Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-07-27
son taught to King by agrovelling insect, "Never


Office but, it is humiliating for n man, who has
butF.t,ed it with the world, as have, when lie
strongly desires to realize an object, to be compelled
to own, in his heart, that he lacks the ability to OBJ
tain it. A graceful and generous struggle never
vet brought dishonor, and have the consolation to
believe, that, if | am again beaten from the field,
the roce will nevertheless be Of service to me, in
improving my manners in practising my astuteness
and apprehension of human nature, IN increasing
nv store of information, by an interchange oi views
with the people, in extending and cultlvatmg my ae'
quaintance generally with those from whom anu
cipate deriving my living and gaining my patronage,
and in affording me constant employment, at sea-
son. when, from the want of active exercise, the
health receives its severest and most trying shocks
BESIDES, it is my firm persuasion that was not
allowed fair play in my last election. Only TWO or
three DAYS before the votes were to be poled oeS-
picablc and villanuus scheme was set aiioa oy per-
sons unknown to me, whereby an impression was
made in the Seventh, and even in parts OF lhe Nnth
and Tenth Regiments, that aud others were Sc
crelly in favor Of PR" Get, with wheh dlsagreeo
and VIII ch therefore could never have encouraged
for dividing the District. so as to make new DIS
trict Of the Salula Regiment, and were sacrihelng
the interests and prospects Of other Candidates, BY
ar,ful and unscrupuous intrigue. The current OF
opposition, thus Set against me late, it was n-
possible for me to check, and was cheated OF right
and Justice by patry and infamous trick, which
would have disgraced the eectoneerins annals oi
H.. nracelcss and unwashed Democracy of New
York or Pennsylvania. believe that the people
were in favor Of my success, and thought at one
time that could count votes, which had been lost
to me, by lying stratagem, sufficient to have Sc
cured my seat in the Legislature 1t is the truth,
that mainly through respect to ME and other gentle
men, who had treated their opinions and feelings
with proper courtesy and regard, the part OF the
Saluda Regiment most devoted to Division, had tor
nraly declared, in public resolution, at uArARDs,
that thcy would wholly decline to make the Division
of the District test question at the election then
TO ensue and would defer to this present canvass
so as TO give all applicants for their support, fair
chance and open field The votes taken at the va
rious prccin,s too, proved the sincerity OF the de-
claratons Of those people.
But had other imputed crimes to bear, of which
was not only innocent, but of the mputat'on Of
which was totally Ignorant until my case was IT.
remctiiablc.
It is well known, that am not rich but after all
am not SO very poor, and God knows, that never
attempted to cvade the law, in the least particular
and the charge, that was destitute OF the property
qualification, when suffered my name to be on
. nouncrd as Candidate for the House of Represcn
,atives was as false the foul heart that conceived
il. Real estate uf the value Of one hundred anf
fifty pounds sterling constitutes the necessary qua
6cation for Office and as severely plnched will
poverty, as may be, have long been worth dou
bic that amount of this worlds goods.
The Tax books and the Clerks Office, or the otfc
of Mcsne Conveyance for the District, is my mos
J.. triumphant vindcation.
Our ancestors never meant really to make pre-
:, perty qualification, or they would have e1acted
, laruer sum Of wealth. The clause referred to, wa
embod,d in the Constitution Of the State, TO p,crei
u mere transient person from claiming seat IN III
snbcf j 6s 1Rsv soda IL skf 81 5eFs sa ses
dent or citizen Of the State, or should have son
interest, whereby he was rooted and fixed to til
SOIL
! Though would most punctil;ousy and exact
4 comply with the whole letter and spirit of the Coz
+ sttuvn, rs to my own qualification for ofhce, an
/, especially in the solemn oath each member elect
called upon to take, yet know that the cath fro
custom or some other cause, must be considered
many, pretty much urmality, SO far as it reat,
to the property qualification, otherwise we shoul
have timer House of Representatives than is ust
=. ally the case in Columbia.
= 1t is true, that those men, who by their ndustr!
foresight and economy, have accumulated fortunes
=, and raised themselves and families from obscurit
. to the high places of the country; and also, ths
:, other class Of men, who were born rich and VIII
have had the skill and energy to increase their in
hcrtance. and TO gain greater afluence, deserve th
appreciation and applause Of mankind. For h
= that provide,h not for his household denies tb
faith and is worse than an in6del."
But Notwithstanding all this, it is very certain, tha
neither property poverty ever yet made soldier
or ever yet made the most middlng patriot o
statesman. Those persons are mistaken who attri
butte all mans worth to the patriotic influence Q
the land and negroes he owns. The argumen
proves too much-the good qualities Of our race ar
common to no class and to spot Of earth-an'
the worship of Gods of gold and silver has lon:
been interdctcd BY the voice Of the Most High.
The man whose patriotism depends solely upor
the amount Of real and personal estate, or the mum
Der Of dollars and cents that attaches him to hi
country, would betray that country for larger
amount Of property, or for few more pounds o.
copper and silver. Patriotism is a holy sentiment
and like religion and integrity, springs from the
heart It is breathrd into our nature, with the
breath Of life
"And parts not quite with parting breath"
The men who fought our battles in the Revolu-
ton, we're many of them, very poor, and it is re-
corded Of some of The heroes who bled at Eutaw
Springs, that they stood naked in the ranks Of ,rGr
We read, that when Washington gained the battles
of Princeton and Trenton his army could be track
ed by tho blood that tricked from the bare-fee Of
his soldiers in mid winter. Such patriotism, such
devotion as that displayed in such manner, on
those hard-dspucd fields is far above price, and too
sublime to be purchased with gold or to admit of its
virtue being expressed in pounds shlings and pence
Many men, who stand out very brightly upon the
annals of their country, have been exceedingly an
noyed by the want Of means. Jefferson the i'm
mortal author Of our Declaration Of Independence,
was continually haunted by poverty, and Patrick