Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1848-11-22
From the Charleston Mercury.
THE ELECTION.


think, to settle The question, and 10 render
the election Of Gen. Taylor for the PresI-
dency matter Of entire certainty. IN
announcing This result We sincerely wish
,ha, we felt the confidence which would
enable Us to participate in The rejoicing oil
his friends. Our objections To General
Taylor have moi been personal. and Our
support Of Gen. Cass has 10 no sort sprung
from personal preference. To The former
we have ever given cred, for the bighes;
qualities as sulticr, for patriotism, for
integrity, and manly simplicity nf charac-
ter. Had it heen simply question of sc.
lecling a man TO fill the high office of
President, whether our choice would or
would not have fallen upon Grn. Taylor.
we could al least have seen him elevated
10 that position without envy O! his honors,
or disirust of his conduct.
But in these days, il is not men, but
parties, tha, rise or fall in The Presidential
election. II is not men, but parties. hat
are clothed with the Executive power OF
The Government. and have entrusted TO
them The deslines of the cnuntry. A grand
superiority OF mind and will may indeed
make The individual man, The virtual
master, as well as The ceremonial leader
of his party aud where we have full faith
iu such superiority. we may be justified
in separating the leader from the accidents
position, and association. aud supporting
him purely on personal grounds.
But we cannon frame rule on an ex.
,raordinary execution. In common cases.
we must take it for granted that the can
didate of party will he one among
body Of competitors, that his fortunate po-
sitien will be The result Of this rivalry, ra-
ther lhau his own acknowledged sup
rcmacy, that his rivals for the hnnor, will
be his rivals for The power after the hon
or, is gained; that in office he will be sur
rounded by men who will claim TO have
made him what he is; and who, instead OF
mixing ino The position Of followers, will
consider themselves elevated with him,
not by him; and as dependent not upon
his will, but upon The will Of the party
which has raised him; and who will claim
The righ, not merely TO advise him as
friends. bul 10 decide with him as equals.
upon the policy and measures o[ The Go
vernmeut.
We study then the probable action of
the Executive, not through The personal
character Of The Presiden, but through
the designs. the principles, The temper,
and the predomina,ing ideas oflhe party
which he leads. 10 all ordinary cases II
is idle 10 expect that he will attempt TO be
other than what his party wish him, or
that he will seek to escape from control
wherein consists his security and his
strength. |, is. then, as the representa-
tive, especially, Of The Northern Wieh
Parlv, iha, we have opposed the election
of Gen. Taylor. We do not so designate,
(. him; because we think him their natural
or their voluntary representative. but be
cause ihey adopted him as such, advocal-,
him as such, and voted for him as such.
This feature oClhe Presidential election
!. is indeed Almost striking one. That the
whole Northern Wing Parry avowing
strongest anli.slavery sentiments, aud
claiming, not through obscure newspapers.
bu, by their whole press, by the .ieclara-
iions Of theE first statesmen, and by the
eonsiderate resolves Of States Conven'
lions, that they were true. and only true,
Free Soil Party, and the only consistent
because the only prudent aud effective,
enemies TO the growth and power OF The
Southern Stales-lhal this party, We say.
should have presented an unbroken front,
and given an aimos, unanimous and cor
dial support to STAKEHOLDER ard cotton
planter. is one of,bose extraordinary re
suits in politics, calculated 10 river the ats
,en,ion and excite the wouder of men.
To the Northern Wing Party, an,i-slavery
has evidently been principle of nnIon
ard strength. To the Democratic Party,
on the country, ii has been a fountain of
bitterness. of 10, ssline strife, of destroying
factions, and humilia,ins defeat. The
wonder is. no, tha, the Wing Party, com-
pletely united in principle. should have
iriumphed, but that they could possibly
have adopted es the bond of their union,
as the title Of their faith, as the emblem OF
their cause, as the star Of their hope, a
man, whose birth. life, position and as.
sociations, seemed to place between him
and hem au impossible gulf.
By what means they hoped to melt
down these rugged differences, and 10 con.
vert a Shareholder inlo convenlen, in
strument for executing The designs Of au'i-
slavery party. We do moi propose now To
examine. That they had such hopes, we
know from ,heir own express aud loudly
repeated declarations, aud we know il by
the far stronger demonstration OF their vote
al the Presidential election. II cannot he
denied it wonld be worse than idle TO
deny, tina: the Norlhern Wing Party have
sustained General Taylor on anti slavery
grounds; and ,ha, hey confidently look
no, only for his consent, bul Tor lis oid'
in settling the Territorial Question, on
terms at once hostile TO The interests, and
degrading to the character, Of the Southern
States. God forbid that we should say.
these hopes are we'll founded. Or that we
should charge Gen. Tavlor with having
given pledges Of such ,reachery to his ma
tive soil. But p'eponderating majority
fhis supper, is Northern; and it is NOR.
ally certain ,ha, this majority will insist On
the fulfIment Of their expectations, and