,
there are but 100 mady ways in which it
can accomplish lis fell purpose, without
resort To violence or commotion.
A (aclious opposition is ever potent for
evil. 1t can couuteracl the besl directed
efforts. aud render the operations Of the
Government feeble and Intellectual. There
are modes in which we eau afford laid
and comfort" 20 The enemies Of our cnun
try without commitling an overt aci of
treason, There is treason Of thought. OF
speech. of counsel. OF always putting our
o,Vn cntinfry in the yvrnnu ,1on1,;no rho