Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-07-03
FOR THE ADVERTISER
SHOULD SOUTH CAROLINA STRIKE FOR HER
IVDCpENDCNrCs

INDEPENDENCE?
WE have hitherto written to show. that once
established into an Independent Republic, South
carolina would be much more prosperous than
OF present, while those i'll consequences, so much
dreaded by many, are never likely to occur. OF
tic probable cost, of the exPediency, and of the
pract'eablllty of achieving our Independence we
have yet said little. We propose now briefly 70
touch on these points. 1t would be an useless ot-
tempt to count the cost of the struro,e IN ,h;.h
we may be engaged in breaking off from tbe.
Union. That struggle may never take place.
Besides, the uncertainty of its charactcr-of it's
duration-ofts results, forbds such an estimate
But who would stop to cast up such an accounts
VIII people, actuated by high and generous
purpose, pause to calculate the costs when called
on to vindicate their dearest rights and liberties
Such an enterprize is above all money value.
What is property without liberty ? without the
ability to protect t7 The gains of the industri-
Gus would only be spoils TO the tyrant A brave
people, bent on preserving their liberties, would
yield rot third or half, but all Of their worldly
goods sooner thon submit to be slaves. Who
has failed to admire the noble generosity of our
brave fathers, who freely pledged "their lives,
their fortunes, and their sacred honor" to gain
the liberty We are about to surrender2 To
achieve liberty foc their descendants, they not
only pledged, but freely expended their treasure
and shed their blood. The people that are not
ready and willing to do this. do not deserve liber
ty, and will not long enjoy it.. Satisfied, then.
with the justice of our cause, and the happy con-
sequences Of its Success, how can VIC, aa brave
and Eigh-ninded people, pause to calculate the
costs Of the blow we may have to strikc2 We
may rest assured that the means Of resistance
will rise to meet our wants, as they have in the
ease Of all other nations, great and small, that
have struggled for liberty. So long as we prove
ourselves worthy of confidence, our credit will
command in any market of the civilized world,
ample supplies of money and munitions Of war. /;
And all nations, going to war. are compelled to
contract loans TO meet the demands on their trca-
sury.
The question for us to consider, then, is this j:
are our wrongs of that oppressive and degrading
nature, as to submit to which would stain our
character, and destroy our liberty and indepen:
dence? If they are SO deemed byaus. then
whatever all others may say or do we should re-
sist them at all hazards, cost aoAat it may. To
the people of South Carolina it is certainly need,
less to discuss the various wrongs and grievances
we have suffered from the General Government !.
A bare recaptulaton of them will serve our pur-
pose. They are familiar to the minds Of all.
Their enormity is known and felt by almost every
one.
I. First. then, since the formation Of this govern
ment, and especially within the last twenty-five
years, the people of the South, have been oner-
ously and unjustly taxed by. the people Of the
North. From the year 1890 to l840the South
has paid seuen-nintas of all the duties. under the
Government, and has received back onlyfro.
ninths j. E. she paid 81 200 600 while not
more thsn ggus, ,ogd. 900 have Been q sps6s {
borders: the other 200 having been eI-
pended at tho North. The North has paid
meantime only s215,s5O,os7. So that the tax
paid by the South per head within the period
specified, has averaged $50 Al per 10 years,
while that Of the North has been only So 09. In
late years the disproporticn has been much
greater. From 1S4l to ls45 the tax paid by
the South per head was $40 46: the North
81 99:* making for the South per head nearly
ten times more than for the North - isss',
This has been in the way of duties alone. But
consider the increased price of Northern pro-
tccted articles, the dinlnution in price of South
ern produce, and the increased price Of frcights,
due to the Tariff and navigation laws, and the
South has paid to the Government and to the.
North from 1870 to 1910, over 81 ,2O0,0O0,000.
The one-tenth of this would make for South
Ca, in the same period, Sl20,000,000. Butt il
has been estimated upon data furnished by the
Congressional Documents that the South in
various ways now contributes annually to North
ern wealth not less than s50,000,O00.t Allow
ing one-tenth for South Carolina, her annual con-
trbution to the North is about s5OO0,O00: be-,
ing upwards Of SIT for every white soul, man,
woman and child, among us, while our State tax
is little over one dollar to the white inhabitant. .
What people, claiming to be free, ever en-
durcd taxation so unequal, unjust and enormous!
Nor is this ALL
H. In the acquisition Of California and the new.
Territories, the South contributed about tt,o-
thirds of the soldiers, and will have to pay at
least too-thirds Of all the heavy expenses incur
red. Yet of the whole of these Territories, worth
millions upon millions of dollars to the Southern
STAKEHOLDER, the South has been outrageously
plundcred, in contempt not only of all constitu-
tional guarantees, but in the most offensive and
insulting manner, by allowing q heterogeneous
mass of squatters and goid-dggers to deprive us
of all rights to these Territories, and by car
rying out the ncfairous measure Of slavery pro-
h;bition under the bittercst denunciations against
onr people and our institutions. .s
III. Again: BY nterposing every obstacle to
the arrest of our fugitive slaves, and by shame
lcssly arrassing and insulting our citizens while
in pursuit of their property, the North not only
deprives the South of thousands Of dolarass an
nually, but heaps upon her wrongs and indigni-
ties too aagrant for high-minded people; to