The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-09-06


lutte spirit Whatever was the primary
idea Of our institutions, slavery never con.
hicted with it, either in its conception, or
in the hardand agonizing struggles which
marked its birth. 1t was only when self
interest among the ruling racs abolished
the institution at the North, and arroga-
ted to itself the title Of philanthropy, that
the North first awoke to the horrors of
slavery, and its bireling writers discovered
that it was antagonistic to the Urinary
idea Of American freedom. The noblest
hearts that then beat for liberty, were
those OF shareholders: and the best blood
shed was the blood Of slaveholders; and
many Of the proudest vindications which
went forth to the world in behalf OF the
cause Of America, were penned in sigh,
and sound Of "the negro quarters,r with
all the fruits Of their happiness and pros
perity thick around. Did it ever enter
into the mead Of such men to conceive. that
at future day, some penny a liner would,
IN the fuliness Of his impudeuce, brand
their lives and acts with wicked inconsis-
tencyl That from his attic he would say
OF them TO his reader, here were men who
sacrificed home, wealth, life, every thing
for freedom, yet lived and died bequeath.
ing to their sons an institution hostile to
i'll We deny that the liberty which cos,
our fathers the Revolution, and which they
won, embodied any such idea as abolition,
or demanded any such terrible crime
yes crime--yes crime, in view of all the
horrors II entails in emancipation. And
We also deny that our fathers fought for,
OF dreamed Of liberty 90 vague aud alb
surd as modern dreamers pirate Of or 90
anti republican rs TO involve the sxterpa.
tion OF an institution, which every where,
aud in all times, had been linked with RI
publican government The wri:er in Put
nam may chose between the alternatives,
which uie existence Of slsuery at the fo,-
nation Of the Constitution. presents to him.
1t is this: If slavery be anti-repuLlican,
then the States which formed it, their
policy and freedom, were snti-republican.
but il these last were republican, then
slavery. which, at the Time, was part Of
their organic law aud system, is likewise
republican. But il is false to assert that
The primary idea Of our institutions was
tina, OF free Democratic Republic" in
the sense intended by the writer. The
primary idea was that Of n Federal Re-
public only, composed Of co-equal States,
sovereign in all matters not specially dele
gated AID the party which at that time
bore the name Of Republican. and out Of
which grew the Democratic party, strug-
yied from the first against ans government
which invaded these sovreign rights, and
even opposed the Constitution itself, be-
cause they foresaw in il danger to hem.
Tie true Republican party. therefore, IA
vored no such idea as that Of great con-
solidsted democratic Republic" ," actuated
by one absolute notion of universal liberty,
aud overriding all local opinions, inter
ests and institutions. But they favored
government simple and limited in its
powers, clear aud practical in its objects !;
as free from distractions aud extravagant
do2mas, as from absolute functions. And
the spirit Of this party. corrupted rs It has
been in many essentials, by Office and
power, has not been permitted wholly TO
die out The Democratic party, its sue
cessor, has ever been the champion Of
States-rights, and by neceiisty the most
faithful Of the two great parties which d.
vided the country, to the institution OF
slavery. While the federal party, once
the advocate Of . strong central govern
ment Of State dependency, nay, this very
humbug under another name, q gres,
''free Democratic Republic" has, in the
progress Of time matured its seeds, and
become the fanaticai abolition psrty Of
the North. Thus on new fields and new
'ssues, meet I'D principles. Will the
writer il Putnam tell Us. from which Of
the two he deduces his faith. His words
are the words Of q democrat; his thoughts
those Of a rank FederalisI--Soath Caro-.
iiRian.