Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-07-10

call for remedy" at the hands of ;Diyirc
Providence" with such feelings and opinions
as these, say, it is altogether probable that
the Administration, urged on too by "the
power behind the throne, greater than the
throne ITSELF" will be disposed to coerce
South Carolina. The extirpation of the
apestilent heresy" of secession, the subjuga.
ton of slave State, out of which, through
the "dispcnsation of Providence" the ex-
tinction Of slavery may be hoped" for, arc
triunphs to tempt the ambition of better
men than live in these degenerate days. In
such crusade i. is not difficult to forescc
that an army with many banners might soon
he enlisted; but what fruits would victory
bring to them The Administration would
be compelled to say to their. allies, like Phyr'
rhus of old: "Such another victory, and we
must 60 home alonew But it may be asked
Is the power to coercc sovereign State SO
clear that the Cabinet will feel authorized to
exert it on their own responsibility! Are
there not such grave doubts OH the subject
US to make them pause before proceeding to
such an extrcmeI have already said that
the Cabinet belong to the schooIaof the Con-
solidationists. They deny the sovereignty
of the States; then contend that the States
never were sovereign that at no period had
they the powers of sovereignty, or if they
had they have transferred them all 10 the
General Government. They say that the
doctrine of Republicanism is, that the ma
jority can do no wrong, in the same sense in
which it is said in England, that the King
can do no wrong, and for tho same reason
because there is no legal remcdy."* With
such doctrines as these, it is easy to perceive,
that the Administration would not call it
':coercing" 4 sovereign State, but merely en-
forcing the laws on the disobedient citizens
of an empire, who have no more right to JUS
tify their proceedings, under the authority of
South Carolina, than under tile authority OF
their particular protcge, Hungary, whose re-
cent attempt at redress of grievances has
found such wonderful I" favor at court" 1t
is true, that we have all been taught to be-
lieve that " this government, created by CON-
pact, was not made the exclusive, or final.
Judge of the extent of the powers delegated
| to ITSELF" So said Thomas Jefferson, in the
Kentucky resolutions but this good old wine
has been poured into new bottles, and they
have burst. The moderns, fear, have for
gotten the faith Of their fathers.
But we are not left to speculation rs to the
opinion, at least of the head of the cabinet
on the character Of secession. In letter adj
dressed during the last winter by Mr.. Web
stcr to a dinner party in New York, he de-
cared that secession is war" BY this is
meant, presume, that secession on the part
of Il State is ipso facto declaration of war
by her. The onus and the odium are to be
thrown upon her. But supposing that the
Administration determine to use coercion, in
what form will it be attempted? have been
one of those who have conjecturcd, for as
have already observed every thing on this
subject is conicctural, that blockade of our
ports would be attempted. In this opinion
find. our senior Senator, Judge Butler0 if l
understand him correctly docs not concur,T
whilst our junior Senator, (AIr. RhetD pro-
nounces it in very emphatic terms an sun
mitigated humbug." With such high au-
thority against me, it is not improbable that
may be mistaken in my conjecture, but it is
always wiser to be pEeparedthan to be sur
prised. I do not mean to say that the Gov
canment will call their measure = "blockade."
They will merely term it enforcing the reve-
nue. laws-collecting the customs; but by
whatever name it may be called, the attempt
must very soon result in nothing more nor
less than actual blockade. 1t will soon be-
come an interception of all communication,
commercial or otherwise, between us and all
other States and nations, maintained by be-
sieging force sufficiently powerful to render
any intercourse with us dangerous to third
parties, and expose them to seizure. 10 rem
der'their coercion effectual their measure must
come to this 1t may commence in overhaul
inr vessels at certain distance from shore,
and inspecting their manifcsts, or in attempts
ing to erect floating custom houses, but it
must end, repeat, in what, through respect
to the rights of foreign nations. must be JUS
tilted as blockade. But blockade is n hcllige-
rent measure, and must be made public, so
that neutrals may have notice of it and act
accordingly. War then, public war. must be
declared against South Carolina, and Con-
gress must be called on, for Congress only
has power to levy war.
think, therefore, that the question Of CO.
ercion must be referred to that body. The
Administration will be compelled to do so.
But when the question comes, then 10 hui
man sagacty can predict what course things
will take. The Presidential question will
then be in full discussion. Much will depend
upon the bearing which the issue of coercion
will have upon that question, for it is the
mighty whirlpool which draws within its
greedy vortex all other subjects.
Whilst the Administration will be in the
hands of the Wings, the Democratic party
will be largely in the asccndancy in the next
Congress. If it is found that the South
Carolina question can he made political capi
tai of, it will be used for that purpose. Al
though the Compromise has patched up Il
hollow truce between the old party leaders
yet there is no love between them There
can be none whatever. They are as far apart
as ever, and when the Presidential race be-
gins the cry will be C occupol postremum sea-
Gics." the devil take the hindmost." This
was clearly shown to be the state of feeling
at the last Congress, when IN attempt was
made to get up great Union party under a
written compromise pledge. This pledge re.
ceived the signatures Of many distinguished
Wings; but, if my memory serves me, ol
only two prominent Southern Democrats,
(Messrs. Cobb and Foote.)
The Cohesive power Of the Compromise is fast
giving way between party leaders, and they will
soon be found in hostile array
But should the appeal to Congress by the Ad.
ministration result in the passage Of some Force
Bill, or other measure of coercion, then we will
be called upon to defend ourselves with all The
resources we possess, and feel the utmost con-