Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-05-22

The above States not only achieved, but have
maintained their independence. How do the
numberless little Principafities, Duchics and King
doms in Germany, many Of them not as large as
Edge6eld District, preserve their sovereignty
and independence among the despotic family Of
European nations There are the free cities O.
HAMBURG, BREMEN, LUBEo and FRANKfonT, only
third rate towns, that have existed as Independent
sovereignties for centuries. True, they belong
at present, to the Germanic confederation; bu,
this is mere league Of defence against external
powers, not interfering with the sovereignty and
freedom of these cities. Yes! these Republics
not one of them having an area over $50 square
miles, nor population above 200,0 900, have long
upheld, and do now maintain their individual
sovereigntics, enjoying the glorious sweets Of
liberty, in the neighborhood of large and power
full espotsms-under the very eyes Of tyrants,
who have their standing armies of 100000 and
300,0 900 men, and who frown upon every SEM
blance of political freedom. Once members of q
Confederacy, styled the Hanseatic League"
which comprized some IS States or Cities, and
which, by its wealth and arms, ruled nearly the
whole of Northern Europe, these little States
have had the nerve to achieve their independence,
and to maintain it under all the frowns and threats
of despotism
Yet the people Of Carolina, with quadruple
their wealth. and military force, and more than
centuple their territory are actually hcsitating,
whether or not they shall give up their sovereign
ty, and become the mere tributary allies of q
Northern consolidated despotism. o, TempOra!
o, Mores!
But in estimating the elements Of success for O
separate State Government, it is not proper to
consider only our physical resources. The true
strength of nation rests as much, perhaps, on
the operation of moral causes, as on the organi-
zation of physical power. The Government,
which, by its reckless administration and lawless
expressions, has sown the seeds of discomfort and
faction, need not expect to exert the full measure
ofits strength or greatness. For this to be done,
SSPSSoiiy hCC VIC SuCI SlcS VI
the people must be awakened Among great
and free people, before the national mind can be
urged to exert its full power and will, plausible
pretext must offer itself-a prospect of gain, or,
at least, of some seeming good. Factions among
us may combine for the accumulation of wealth
and power, but they will rarely unite to consume
wealth by extravagant wars, unless driven to
them in self-defence. The Federal Government,
by arousing disaffections in the minds Of the peo-
ple on the great sectional matters at issue before
the country, has deranged its springs Of power,
so as necessarily to cripple its energies, if not en-
tirely to paralize them, in any struggle it may
wage relative to these sectional issues. And
while its power thus becomes weakened, COM
mon interest and safety must inevitably urge us,
sooner or later, to that union Of feeling and sent
ment, that concert of will and action, which the
desire for selpreservation never fails to inspire,
and which are the chief sources of national
strength.
Il,or ,,-o--I f-.. 4,