Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-06-05
THE PROGRESS OF CONSOLIDATION.

solidation are, at this very time, mahiiS e'e"o!
progress, in almost every quarter OF this unioh'-
They are spreading, in some sections win a I'd
pdty truly alarming In the Northern eea'es,
thew are already embraced and publicly avoweu
bv monument men of all parties. With few e1-
cepiions the Press, throughout those states' nus
adopted rs its motto, ssTHE UNION CANNOT Aap
SHALL NOT BE DISSOLVED" The present Admin
istration has declared this to be the main artice
of its creed. The doctrine has been boldly pro-
mulrated, "BY AUTHORITY" Such IS the siml-
larity of sentiment and feeling upon this point'
North of Mason and DIxoN's line, that II is I'M
possible to gainsay the assertion, that 1t IS now Inc
settled policy of an immense comDlnaaoh oi I'LL
par,ies, in that great Division of the Union, to
make these principles the acknowledged ana uni
versally admitted principles OF the coniederation.
The result of success, on the part OF this comol'
nation. will be the instantaneous destruction OF
the Federal Government, as it came to us from our
fathers with carefully limited powers, and the
substitution of Central Despotism, whose fat'
shall be the infallible and sovereign Law of the
land. The friends of Consolidated System have
been earnestly at work, for many years, TO pro-
duce this result; but, until a recent period, their
sagacity has taught them to work secretly, and to
make their advances insidiously. They have IN
deed schemed with the "wisdom Of the SERPENT
for the &C complishment Of their cherished designs,
and many have been duped into the belief, that
their hearts were all the time filled with "the HARM
lessness of the dove'' While accustoming the
n,,h1 htr Hna n
proaches, to practical Consolidation, they have
auoided the name, from the fear Of producing
shock that might be fatal to them, by premature
announcement of their ultimate object But the
time, il, seems, is nop arrived, when the veil can
be fully raised and their real intentions exposed TO
the public gaze, without peril 10 their cause A
majority of the American people, they now bclieut'
will sacntion and sustain :hem in openly proclaim.
ing the supremacy of the National Government; !;
and believing thus, they dare to denounce State,
which has seniied her intention of dissolving her
connexion with the Union on the score of grievous
wrong and insult as gully Of treason and rebel
lion. Turn it as we will, the long existing contro-
versy between the Northern and Southern sections,
is narrowed down to a direct conflict between Con-
solidation on the one side, and States Rights on
the other This is the great political battle we
have now to fight. South Carolina stands forth,
the advocate and exponent of States Rghts-the
Administration at Washington, the advocate and
exponent of Consolidation. We earnestly ask all
our felow-ciizens ercept those ,pho belong to the
enemy, to consider the question in this light and
to determine their course accordingly. In making
an exception here of "those who belong to The
enemy, - we mean only those individuals among
us, whose feelings and sympathies.a are with oui
Northern opponents ts-who are not, g flesh of our
Flesh, and bone of our bone, ,,swho prefer. ths
70 double their fortunes, and hoard piles OF
riches-whose hearts, have never felt the genial
influence of our Southern temperature whose
thoughts still turn with devotion to that frigid
country of the North, where hatred of our South
ern institutions and enmity to States Rights have
each assumed shape and name, and are stalk
ing abroad at monday. To such men, we scon
to make single appeal We cannot subject our
selves to such humiliation. Wherever these indi-
viduals have become truly Sou'hernised, we cheer
fully, aye, joyously extend to them the right hand
Of fellowship but when we have good reason to
believe them "present in the body, but absent in
the SPIRIT 1--WE mean no profanity by thus using
sacred expression)-when we hear them whining
over the gores of the Union, and insinuating that
the noble spirit of resistance now abroad at the
South is the spirit of folly and madness, we turn
from them with inexpressible loathing and disgust.
No, it is not 10 such men we desire to appeal at
this trying juncture. But We do appeal with heart
felt anxiety, to our oWn people-to those who feel
with the South-to those who acknowledge no
allegiance paramount to that which they o,De to the
State under uhose protection they liue. Towards
such persons, We can entertain no feeling Of hos
tiltv or unkindness five, at times, address them
with excessive warmth, we beg that it may be
attributed to our zeal in the cause of States Rights
and Southern Equality. These men are our bre-
thren, and we fondly cherish them as such. And
TO these, we again say, arise, for the hour of
trial is at hand ~ The principles, upon which
our civil liberties depend, are at stake Ifyou ask
again, sswhere is the danger!" we answer, it is
from this spirit Of CONSOLIDATION, which now
threatens to sweep away, as with besom of de-
struction the only safeguards Of our Freedom, the
Sovereignty and independence Of the States. 1t
has already reared its impiols head, and bids you
defiance. The South has made admission after
admission, concession after concession, until this
monster has come to look upon the spirit of our
people with contempt. Urged on by the shouts
of the vast mixed nbblcs Of the North, and en-.
couraged by the delinquency Of few Southern
deserters, 1T DESIGNS TO PLAcE IT'S FOOT UroN
YOUR NEcKs. Suffer this to be consummated and
the day of our political redemption will have
passed away forever. Better for us then, that we
had never realized the blessings of Freedom. Bet.
ter for us, that we had never thro" off the Brit
ish yoke. AS British subjects, the payment of
moderate imposts would have secured to us at
least the enjoyment Of our homes, our families and
all the social pleasures which spring therefrom.
AS subjects Of Northern Rapacity and Fanaticism,
our ALL would be lost. Our homes would become
US bowling wilderness-our land would be in
undated by myriads Of unprinciped adventures
and plundercrs-our wives and our children would
be exposed to the awful violence of triumphant
demons--even our property might be confscated
to crafty the Unsuitable lust Of power and wealth.
And those Of us, who wonld not wear the chains
of the oppressor, would be driven forth from our
homes, penniless wanderers upon the earth, stran-
gers in strange land, "with none so poor to do
Ils reyereuce - When the anciept Ieyra ,yero led