Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1848-09-27
: From late number Of tie AbbcoMe Banner,
WHAT SHOULD SOUTH CARROLL
DOM THE APPROACHING
PRESIDENlAI. ElECTlON


ed the way for the practical qurs'lon-
what is Souih Carolina 10 do! we have
shown, we think, The Stale cannon give an
vote to either Gen. Cass or
Gen. Taylor. This, as we take it, is out
of The question. II would be III The leeth
of all her former principles. aud al her
set,led convictions of state acIlOn. Shall
the Stale, then throw away her vote =
We answer no: and for several reasons.
lst. There is, we conceive, under all the
choice between The candl-
dates. Neither of lhem, it is true, iu!tlls
our expectations; but to select better now
is we fear, impracicable. If one, then. is
preferable to The other, duty aud policy
lead US TO take the least exceptionable.-
This is certain one must come Inio power
which shall il he? The ole, WIN VIII
be most liable to carry out our purposes,
or The other who is less liable ? Common
prudence answers this question. But
again if by casting away our vote We
should bring into Office the most oGjectiona'
BILE ndiiate-what censure would we no'
Justly incur? We would be guilty OF the
suicidal. .ac, Of bringing upon the country
an unsafe administration, from the evil ell
fects of which. we may noi be able to es~
cane for wears. Who will he willing TO
risk so great danger? Who with so aw-
full responsibility resting upon hln', can
consent to remain neural? But II Will
be urged, by selecting one of The candI
dales, we will be choosing one of two evils.
Not so. The necessity of the case. is the
reason of the matter. BY enduring he
less evil, we certainly do not choose il: SO
by avoiding the greater evil. it can scarce
~ be said. we choose the less. This is the
philosophy of the thing. JFc take the less
evil, through fear Of receiotng the great
er : which is both prudent aud reasonable,
When, however. wa expressly declare
ms we should do. that il giving our vote to
:.one candidate, we give ii free from any
pledge to support his administration iur'h.
or Than it conforms with th- doctrines Of
our political faith, all difficulty on the score
of consistency, will, we imagine, be fully
removed. We say 10 the party our vo'e is
given conditionaHy, on the ground, that
we may have no party tranlmels IN case
The man whom we assist in eleva'ing 10
mower. fails to administer the government
in The full Republican faith. Here is no
Inconsistency mo compromise OF rr'ncI'
pie. hnd by ,ukins This position we have
This great advantage /: we can honesty as
sst 10 elecliEg the man, we regard under
all the circumstances The most proper per-
son. aud in view Of his defaIcalion in pow
er we are entirely freo;lo abandon his ad-
ministralion and ,orcmain true to our prlns
ciples. al ~,
But auother aud more urgen, reason lor
not throwing away the vote o! The STATE
is. that-ihe present crisisin our political al;
fairs demands lhe, most active efforts of
gIeGI pururIS-5rv ! Gtrrr, x, ior
ihe mex, administration, in which the rights
of the South is the prize to be won. Tic
question of the extension of Slavery is
beginning TO awaken the public energies.
and before the new President shall have
fairly taken his seat, the whole country
maybe in, slate Of high political excite.
ment. The South, then. who is to win or
lose lby the contest, should prepare herself
well fo,lhe crisis. She should mark dis.
,inctly the ground on which she is TO stand,
and offer no compromises, make not cons
cessions until she has full indemnity for the
pas. and security for the future. We say,
she should mark out The ground on which
she ia 10 stand. We mean. she should
keep free from party tranmels; she should
defiue her position clearly and enphalical
Is on the great vital questions of tie day :
and should stand by her principles, and if
necessary fight lor them under party CEN
sure, aud agains, numerical majnrlies. Ii
will not do at this time TO remain inactive,
while the forces of the North and South
are marshalins themselves for the onset.
We must be up and doing, or our feirers
will be forged. The hand of the majority
despot is already raised; The bugle has
sounded ITO arms" but we have only
to stand firm. and he danger may be aver
ted. We are the party assailed. 1t is our
cause.-The cause Of The Snuih-thaI is TO
be yindicated. But though on The dcfen.
sive, our preparations should he MOI less ac-
tive aud serious. Let us furify ourselves
within our clear aud unquesli0nahlr rigms.
Lei US above all be united in our ranks,
and if we can bring 10 our aid, important
allies. lie, US not neglec, SO weiehIy mat.
ter. If our Northern lriruds-and we GER
,anly have friends among The generous
minded people Of the NurIh-oTer us their
friendly aid, let US by all means accept Of
ii; but we should receive il in good faith.
Let us tell Them what we are contending
fur-what we are resolved 10 hare, if there
is a sense of justice ami liberty in The land.
Ii they canuut join US nn The grounds we
propose, we must respectfully y decline their
aid, and rely Oh our own resources, I'M
der The protecting influences of wise
Providence. THAI we may shaw them,
however, we are not insensihlc Of our true
situation, nor indifferent 10 their friendly
aid, let US tender them the hand of friend
ship, but ,cith dignity and reserve, that
they may see our delerminalion to vindi
Gale our rights, aud 10 accept no compro-
mise that will not re inslate US in the full
enjoyment Of our constitutional liberties.
We maintain, then, that South Carroll.
ma is bound 10 cast her vote-and to give
a qualified uote. But to whom? To Gen.
Taylor, or Gen. Cass? We hope the an.
swer will appear obvious, from what we
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