Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-01-15

ilindeed .monopolize most of the gravity, AM
wisdom, and prudence of the State; and tn
srecent votes Of sthe people have given muG
assurance tos these lofty pretcnsions. Il
short, the secessionists had a plan of actio,
4 whicll:was clearly made known, which wa
ullyseomnlented and which has been, il
n great measure, dsahproved Of 1t is rlgl
1 that;wc should 9belitre that party whcl
has been 50 signals successful, and whicI
has been sustained 81 tue wisdom of Cheves
,bysthe prudence of sBarnwell, by the clio
quence Of Buffers and by the boldncss of til,
Mountain Patriot, and by the abundant lega
lore of nearly the whole Of our Judiciary
should possess, at least, in the hidden store
houses of their intclects, some heavenly
panacca by whictcthey are TO cure our grie
vous disorders-some mode of successful
resistance, by which@thcy arc to rescue the
State from her th.aldom, raise her up from
her low degradation, aud restore her again
to the light and the sun of her glory. AT
opposing party, 10 be triumphant, should
always have scheme Of conduct more nc.
ccptabe than: the party opposed. And
though the sovereign remedy of the co-ope.
TElIOUlSlS HIS Ct. OSCu fCiiSu llOi Oui
sight, still our human. nature will make us
hope that the promised blessing must come
at last. am unwilling TO believe, and
cannot believe, that seventeen thousand as
devoted men MS ever shouted the cry of lib.
Fcrty,have been routed and totally defeated
BY party which, under the gaudy, enticing
robe of patriotisln;aas no features but those
~ has.s1 &c daft
composed of timid resistance men, unionists
malecontents, and abofitionists, with no fixed
principles but those of. submission, and no
single purpose but that of disorganzstion
and mischief. -
From the bottom Of my heart, sir, do
expect something from the united wisdom
and the temperate deliberations of the con-
vcntion. That body will contain much in
telligence, much sagacity, much courage, and
much patriotism: Calm inquiry and cour-
teous, dignified debate, strike out light and
truth from the collision of great minds. If
their proceedings have no other tendency,
they will awaken public attention, cnlighten
the Judgment of tile people, and give u pow
erful and authoritative expression of The
public opinion of+iSouth Carolina, on the
absorbing subjects which have been agita-
Ting the country.
But have confidence that so wise and so
patriotic an assembly could not fail to devise
some measure of1practical resistance-and
sanlas sfeEtnin naelassef future In
calm, explicit declaration of rights by South
Carolina, upon the infraction of which, by
the government. they would pledge the State
To absolute secession. Such declaration,
from its frmness, reasonableness and good
temper, would command the respect and the
concurrence of the whole South. Perhaps,
some other modes of obtaining redress, re-
scmbling those which have been recently
published in the public journals, by the CO.
operation party, might receive the sanction
uf that able and potent body of Legislators.
Surely, if they could do nothing more, they
could give sufficient life and activity to that
principle of cooperation, which the State so
warmly chcrishcS, as 10 enable US to gain the
attention of our Southern sisters, and cxtri-
cate ourselves from the awful state of isola-
ton, desperation, and gloom, into which we
have been plunged, either by the precipitan-
cy of the secessionists, or the excessive dis
creion of the co-cpcTationists, or the abjcct
devotion of the unonists to q splendid and
tyrannical government
In the name of God, something must be
DONE cannot realize the fact that, in the
face of all our oppresssions, and acknow-
lodged as they are by politicians of every
creed, we arc tamcly preparing the minds OF
our people for the humble lot of slavery and
intamv Ii State ur Il nation admits its
injurics-is conscious of its approaching
ruin, and vet delays to resist on account OF
its inability to strike cffcctually, it is already
degraded, and no power on earth can redeem
it from servtude. The negroes who follow
the plough, at the bidding of their masters
arc in miud TO ahjrcter slaves than that igno.
bic people who admit the wrong, and yet
quail from The application Of the proper cor
rcclivc. 1t matters not how small they arc
how destitute Of resources; they are re.
crcant to their duty, and false to the highest
principles of honor, if they bear insult will,
mcckness-if they suffer an indignity with
out repcling it at the risk of their life. |
would infinitely prefer that my State should
be conquered into submission, than bullcd
and frightened into it. A noble effort would
excite the admiration of all gallant men, and
if we fell, our death struggle would rend thu
cords of this Union, and enkindlc the spirit
of every patriot in the South. We would
devote our household gods on the altar o.
our liberties, and, if we persisted, the temple
itself should first fall, and the ruins of it.
proud supers,ructure should furnish ou
monument. If we were subdued by oul
victorious masters, chains are all that the,
could inflict and, great God, our limbs are
now cankcrrd, and our very pride is bowed
down by the weight Of the manaclcs tha
oppress us.
If the meancst man in society receive.
m insult, however Intellectual may be hi
resentment, he is aLascd il he docs not rails,
his hand in strife. Honor is preserved b,
valor, however uncqnally matched may b,
the combatants, and however disastrous t.
the weaker party may bc the results of tn,
conflict: and know that without honor lif
is burden and n pain. Honor was ono,
the cause that induced nations to encounte
the peris of war. 1t led knights and he
roes to assail impregnable fortresses, tt
traverse barren regions of snow and burn
ing deserts of sand. 1t enriched the plain
of Syria with the blood of the flower ant
prime of Europe. 1t caused Regulus tt
devote himself to death-Bfutus 10 dyc hi
hands in the blood of his friend, and anothc
Brutus to pronounce the doom of his owl