Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-07-24

In view of the excitement in this State, hold the
action of Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and
Louisiana. aud the inast:on of the remaining
Southern States as c!carest evidence that ecton
by South Carolina for the past, is condeinncd by
mos: of the Southern States, ana that VIC canno'
RELY upon the sympathy ofthe o;hers--Such SYM
puthy as will induce them to take up arms IN our
1os,co We must remember that the very
laws whicl. are SO offensive to us, never would
have been laws but for Southern votes. But VIC
are to compclltIe shedding ofbood with the hope
of exciting this Southern sympathy, and will at
tack the blockadng fleet. believe its officers
will avoid us until furbcarance ceases to be vir-
tue-until they shall have put us so far in the
,vrono. that then to shed blood, will be in self
defence and justified even By the States OF tho
South. Nor do believe that you will find men
who will hopccssly immediate Themselves and de-
libcrately and voluntarily court martry1om. We
have Thousands who would joyfully join forlorn
hope, and cheerfully risk the chances, for Mill
tary glory, but to make certain sacrifice and
deliberately to provoke death is quite different
matter.
There isa pride of opinion with States as well
as with individuals and the appearance Of dicta-
ion is!offcnsivc to both. In confedcracy of States
the same obligations obtain between the several
communitics, having the same intcrcs's, which
compose it as between men, and rs man in az
frcting independence of his fellow, becomes a
churSh, helpless brute, 81 will one State by dis
regard of the obligations pertaining 70 general
interest and by an overwccning assumption of
superior intelligence and patriotism, inevitably
forfeit ill sympathy in its hour of need and re-
woke dcrision and contempt when its counscls
have failed.
May not the effort BY South Carolina to sur-
prize the States into cooperation irrcdccmaby
retard, prejudice and possibly ruin cause which
'slas the constitution for its base, and JErFEKeoS
for lis chief corner stone.'
Separate secession, as means Of securing CO.
operation, is an experimental acceleration Of the
work of ,imc-a work which time will surely ac-
con.plsl, and an experiment which if successful
will be glorious in lis results, but if it fails must
rnncrve the proud spirit OF the State and entail
commercial ruin and rivct upon the South another
fcttcr of consolidation hold the right ofscccs-
sion too precious and, the blessings promised by
Southern confedcracy too dear TO peril either upon
nm experiment. My opposition to the separate Sc
ccsson of this State is because of my earnest
desire for the secession of the South, and because
| fear that separate secession may defeat it.
Could believe that secession by South Carolina
would in one, two or three years certainly super
induce secession b. other Southern States in suf-
fcicnt numbers to insure security and rcspccta-
bility for the new Government, God knows
would be sccessionist and deliberately risk for
the time the endorsements Of isolation-the
distrcsscs of blockade, and the horrors Of an un-
equal war. But will this Coup de Etat ncccs-
sary be followed by secession by the States Of
the Soulh-"thercs the rub" Promises arc more
easily made than redeemed, yet not one State
has even promised South Carolina either to lead,
to accompany or to follow. Are not the proba-
btics that South Carolina if she acts shortly must
act alone And if she docs, the time will come
when she will realize in the bitterness of sorrow
"a sorrow made more bitter by rcproaching re-
Acctions-tlat great and glorious victory had
been lost by an mprudcnt delivery of battle be-
fore the whole line was formed.
Cooperation is either attanable or it is not.
If it is "worth many sacrificcs," and if it is at
tainable, prefer to have it before We move, 81
that we may move successfully and securely.
| desire before leave our government at least to
have the basis of another government, and am
willing like CuRIsTorHER GADspEN, TO wait ten
years for it.
II cooperation is not altainablc, secession by
South Carolina alone end in contemplation of any
kind Of coercion by the General Government, is
recommended, but by the smuggling argument
of Mr.. RnErr and by the hope, of voluntary
aid by individuals from other States. TO the first
there arc two objections. Smuggling is in def
ance of the moral scncc Of the world. 1t is al
offence akin 70 piracy and in violation of the
statute law of every civilized nation. Even if it
were practicable it would dcbasc and corrupt our
own people. But it is not practicable. To SNUG
gle successfully, we must have accompliccs out
of the State, and the penalty which they would
incur in their persons besides the risk Of forfeiture
Of merchandise after it has been sold, together
with the difficulty Of transporting secretly heavy
bulks would so dctract from the net proceeds Of
vour staple, that ii would not renunerate you
for your labor. This argument Of smuggling is
the only one have seen and the only one which
believe can be adluccd, in support Of separate
secession on it's o,rn bottom, in exclusion Of ulti-
mate cooperation by other States, and in view
cf any manncr Of compusion by the Federal
Government. Every other argument runs into
secession, as q means of attaining corporation
of other Southern States or relies upon protection
by England. In reply 10 this idea Of British aid
let Us but remember that Abolition took its origin
in England and that she has been jealous Of
America But where is the man who is willing
to take British protection and avow that the
American Revolution was for nought. That
many daring spirits and moro bold adventurrrs
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