Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1850-03-20
FROM FIRST rAeE]

Having now, Senators. explained what
il is that endaneers The Union. and traced
il loils cause. aud explained It's nature and
character. The question again recurs: How
can The Union be saved TO this an-
swer, there is but one way by which il can
lie, and tha, is, by adopting such measures
as will satisfy The States belonging TO The
Southern section that they can remain in
the Union consistently with their honor
and their safety. There is, again, only
one way by which that can be effected,
and that is by removing the causes by
which This belief has been produced. ID"
that, and discuuient will cease, harmony
and kind feelings between the sections he
restored, and every apprehension of dan
ger to the Union. be removed. The ques.
tiun, then. is: by what can this be done !!
But, before undertake to answer this ques>
tion. l propose 10 show by what the Un.
ion cannot be saved.
1t cannol, then, be saved by euloeies on
the Union, however splendid or numer-
Gus. The cry Of "Uuion. Union.-lhe
glorious Union 7" can no moro prevent
disunion, than the cry of "HealIh. health
GLORIOUS health !" On The part Of ply
sician. can save patient lying danger
ously i'll. So long as The union, instead
uf being regarded as protector. is regard
ed in The Opposite character, by mol much
less than majority OF The States. II will
lie in vain TO conciIate them by pronoun-
cling eulosies on it.
Besides, this cry Of Union comes com.
monty from those whom we cannot be
Iieve 10 be sincere. II usually comes
from our assaiants. But we cannot be-
lieye them To be siucere; for if they loved
the Union, they would nrcessarily be de-
voted ~ The Constitution. 1t made The
Uuion. land to destroy The Constitution
would he 10 desirny The Union. Bat the
only reliable and certain evidence of devo-
ton TO the Constitution, is, To abstain, on
The one hand, from violating it, and 10 re.
pei, on The other all attempts 10 vi"la'e
il. Ii is only by faithfully performing
these tulies that the Constitution can be
preserved. and with it the Uuiou.
But how stands the profession Of dcvo-
lion 10 the Union by our assailants, when
brought 10 the lesl !! Have they a!slaiued
from violating the Constitution Let the
many acts passed 10y the N rlheru S,ares
10 set aside and annul The clause of the
Constitution providing for the delivering
up Of fugitive slaves, answer. cite this;
ou, lha' it is the only instance, (lor there
nrc many olhers.} but because The viola.
tim. in this particular, Of the Constitution
is too notorious aud palpable to 6e denied.
Again: have they stood forth faithfully to
repel The violations ofihe Constitution !
Let then. course in reference 10 the agita-
,on of the slavery question. which was
commenced aud carried on fur fifteen years,
avowcdIy fnr the purpose Of abolishins
slavery in the SIa,es-an ohject all allow
10 he siiiutiunal-answer. Lo, them
show single instance, during this long
period, in which they have denounced The
asiators or their attempts to effect what
j. admitted 10 be unconstitutional, or q
single measure which ihoy have brought
f,rward for that purpose. How can we.
with all these facts before US. believe that
they arc sincere iu their profession of de-
volion 10 the Union, or avoid believing
their profession is bu, in'endcd to increase
the vigor Of their assaults, aud to weaken
the force of our resistance
Nor can we regard tho profession Of de.
volion 10 the Union, on the part Of these
who are not our assailanls, as sincere,
when they pronounce euogies upon the
Uuion, evidently with the intent OF charS.
ing us with disunion. without uilering one
word Of fdenuncialion against our assailan,s.
If frieuds of the Union. their course. should
he to unite with us in repeIlins these as.
saults, aud drnouucing The authors rs ene-
mics of the Uuon. Why they avoid lhia,
and pursue the course they do, it is (ar
them 10 explain.
Nor can the Union he saved by invoking
the name Of the illustrious SouIherner
whose mortal remains repose on the west
crn bank Of The Potomac. lie was one Of
us-a stakeholder and planter. We
have studied his history, aud find nothing
in il to justify submission 10 wrong. On
the contrary, his great fame rests OH the
solid foundation, lhat, while he was care
ful 10 avoid doing wrong to others. he was
prompt and decided in rcpellins wrong.
trust. that, in this respecl. we have pro.
flied by his example. Mr. can we find
sny,hins in his history TO deter uS from
seeding from the Union, should il fail 10
fulfil tho objects for which j, was insli:u-
ted. by being permanently and hopclessly
converted into the means Of expressing
instead Of protecting US. On The contrary,
we find much in his example.l to cncour-
age US, should we be forced To the rx-
remily of deciding between submission
aud disuniou. There existed then, as well
as now, a uniou-lhal between the par
ent country and her then colonies. 1t was
union that had much to endear il 10 The
people Of The colonies. Under its protects
ing and experimenting care, the colonies
were planted and grew up aud prospered,
throu sh long course Of years. until they
became popuous and wealthy. lis hene'
fits were moi limited to them. Their ex
tensive agricultural and other productions,
gave birth to a flourishing commerce.
which richly rewarded the parent country
for The trouble and expense Of establishing
aud protecting them. Washington was
born and grew up to manhood under thai
uniou. lie acquired his early distinction
in its service, and there is every reason 10
believe that he was devoledly attached to
il. But his devotion was rational ono.
l., ,y,c .tto,ho,1 moi no an end. but ia a