Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-09-04

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rcassumc each Southern State for itself, its orgl-
nal sovereignty with view to such Southern
alliance or confederation as may include only
similar and homogeneous interests and feelings,
but rs may be necessary to give assurance ana
confidence, not only in the Permanancy OF our
institutions, but in the preservation Of liberty it
self amongst us. And that the existing causes
for such dissolution, now past and remedllcss in
the Union, furnish not only ample justification,
but impcriously demand of hs course oil pro-
cccding that shall surely, effccthally, and at no
great lapse of time, secure consummatlon Of
that end.
The Action party also believe that this purpose
can be most conveniently and safely effected by
the secession Of two or more Of tho Southern
States at or near the same time, by previous
understood arrangement as to such simultaneous
action or cooperation; but if such cooperation
cannot be had within reasonable time, then it
is the firm faith and creed of this party, and they
so announce it, that rather than submit to past
aggrcssions, and occupy our present political po-
siton in the Union, South Carolina should sccedc
alone, and rely for her protection and support
upon her own sovereignty and the sympathy Of
her sister Southern States, for whose interests,
as well rs her own, she will then be destined to
bear the standard of Southern liberty.
The Cooperation party admit the grievances
of which We complain to their full extent, the
necessity which urges that we should come out
from under the dominion of the Northern and
Frcc-soil people Of this Union, who now have
tic control of the Federal Government in their
own hands; and the expedicncy aud safety of
procuring the corporation of other Southern
States, if it can be obtained; but if it cannot be
had, then they as party have not made any au-
,horitative public declaration of what they would
or will do in that event, and they seem to stop
short at founding and building all their hopes of
security for the future upon Cooperation to be
secured before Separate State Action by Seces-
sion can be had
It will, therefore, be perceived that the two
parties agree and harmonze in their measures to
the full attainment and consummation of the end
proposed provided we obtain the cooperation
which both desire, but in the event VIC should
E,il in that, then the Action party say that South
Carolina should scecdc alone; while the Co.
operation party on the other hand have not an
nounccd what course they would advise the
State to pursue.
The precise difference or disagreement be-
tween the two parties may be said TO consist in
this that the Action party declare now what
they propose the State should do in the given
event of falling to obtain corporation; and the
Co-opcrationists except to that declaration being
now made, on the ground that they dcprceatc
separate secession, under existing circumstances.
1t will not fail to be perceived, that in the event
we should be sustained by any one or more Of
the other Southern States, then this division of
parties, with the distracting consequences, likely
and threatening TO result from it, will have been
worse than useless, and all the zeal and efforts
made to sustain their respective views, will be
labor lost on both sides, in the discussion at home
of hypothetical question that cannot then arise,
and which docs not seem to possess that positive
certainty which should now cmbittcr one portion
of the community against another.
Candor, however. requires us further to state
that the Action party has been rcproachcd, by
members of the other party, with not desiring
earnestly and heartily the cooperation Of other
States; with being impatient Of the necessary
lapse Of time for the maturing Of the steps cssef-
,iat to the great end we have in vic", and with
being prccipitate and reckless in our counscls,
without having due regard to the consequences
that will likely flow from separate secession in
tho event and at the time contemplated. IT
would therefore not be improper at this juncturc
Of the questions at issue, to rcstatc more in de-
tail what &c have done, what we propose TO do,
and the time, as near as the present may look
into the future, within which We propssc to ac-
complish the final act.
The Committee therefore suggest that the AS
sociation take measures to rc-satc their views
and purposes, and to this end they recommend
the following
EXPOSITION
The Members of the Edgcfcld Southern K.
Association have convened to-day, for the pur-
pose of using every effort in tcir pJwcr, to avoid
division in the District Oh the political questions
which now agitatc the State. In their opinion,
the success of the Great Southern Cause de-
ponds upon the Union Of the people of South
Carolina; and to effect that Union, the Mem
bcrs Of this Association on behalf of themselves,
and, they believe they may safely add. their
brethren of the Action party in the State, are
willing to do every thing in the way of conca-
ton, short Of the sacrifice of their principles.
They confdc in the frmncss, intelligence and
patriotism of their fellow citizens who have indi-
Gated the design of organizing themselves into
Cooperation party They have no reason to
conclude that any considerable portion Of the
people Of South Carolina are not willing to unite
in all proper measures for supporting the honor
and securing the safety Of the State, and they
are firmly persuaded that the threatened division
of our people, into opposing partics is the result
Of radical misconceptions of the true purposes Of