Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-11-20

see that they arc in false position, and this
light will increase upon them with the OPEN
ing of coming events. Unlike Pyrrhus:
! they do not need another such victory to de-
stroy them These honest and brave men,
who, ia Tie c.rccsS Of prudence, have taken
this false step, will, in twelve short months:
''Scrk Il place of repentance with tears"
: But with these good men and true, acting
under 4 common banner, is no small portion
! of ignorance, sclIisIne<s, and cowardicc
which. indeed, is only saving that they arc IL
prumScuons Elass of men.
This being the number and the quality of
the majority party, how shall we bear our
selves towards them? "Though cast down,
we must not despair" On the second Mon
day of this month there were seventeen
thousand brave lncn. who, at the ballot box,
! pledged "their ii;cs, their fortunes, and
their sacred honors" TO die in defence Of the
! liberty of Carolina With this nucleus of
freedom still breathing, | say We must not
despair.
| But, where then are our efforts to be di.
rerlcd' Would it be proper for the State
! Convention to pass an ordinance of Sccrs-
sion, We being the minority? | am clear in
! the opinion that ii would not only be un-
wi:c, but it would le a political immortality.
! And rainlnl us it would be, | should be
forced TO raise my voice against such mcl-
sure. But have no belief that such Il step
will now be taken. The majority have
spokcn through tho balot-box The n,ajori-
IN mwst gorcrn If that seven thousand ma
! ioriiv had been on our side, we should have
I a., ,,,l,
our action, and should have had the right to
do so. Let us, with that stern justice which
belongs to brave men. clccrfully concede to
our adversary that which is his.
1t follows, then, that we cannot with safety
cor praprietv, during the sitting of that Con-
vcntion, dissolve our cknncclion with the
Fedora, Government. What then can we
do! We may continue TO agitatc this qucs-
ton. and continue to expose the weakness of
the position of the majority This we have
the right 10 do But will it be wise and
prudent TO do so? This be assured, gentle
man. i, inst the course which the Co-oprra-
! finn lradcis desire we should adopt. Such
folly, nn our part, is all that can save them
Party lines are now drawn. men have COM
mittcd themselves ut the ballot box: they
have the majority; i large portion Of that
minority are still sound men and true; they
have. under Il panic, committed themselves,
and if YOU will suffer them to grow cool, TO
recover from this panic, they will, before it is
too lalc, come TO see the hopeless and de-
rridcd condition in which they have placed
their State, and will, in the bitter end, be
found with us, shoulder to shoulder. They
cannot run with the horscmcn," but they
will stand firm at least with the "footmcn."
If, however, we adopt Il different policy
if party lines are maintained and party strife
continued, the people will fall into the hands
of corrupt leaders, and, in very short time,
the majority will sink into absolute Subm's-
sion and Federalism The voice of the hon
cs. Resistance men of that party will then
be disregardcl, and the devotccs of Fedora!
power will brtray the State into the arms OF
the central despotism
lam firmly persuaded then, that our true
policy is at once to abandon all party organt-
cation, and throw the entire responsibility ct
protecting the honor and interest of tic
! State upon those gentlemen who have per-