Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1853-11-02
Iudeo o,Neall Again, Perforce!

IT seems to be our fate 10 run against his Honor
the Father Matthew of South Carolina" whether
we wish it or not Only two weeks since, we fairly
knuckcd down 10 the old veteran, and that too
thought in the respectful terms. We supposed
then that The arms of rebellion were finally ground
ed Yet here we are, again led on by our evil genius
into the lions lair This time, however, in
ceent mood and propose TO sny nothing calculated to
offend the most delicate nerve of his IIonors sensi
bility. We would only write word or TWO 10 ease
conscience" set-off to the following remark OF
the Judges which is the latest fling he has made
We copy from letter of his, addressed to the
editor Of the :. Temperance Advocate" from Barnwel
Courthouse.
October l9th.-Yestertay charged the Grand Ju-
ry, usual and again, notwithstanding tile idUer-
Users censure, ventured pretty strongly to recommend
the Maine Liquor Law. think our friend of the Ad'
ueriSer will find that he is in this, as he IN politics
sometvhat mistaken.
This "poliIics of ours, to which alluson is here
made, must be the advocacy of Secession which cha
rac,erzed our humble sheet during the year 1851. II
ore right in this supposition, grant his Honor
that we were mistaken, egregiousy mistaken in our
first calculations the result of the memorable but
unfortunate contest of that year. The Of our
mistake was the taking for granted that South Carroll.
mans in 81 were and the in mind and spirit
with South Carolinians in '32. In this particular onr
reckoning proved utterly erroneous, and de.
ceived as to the whole result. But mistaken or not,
we rejoice TO remember that We were in our poll.
tics" with those who sought illustrate the doctrine
of State sovereignty and maintain the high character
OF South Carolina by determined Of resistance
,l,o r
But the Judge thinks that we are again to be " mis-.
taken" and that the Maine Liquor Law is to he the
next grand achievement in our State. We don't
know that we ever said it would not be. South
Carolinians are getting about as low.down in their
notions the people ofany other Stale; and shall
not be much surprised if they should think it all
right" for one, clothed with the almost sacred robe OF
JUSTICE preach the doctrines Of bgots and fanatics
from the Bench. Neither would We be astounded,
should this Circuit Crusader succeed in getting up
movement Of some throughout the State in favor
of those doctrines. We will not pretend 10 say
whether it will succeed or fail, lest we might be
"mistaken."
BY the way, speaking Of mistakes" we rather
think his Honor is about as liable to them rs most
men. In his first letter to the Temperance Advocate,
from Edgefed, which we published some two weeks
ago, he says lin his zeal to compliment the, North)
that JOHN ADAMS first advanced the idea Of In
dependence and led the way. This is a mistake for
which we think the learned Judge has no excuse.
Besides betraying singular ignorance Of the history
of his country, his mistake is against his section
RICHARD Henry LEE and PATRICK HENRY of
Virginia, and CHRISTOPHER GADsDEy of this State
were :he first men in America ever known to speak
of separation and independence. Besides it was not
JOHN ADAMS of Massachusetts, no first led off there
but Samuel Adams, if history be correct. AS far
back as l765 eleven years before the Declaration Of
Independence, there was Convention held in New
York to prepare for concerted resistance and South
Carolina was the only colony South represented
there. She had the chairmen Of three committees in
that body And yeti the Judge undertakes to instruct
the country that the North led of In the great cause
of Independence, and, what is still more absurd that
therefore We must now follow the Yankees in the
lead they have taken in the Temperance cause And
here his Honor bunders into another mistake. ~
The Yankees are not the leaders in Temperance. II
it is the real Simon Pure leader in Temperance that
his Honor is wanting, he must go TO alahomet himself,
who is after all the Great Father of Temperance soci
cites and Temperance laws. He made il fundamen-
tai rule Of his religion that his disciples should never
touch drop Of wine, and did it too, doubtless, by
ay of contrast 10 Christ ,rho turned ratcr into good
tcinc his first miracle. The great fault of the Ma
hommrdan Religion is that it makes every thing turn
upon the observance Of certain forms and abstinence
from ,cinc. So with Temperance Societies,hey will
take temperance substitute FOR vital religion The
tendency Of the thing is TO make satisfied with the
external observance of certain conventional rules,
thereby letting humanity down from high and holy
communion of the heart with its Maker. There are
much oier virtues than simple abstinence from strong
drink. Elevated psty is as much above mere Tenn.
perance morality is the sublime Religion Of Christ
superior to the sensual creed of Mahomct- Judge
ONEALL and his followers seek to lead mankind tu
sobriey and morality by other than those which
Christ has sanctioned. Perhaps the Judge will say
We are mistaken" in this also. We shall see.