Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-08-28
Qolitical,
From the State. Rights Republican.
Tho Past, tho Present, and the Euturo.

! Upwards of thirty years have elapsed sine
the passage of that unconstitutional act, III
Missouri Compromise. 1t was supposed, b,
many, that the fierce struggle, between th'
:, North and the South, which grew out of tht
debates on the question, would have dis
solved the Union. We cannot think, now
that it was not the case. It was the begin
ming Of the end-the beginning of IN unin
" tcrruptcd onslaught on the institution o.
slavery, having for its object the destruction
and overthrow of The constitutional rights oil
the citizens Of the South. That the Union
framed by our fathers. for the mutual bcnefi
of all the States, could long survive the re.
pcated and violent shocks to which il has
been exposed. from that time to this, arising
from the arrogance, the avaricc, and tho fl.
naticism of the North. was not to be expee.
ted, and, with such elements of discord per.
vading the whole framework of American
society, the dissolution of the Union, sooner
or later, has long been anticipated by saga.
cious men, both at the North and South. II
was impossible that the Union should he
perpetual, or that it should last long, when
wrong doing, injustice, and total disregard
of the spirit of compromise in which the
Constitution was formed, and of the obiga-
,ions il imposed, had gradually destroyed all
harmony between its members, ard, for good
will and brotherhood, had substituted feel
ngs of hatred, anger, and resentment.
No one, exempt from passion and pre-
judice, can contemplate the history Of con-
gressional legislation in this country, for
upwards of a quarter of century, without
perceiving, that, not only has section been
arrayed against section in deadly strife, but
that, from the moment of the passage of the
Missouri Compromise act alluded to, when
the North obtained the victory and acquired
the asccndcncy. the history Of that legisla-
ton has been the history of series ofper-
kpetualusurpations Of fundelegated power, and
of aggrcssions By 4 graspingg, voracioYs and
unmercifnl Northern majority on the constf-
tutional rights of the South. OF these, the
United States bank, extensive schemes of
internal improvement, nigh tariffs for the pro-
lection of northern manufactures at the cx-
pense of Southern agriculture, the reception
Of abolition petitions, and the gigantic
schemes of fraud, included in tie ini1nitous
compromise acts of 1850, are notorious eX'
amplcs. To torment ard persecutc the South
with herculcan cyacions, to insult her for hcl
social institutions, willie she was, in largo
proportion, rcaping the fruits of our South.
ern industry, to take every advantage of Tic
generosity of 4 liberal and conffding people
and to cxult in every advantage she secured
rs if she had obtained victory over hated
foe, has been the history, in brief. OF Northern
policy. What bcncit-what glory, have nc,
crucd to The Southern States, from unior
which has conferred on the North the lion:
share of the spois, and has bestowed mis-
cradle pittancc on the South, which In:
served only to irri.ate her by its scantincs:
and injustice? And as to glory, we have
vet to learn that any government can become
respectable, much less glorious, by The as
sumpt ion of unauthorized power, tyranical
ly exercised.
) 1t would have been far better, in our hum
! BILE Judgment, had the Union been dissolve'
in 1920, when the first bold attempt was sue
ccssrully made by the North TO destroy tn
constitutional rights of the South, and t.
cripple her power in all time to come. Com
promises! Compromises of Constitutions
rights! Did the Constitution ever contcm
plate any such thing? Were not the pow
ers of tie Federal Government strictly lin
tied by the Constitution? Could it, in it!
legislation, rightfully transcend the limits o
the fundamental law? What has been tht
consequence of this original concession or
the part of the South to the North. of thci
sacred constitutional rights-or, rather, wha
has been the consequence of her submitting
to have her rights wrcsted from her, whi!c
she still remained in the Union! Why, TIT
history of the United States Government
from that time to this, has been the historl
ola series Of compromises, which have beer
only 50 many fatal assaults upon the funda
mental principles of the Constitution. unit
the very idea Ola Constitutional Government
in this country has become farce and mock
cry. The South has gradually surrendered
or, been compelled TO surrender up orc rlgh
after another to an aggressive, triumpl,an
Northern majority. until she has no right:
actually left to hcr, or none which she cal
enforce against the will of that majority, ant
she is still hampcrcd by the chains of th!
famed Union, (whose greatest glory is it
braggadocia spiriD against which she strue
giles, and can not extricatc herself.
But the worst consequence of this spri
of everlasting concession to the demands
the North. remains to be told. 1t has bro
/, ken down the spirit of the Southern States
State pride and State energy are gone