Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-03-01
FOR THE ADVERTISER.
Dfyisian Of Edgeield,-M0. L.

TOtlr reaQeTS tnib NH' VfEahiASu ni"'SuieHL 10
now on foot to divide the Districts of Edgefela
and Barnwclh both jndicially and politically.
When my attention sfrst directed to the
proposed division ef these two Districts, | ain
frank to acknowledge that my off-hand aud un-
studied opinion was against it, buta thorough
investigation of the subject has convinced me of
my error, and am confident that similar iI-
restigation will undeceve many others who are
now opposed to it. AS 4 warm supporter of the
movement, desire, with your permission, 10
present the justice and policy of it, in series
of Articles, through the columns Of the Adrer-
tiscr.
The fleHds Of Division, being conscious of
haxing truth. and right on their sidey boldly
challenge n discussion of the question. But
ns i, will require several newspaper articles to
acyolope the merits Of the subject, / for one,
must Eeg the Indulgence of being permitted to
decline all controversy in the public prints until
your readers shall have been put in possession
of INV ,otole argument. To this, no one who is
disposed TO write against Division can fairly OBJ
iecs, us he would bea wise philosopher Indeed,
before he hears it. hope, therefore, that will
not he interruptcd-the more so, rs | promise
faithfully to respond to every argument which
may be seriously advanced on the othes side.
No man has right to decline the consequences
of his principles or his actions, and | DO not
seek TO shun the responsibility OF mine. On the
contrary, l. in common with hundreds OF others,
warn the anti-divisionsts to prepare for the COM
ing fight, rs the question Of Division or 10
Division" will be an issue in all future elections
in Edgefcld. The Division party well know
that they will have to encountera strenuous, but
interested opposition, both at home ASd in the
Legislature. The Members of that party are
also advised, from the uniform contempt with
which their prayers and petitions have been re-
ccived, for the last thirty years, that even TO
carry the elections here would be but skirmish
of the outposts preparatory to the great battle,
which must BE- fought in the Legislature, be-
tween the Upper and Lower Country, before
they can hope to succeed in their project. Hence
they are determined, no longer to beg rs Il favor
for the new Districts which they have Il right to
demand. Discussion and the ballot-box IRE the
weapons with which they will hereafter fight.
DiSregarded prayers and petitions may continue
10 be used by the slaves, who are still willing 10
let aristocraic tyrants reign over them forever,
but some at least of the independent frcenen of
Edrefield are tired of the incubus of q Parish
aristocracy and the sectional, selfish. Chinese
policy, which the degenerate Barons OF those
Parishes have so long dictated to the up-C"untry
of South Carolina.
Yes, Mr.. EDITOR, since Edgefield and Barn
well are refused new Districts, not because it is
right and Just TO refuse them, but simply be-
cause new Senators would also be demanded to
represent them, rs integral parts of the up
Country, we are disposed to enquire into the
prescriptire right Oor they have no other) by
which our Parish Masters SEND ten or fifteen
Members more to the Lower House than they
are entitled to. and three times rs many Sena-
tors rs they can claim upon any principle OF fair
Representation.
The Division party of Edgcfeld are driven
then nolens rolcns to side with the Mountain
Districts, where diS,ffection to the Parishes is
spreading fast and wide. We want and must
have new Electoral as well as new Judicial Dis
tricts either by abolislling the Senatorial Rep-
resentation Of the Parishes as 4 section, or by
extending the Compromise of 1903, so as to
give each of our new Districts Senator, and a:
the same time divide the larger Parishes OF the
low-Country into new Senatori>l Districts, so ms
still 10 let the "Qucen City," at the head ot the
rice aris,ocracy, continue to lord it over the
mountain democracy rs she has always done.
1t would seem passing strange that our dlgnlhed
knsman uf the Parishes should refuse even an
extension of the Compromise, by which they
hold the lions share of both the power and the
advantages of our State Government Never
iheless they will do it, and thereby drive us TO
examine into the frail tenure by which they ex'
ercise controlling authority over u.s. An In
spec,on of the title to this authority is all that
is necessary to arouse the Up-Country from
lcthargic dream, and IS we are at peace now
with our mortal cnemy-Uncle Sam,-we may
rs well turn our attention for Il time, to the In
ter,,al affairs of the Palmetto Republic, and see
If there is not beam in our own eye.
The present appprionment Of Representa-
ticn in South Carolina is question, as Mr..
THOMPSON, Of Abbevie, said in the discussion
on the Bill giving Pendleton another Senator,
that will not bear to be discussed. The Par
ishes cannot discuss it. They dare not discuss
it, and though they fain wou id prevent US from
discussing it, yet we are forced TO do 1t, from
necessity and tyranny, and they must show some
other title 10 the right of controlling the State
than that of mere prescription, which sounds
in n republic, somewhat like the divine right OF
Kings" They must measure territory, count
population, estimate property, point out the an
iagonistic sectional Interests which they aliege
exist, and establish the truth of the superior
intelligence which they have always claimed for
the Parishes. in fine they must rely more upon
themselves living-than their ancestors dead
-luust have some regard TO the present condi-
ton of The two sections, as we'll as the past,
admit both in practice and theory the hc-
publican principle Of equality
The School Master has long been abroad in
the "backwoods" and so many Of our noun
tain Doors have learned to read and write. that
they are disposed to demand the political power
which has so long and so unjus,ly been withheld
from them. This increasing intelligence among
us may greatly annoy the Parish Lords, the
Charleston Mercury and the Southern Quarterly
Review, but the cry that little learning is very
injurious to the welfare Of the State is in vain.
The School Master has already done his work,
and the people are now preparing 10 do theirs.
in the discussion with reference to the proposed
division of Edgefield, which necessarily involves
the consideration of oar whole State polity, no
one who is at all familiar with the atfinites OF
those journals-( Mercury and S. Q. Review
can doubt for n moment but that they will op-
pose the project The Mercury, it is true, claims
TO be the organ of the State, against the Federal
Government and all other foreign powers, but
whether its pretensions to such high rank are
recognized or not, that paper is undoubtedly the
organ of the Parishes against the State Govern .
ment, or rather against the Up Country. ] have
it from reliable authority, that the circulation of
that journal in South Carolina is quite small out
Of the Parishes and rs one proof of it, Beaufort,
Collcton and Orangeburg have no other organ.
The Mercury can afford to prate of its favorite
hobby " conservatism" in our existing State in
sttuIions as long as it only speaks for the six
Parish Districts, W hich rule the State. But some
othcr taisman must now be found, or at least