Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-07-24
mission !" might be said to transpirc and deter

lVOWc0 SCCGSSlonStS, lEu WHO tccoilllLe'Eu Stpd-
rate State Action whenever the hope Of co-opc-
ration is extinct. We may offer as widely as to
this point of time, Us we do in reference to tho
policy of separate action by Soath Carolina, aud
yet should vote for the end Resolution under
all the circumstances, would seemingly yield
the right of determining ,rhen the cooperation
Of other States ceased to re practicable, and this
would be, to become separate State scccssionist.
Now hold that no man can undertake to say
when the hope Of cooperation is. exhausted or
what day may bring forth. Nor would re-
hnouish the hope of cfecting cooperation even
if Conn should be successful in Georgia, SHIELDS
in Alabama and Foors in Mississippi. Other is
in all tho States could feel and understand dis
tinctly, that not even party trimming or federal
patronage could withstand. For instance, should
the constitutional convention Of South Carolina
insist upon an amendment Of the Constitution OF
the United States, providing, that no future leg
islation on the subject Of slavery either in the
States or the District of Columbia should be tol-
Grated; or providing that all territory in future
acquired by the United States should he put un-
der territorial government without restriction
upon the subject of slavery and leaving it to the
option of the people of such territories when
they shall have become States to elect for them
selves. The Congress would most certainly re-
fuse and the future purposes of the majority be
at once revealed. Is it believed that any South
ern politician would dare to justify or excuse such
a refusal on the part Of Congress or that,he peo-
pie Of the Southern States would not then see
that their only-thcir final hope WAS in united
Southern action! This plan is further recon-
mendcd by the fact that we of the South thus
become the actors AID thus force the people of
the North to proceed in their measures, which
Virginia and Georgia stand pledged 70 resist.
All dclusions of arcturning sense Of justice or
that fanaticism is satated, would soon be dispcll.
cd, and the ireemen of the South would read as
they ran, that safety hope and honor lay in South
ern Confcdcracy "wide enough and strong
enough to give US peace at home and power
abroad"
cannot perceive that the condition Of South
Carolina can be in any wise bettered by her SIN
gle. action than it is at present. Because we have
the right to seccdc, it does not follow that it is
wise or beneficial 70 use it. If We are constrain-
cd to exercise every right We possess, to its full
lest oxtcnt, there are many that wo would be
better to be without. tits the privilege of choice
whether or not to use right which gives its
value. You have the right to tal;e medicine
but docs that COMPEL son to take it2 1t is in this
light that | look upon separate secession-thc
remedy in its results, may be worse than the dis
easc l regard the threatened contest between
South Carolina and the Federal Government as
destined TO be as decisive in its consequences as
was the battle of Wartcrloo to the fite of NAro-
LEON. IfSouth Carolina is no: positively, whole
ly and thoroughly triumphant she viii have fail
ed.-There can be no future compromise which
will not rebound to our injury. When the issue
is made, VIC must triumph or we shall Of our
iseipes have, dealt the most gricvous wound upon
State, sovereignty and State Rights and chatfed
the sore Of federal tyrany.
It behores us then, as men responsible to the
country and to postcrity (and by postcrity,
mean such of our descendants only, as we are
likely to see and know and who are also to seeand
know us) to survey the whole ground-to trace
the plan of secession by this State throughout its
entire course, measure our strength for the un-
dertasing and to be fully convinced that our ac-
ton will result in good and permanent improve
nent OF our present condition. We should dvcst
ourselves of all excitement and the promptings of
impulse and reason with that sobricty and calcu.
lation by which all prudent men al c acuatcd even
IN the management of their pirate affairs. Our
Saviour himself, inculcatcs this weighing Of con
sequences; when he asks "which of YOU intend
hiding to build a tower sittcth not down first and
counteth the cost whether he have sufficient to
finish it,,
When the qu,stion of separate secession was
first agitated in this State, understood the plan
20 be advocated as 4 remedy good of :tself, aud
therefore worthy to be Immediately applied. Nor
was alone in the impression received. Now the
argument seems to be- that separate secession is
to be employed as means Of procuring the CO.
operation of other Southern States. BY the strict
est rules Of logic the question of separate secession
should be argued without reference to any CO.
operation which may be supcrinduccd by it
should be confined to the intrinsic merits of tic
plan by itself, exclusive Of any assistance out o.
the State. Every argument in favor Of cooper
alton OF by which it may be effected, properly
belongs to us, who are co-operationists.
Wew now examine separate State secession
in contemplation Of some kind Of opposition and
ccmpulsion BY the General Government, by which
it is TO become means of supcrinducng the CO.
operation of other States. South Carolina then
on given day retres from the confederacy.
The administration, denying tho right of scces-
and feeling bound by oath to sec that the laws of
the United States arc executed in all the States,
will take such steps as may be deemed best, to
enforce those pertaining to the revenue, which
the seeding State will first violate. Thoroughly
approaching the strong sympathy which Pcrvadcs
the plantation States and desiring to restrict the
contest to South Carolina, it will avoid anv overt