Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-05-15
FOR THE ADVERTISER.

|
INDEPENDENCE" which, from the very bolt
positions and unqualified assertions of thci
author, might exercise some bad influence il
the District, if suffered to pass uncorrected.-
| feel 4 consciousness. that am now invest
inc item, with more importance than their in:
trinsc merit would warrant. But that tiicil
errors may be held up to others, in the same
light in which view them, and that the ad,
vocates of temporizing policy may receive
an answer for their most trivial excuses and
arguments for delay, am constrained to tres.
pass upon your readers, to The length of one
or two short communications.
The pieces in question appear not TO be
especially recommended either by originality
or method. The arguments contained in them.
have been reiterated for thclast twelve mon: hs
not only by public speakers, but by most Of
the anti-secession papers. both in and out of
the State The Southern Patriot would GER
tainly furnish Il most appropriate text book
for the writer. | hope it may not disturb the
compIacency of the gentleman, to be inform
cd that some Of his lost striking conceptions
are sanctioned by so venerable an authority
us the most dingushcd opponents of The
In meeting the points made in The articles
of Independence" it would be better TO
pursue Ills own order, il il could be fairly de-
lertcd. But frcm The inherent difficulty of
such IN undertaking. the simplest plan for
me 10 pursue, will lie tr state, us we'll us
can, tic opiGions of The writer. and notice
them as they occur 10 my mind.
In his first piece then, he complains at the
call of the Convention, and The prrcipiancy
Of the Legislature. advises the State to de-
lay her action unit accumulated wrongs drive
her 10 despair. in order that she may obtain
the cooperation ofuthcr Sou'rn Sta cs, vii h
will Certainly be effected by their returning
sense Of honor, and by the tanaiiri>m of The
North that will ''stnr not short of Heaven or
Hell:" by which cooperation, all our rig glts
are TO be vindicaed without peril or blood.-
In the meantime. he rrioiceS at the very large
appropriations made III tie last session of the
Legislature, and witha full knowledge of the
manner in which they lave been responded
TO by the people Of the District, he yet re-
commends, that they be increased in the fu-
rure. for the purpose, suppose, of making
one grand show in South Carolina, and Of
equipping our young men for the very hand
some and impressive entertainment OF 4 mag
uiireni dress parade.
| differ rs to the propricty of the call of the
Convention, and can justify the difference by
statements made by independence him
self. II, us he so warmly asserts, we had re-
ccivcd injuries worse Than those which reused
the Colonies 10 resistance. and could discover
before us. only the dismal prospect of con
tinued aggression. Il crisis had arrived. when
the Legislature even uminsiruc!rd, WAS bound
us an honorable body Of men. to take some
positive action for the relief of the people
1t saw and felt that great grievance had
been inflicted, ard it only paid the Highest
Difference TO The Judgment of the people, in
calling Il Convention 10 enable them 10 point
out the course proper for the State TO pursue.
and to apply the remedy most suitable for
tie wrongs they themselves had TO suffer-
The Legislature was not deciding the grave
question for the people, but the people for
themselves. Neither did that body disregard
the implied wishes Of their constituents, or
transcend the limits of any instructions they
had received. Its action last winter, so far
from taking the State by surprise, was antici-
pi.Cu Wy aiuiOSt CN CI0 ClllLCHSpuNClS.till VIII
our affairs. 1t was looked to, with such Ger
tainty, that all the old leaders of the State
had congregatcd in Columbia, to hold the
reins upon the daSling spirits of The House
of Representatives 1t was also universally
agreed, that our District never had 50 many
public meetings, barbecucs, and pie mics, as
during the last year; and il is indisputably
true, that the Candidates never omitted TO
speak their sentiments freely out, when ad-
dressing the largest assemblies we have ever
witnessed, not only in regard 10 the Bank,
but also in regard to our relations to the
General Government. In some places. they
requested the speakers to continc themselves
exclusively to Federal politics. If any thing
gave that gentleman, particularly alluded TO
by independence" any advantage over his
brother candidates, il WAS the unmcasurrd, en-
tlusiastic and uncompromiSing war speeches
he made ut his general reviews. Until then,
our people become really rs ignorant, as
g. independence" deems them Ia be. when he
charges porion Of them with the belief that
our State Convention has actually met anh
adjourned, ! shall maintain that they were
able 10 form Il pretty fair conception Of The
action their delegates would take in the Lc-
gislaturc.
That the Federal Government will continue
its cnrroachmcnts upon the rights, feelings.
and independence OF The people Of the slave
holding States, an willing to admit. and
here, Mr. Editor, do not fake issue with
your respondent But. thlt these states.
will become lighted up by such flame of in
dignalion, rs will burn and blaze from the
Chesapeake to the Rio Grandc, we have just
reason to doubt, if we judge the future by
the past From the tamcncss and indifference
lately exhibited 10y great majoriiies in the
South West, 4 reasonable man would much
sooner expect TO see the flames of their burn
ing houses cnkindlcd by the fires of the in
ccndiary and the slave, than any flames Of
their patriotism. Tell me of the burning re-
sentiment of people who have already be-
come rcconcled to the monstrous expressions
aud indlgnilies which have been hcaped upon
them, within the last six months, until they
have become almost covered with intamy. II
is vain and groundlcss expectation. unless
they be aroused from their apathy by the bold
action of some determined State.
Your Correspondent himself, has furnished
the best answer 10 his own argument. In
the same breath with which he tells you, that
i, is Indispensable to suspend our action. un-
i'll the suppressed wrath of those Southern
S atcs sh II find vent, and like Stromboli,
and VcSu,ius. and Elna shall spout out their
calar cts Of fire to consume the enemies OF
liberty, he informs YOU that we have suffered