Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-08-14
From the Darlington Flag. J. ,
chancellor Dargan's speech.

momentous question now agitating the pub
lie mind. We had long been anxious. to.
hear the views at large of this distinguished
jurist, pure patriot, and honest man. His
independent and ori ginal cast of mind, his
eminent services as State Senator from,
Darlington, his extensive and long continued
acquaintance with the people US leading
lawyer Mt this bar, rs well as his present
honorable position'as one of the Chancellorss
of the State, rendered his views on the
question of secession matter of no small
interest TO the people of this District We
were highly gratifcd, as were many others
who had the pleasure of listening to his
unanswerable arguments in favor Of seces-i
sion. We have often heard him in forensic
debate-we have listened to him in the Sem
ate Chamber and on the Bench, but never
with more heartfelt satisfaction than on the
occasion referred to. In the opening of his
remarks he took q brief and rapid review Of
the gradual and progressive encroachmentsi
Of the Government upon the cherished insti-
tutions of the South, referring to the Mis-
souri, Compromise, the repeal of The 21st
Rule in Congress, and finally to that batch
of measures but recently adopted and mis-
called a Compromise, by which a magnif-
cent empire, won by Southern blood and
treasure, had been fraudulently smuggled
into the Union by abolition votes, with the
design of overcoming the power of the South,
and finally accomplishing the fell purpose of
circumscribing and destroying the institution
of slavery. He referred also to the dismem-
berment Of Texas, BY which large portion
of slave territory had been purchased with
our own money for the purpose Of being
converted into free-soil. lie said that all
we had obtained by the sc-called Compro-
mise, was the Fugitive Slave Law, and that
and that we were previously entitled by the
constitution, to the rendition of fugitive
slaves. He further said that the law was
worthless, inasmuch rs it cost the owner of
the fugitive slave more to recover him than
the slave was worth. At this point DR.. Byrd
rose to enquire, as we understood, if the
United States Marshall was not required to
render his services free of charge to those,
seeking to recover fugitives. The Chancel-
lor replied that he was that the law was
fair enough upon its face, but that attorneys
costs and other incidental expenses invariably
amounted to more than the value of the
slave He said he took it for granted that
all his hearers were united in opinion on the
necessity of resistance; the only difference
was as to the mode and time. He believed
that now was the time; our duty to posteri-
ty demanded it /; it had been asked by dis:
tinguishcd politician, (for whom he had great 5
respect personality what had posterity ever
done for us? He would ask what would
have been our condition if our revolutionary
fathers had reasoned in this way? They
had secured for US high degree of civil lib
erty. The man who denied such an -obliga-
tain was unworthy to be a father. He con-
tended that the only practical mode of resis-
tance was secession. He viewed the qucs-
tion in three aspects; he said it could:only
be productive of one of three results The
Government would either attempt coercion
or it would not. He thought the most favor
able result would spring from an attempt
to coerce He wanted some blood she'd
not much; one drop. Of blood would have
more solvent power than acid on a rock;
then we would have practical cooperation
in the shape of thousands Of men and millions
Of money from our sister Southern States,
which would inevitably result in Southern
States, which would inevitably result in a
Southern Confederacy. He mentioned that
lie had seen private letters from distinguish
ed leaders in other States, which gave tho
strongest assurance that such would be the
case. He then proceeded to discuss the
question of the ability of South Carolina to
support a separate nationality in case the
government did not attempt coercion, which
was the second result that might spring from
secession. He thought South Carolina might
exist as a separate Government. 1t had been
urged elsewhere. That expenses ofa separ-
ate Government would amount 10 the enor-
nous sum Of nine millions annually. This
calculation had proceeded upon the SUPPOSE
ton that we must have Government on as
splendid a scale as that of the United States,
forgetting.
"How wide the limits stand
Between splendid and happy land"
1t had been said, we must have president,
with salary of $4,000 a year-that we
must build Presidents House, and raise
navy. In answer to this he said, we need
not give our President more than our Cover
nor now receiycs-and that he could occupy
his own house, rs our Governor now does
that rs to n navy we would need none
the United States had none at first. That
We were emphatically an agricultural people
we could make our cotton and rice and
deliver them 10 our British and French Gus
toners who would be amply able to defend
them from Yankee depredations, on the high
seas, we would not be required to convey
our produce across the ocean to them; at
this point the Chancellor was again Interrupt
ted by DR.. Byrd, who said something about
denouncing Great Britain and. something
about an alliance with Great Britain, which
we did not exactly understand.
The Chancellor remarked that he was
GLAD of the interruption, rs he wished to say
something on that point. He would rather
die than see South Carolina in state of
vassalage to Great Britain, but much as he
was opposed to that, he hated Yankeedom
a thousand times more than Great Britain;
yea ten thousand times more. This senti-
ment was responded to by deafening ap-
pause. At this point DR.. Byrd again rose,
and in an excited tone, and with violent ges.
lures, made some remarks which we could
not understand we'll enough to attempt to
report them-he ended by saying that he
would leave the Court House, and retire to
the streets. Great confusion prevailed for q
few moments-cries OF order and silence
from the Chair, and all parts of the Court
-. ,,.o.o bo,rd ,.ll, for 4bo o,+; ,o...1