Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-06-19

GEORGE MCDUFFlEJ w LILLIAN llARPER, and |
ROBERT Y. HAYNE, names tha: IRE already his /
torical, and that will live immortal in the annals
of their country. She was sustained, likewise,
by the Honorable ARMIsTEhD BURT, ANDREW
P. BUTLER, RoDERr BAhswELL, WILLIAM c.
Preston, JAMES HAMILTON, JAMES HAMMOND,
and WADDY TnoMrEoy. The most OF these gem
tleman won their rcnown, and established the
great reputation they enjoy by vlndicatlng the
reckless policy Of South Carolina in that trying
emergency. Suppose now, that some politician,
with more confidence than wisdom, should have
dared, at that crisis, to have termed the mea.
sures of these men "reckless and desperate,
and their patriotic manly conduct: madness and
insanity" Why lie would have been Kissed
and secuted from all intelligent councils. | can
see with what magnificent and unutterabie dis
dain the accomplished Member from Abbe-
villc," would have rebuked in our Legislature,
the ignorant adventurer in politics.
How then, does the present condition OF
South Carolina differ from what it was at that
period of high excitement, and Of heroic COLI
tempt of danger. The difference is altogether
in favor of those who now advise separate State
action; for our wrongs have been increased
rather than diminished by the lapse of time. To
an oppressive Tariff and an unjust system of
taxation and of general legislation, we have
flat denial by government, and by vastly pre-
dominant section Of the nights Of all Southern
men in regard to slavery.
Many great names of the State have been
quoted against our resistance movement, and
may have fearful effect in embarrassing the
present action of South Carolina. But we have
the proud consolation to know, that with per-
haps, one exception, these great men, in the glo
rious meridian Of their life, were the uncompro-
sing advocates of separate State action, under
circumstances far more appalling than those
which now encompass us. When the Tariff was
the only question at issue, and every Southern
State was opposed TO the measure OF our redress,
BURT, and BUTLER, and HAMILTON, and HAM
MoND, and PRESTON, and THoArsoS, and WARD
LAW, and BARNwELL. while in the full rigor OF
their faculties, while their generous spirits were
untamed by case, or opulenec or age, and unsc-
duced by the destinations Of Office and power,
were the very boldest champions of separate
State action-were the men who urged that
Notification was "the rightful remedy" and
proclaimed that they were prepared to maintain
| il by the arbitrament of the sword. 1t is there
fore, extremely inconsistant and untasteful, for
one of these old Nullifers, to characterize the
present conduct Of secessionist as being " des-
| perate.n - " reckless" "insane," or suicidal; :"
and especially since the same charge might ap-
ply with equal propriety-to those immortal men
of genius and courage-those bright spirits, CAL
uouN and McDuFFIE, and HARPER and HAYNE,
and TuRNDuLL, who in mercy perhaps, have
been translated to another sphere that they might
not witness the degradation Of the State they
adored.
1t occurs to me- that there is not only change
of opinion manifest from the letters Of our i'm
mediate Representative, but his second General
Epistle is peculiarly offensive, in its tone, to the
pride of the gallant people, who have elevated
him to Office, and conferred upon him honors
quite equal to his deserts. He not only speaks
Of the conduct of many Of his warmest support
ers, in terms of contempt, but he assumes to-
wards the State, the style and manner Of an
alien and an enemy. He tells US, That we can
drag no State into our difficulties, as if we had
created immaginary and unnecessary difficulties,
or as if our difficulties were not the difficulties of
the whole southern States He assumes that we
impeaoh the spirit and Intelligence" of other
States, and proudly tells US, that they are not
6 cowardsn and "cravens" And to conclude
] with general flourish, lie holds towards his
friends, the following extraordinary language
| ~ know the consequences Of daring to dissent
from e7wlo have led,usto the brink Of the:
4 m, pee; and tomeet
Il l.Let them strike-l cfaYesn0t theH t6rbcdfahce,
or their forgiveness" Hsthis was the cffusion
Of some ignorant upstart, who strove to make a,
reputation for frmness and courage, by bravado,
and to supply his lack of sense by sound it might
be tolerated out Of pity. But when an expert
enced and an adrot politician pompously
courts martyrdom, we fear that prescription by
his native State would only advance his future
interests. Iwould only admonsh The Honorable
gentleman, that he has many constituents, who,
nothing daunted by the terrors Of his brow, are
prepared to look him steadily in the face, single
and alone, and who, if dcfied to the contest,
would yield him no laurels in any field of battle.
Mr. EDITOR: have prepared this commune
cation, from a sense of duty, with reluctance and
sorrow. am personal friend Of the Honorable
gentleman, whose conduct have felt bound to
animadvert upon, and / have hitherto been his
uniform political supporter. Allusions have been
made, in no spirit of malcvolcnce, to suspicious,
which ere rife among his constituents. trust
that his conscious innocence may extract the
sting from my remarks, or if he should feel
them, that he may be able to make a satisfactory
explanation to the country. / shall then have
done him very great kindness, by causing him
to regain much of that confidence he has recent
ly lOSt-Dy inducing ulDl 10 put proper COIL
struction upon his anomalous Greenwood letter,
which evidently admits Of two interpretations
and by giving the lie TO the National Inteli-
gencer, the sworn enemy Of the South, and the
Washington Republic the organ Of Wing Ad-
ministration, which have the impudencc to enn-
brace him as friend, and to shout over his
apostasy from the creed of his State, and his
conversion to the false doctrines of National
Union and Consolidation.
Itwoud fatter my pride, and it would CRAFTY
feeling of personal friendship, if our accom-
plshed fcllow-citizen and Representative could
reach a distinguished post, which has been filled
by smaller men than he; but that he should OBJ
tain it, at so great price, the sacrifice of his
own dignity and self respect, and the honor of
his State, would be humiliatng in the last degree
MACON.
NEWS FROM WAsHMeToN-The WASH
ington correspondent of the New York Her.
aid writes as follows:
awe understand that during the sittings
of the late Southern Rights Association of
South Carolina, in Charleston, the President
and Cabinet were daily advised by telegraph
of the aspect OF affairs; and that ever since,
the administration has been punctually in.
formed of the movements of the seceders of
South Carolina, and of their confederates in
Georgia. Alabama, and Mississippi; and that |