Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-08-22
From the Mercury.
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE KNOW NOTHING PARgY.

T0 THE MEhBERS UF IHE kNUW NUIhlNu fhhSi'
We have no disposition to stir up strife, or
excite controversy. We depreciate any ap.
peal to popular passions and prejudiees.
Above all things, we wonld deplore the di.
vision of the State into parties, at time
when it behooves us, more than ever, to be
united as one man. But if there be such a
division, it will justly be chargeable' to you.
You are seeking to Introduce new issues
among>us. We have hitherto been singu.
larly unanimous in our political faith. In
the late Secession movement, the only differ:
ence between the parties was one of policy,
not principle. The more ardent spirits were
for bold and desperate stroke-a sort of
dashing Balaklava charge; while the more
thoughtful and prudent believed, like the
Frenchman, that, although gh this might be
"very magnificent" it would not be states.
manship But, certainly, at that time both
parties earnestly Desired Southern Confed-
eracy.. Both parties loudly proclaimed that
the Union had been weighed in the balance
and found wanting. Both parties solemnly
assured us that the idea of equality or pro.
lection in the Union, was an illusion and a
dream. The party that carried the State by
their very name of Co.operationists," gave
a standing pledge to our sister States Of the
South, of our readiness, at any future time,
to unite with them in general secession
movement. In solemn Convention the State
asserted that as her position. Now, has
anything occurred since then to change, in
the slightest degree, the attitude she then
assumed, or to lessen the obligation which
that attitude imposed upon her! Has the
tide of fanaticism at the North begun to ebb!
Are there signs Of a returning sense of JUS
tice and brotherly kindness among our
"Northern brethren9" Far from it. The
food rises higher and higher The mad
breakers lift their insulting crests more tow.
eringly. The wild waves, eager to engulf
us, roll laundering in with hoarser and
louder roar. Merciful God! are we blind
and deaf2 Can we not see that we are on
a lee shore, and that we need the hands and
hearts of all whose fortunes are embarked
with us7 Is this the fitting time to talk Of
Irish sailors, and of Dutch sailors, and OF
Roman Catholic sailors9 Is this the time
to drive them down below, and forbid their
handing rope9 -.
:. Have they.really been so mutinous and
troublesome, on board the good ship Carroll
ma, that Just att this particular monsnt, IN
thes height of asstorm &nost4 psfiloasao
which we have ever been exposed, we must
distract attention from the duties Of crti.
cal navigation by" piping up all hands for
punishment We believe, firmly, in the
doctrine that "tbe sous of the soil should
rule the SOIL" We belonged to the old Ma
tive American Association. We have not
changed our opinions since. That associa-
ton fell through, because "the sons of the
soil" were afraid to come out in open day.
light, and show their faces to few hundred
Irish and German voters. We are willing
to keep our foreign population within the
strictest bounds of order and decorum.
We are willing to do it by all open, man.
" and constitutional means. We are anx.
ious to see the evils incident to the free in.
PRODUCTION among us, ofuneducated foreign.
ers, remedied by cautious and judicious legis.
lation. But we disdain to stab them in the
dark. We will not meet in secret clubs, in
order to devise means for restraining the
power of Irish laborers and Dutch shop.
keepers. We feel ashamed that South Caro-.
linans should have felt the necessity Of
resorting to such measures. We do not be.
lieve such necessity exists. But, we cannot,
while on this head, .forbear from one obser-
vaton. Were the present la,cs, relating to
the naturalization Of foreigners, carried out
in the their letter and spirit--were all true
sons Of the soil" united in determination
to put down the present corrupt, shameless
and open violation of those laws, we would
have had as yet no serious cause of com.
plant; But so long as all parties, during
times of election excitement, (aad hitherto
we think no party has been altogether free
from reproach on this point,) embark as
largely as their funds and the raw nateri-
ar' will allow in the business Of making
citizens" we have little hope of any real
reform in the matter, however stringent the
enactments we may place upon the statute
book. Our objection to your policy ON this
point is two.fold: First, that so far as we,
in Carolina, are concerned, your action is
in opportune, because calculated to produce
dissension and heart-burnings among US, at
a time when we ought to ignore every other
issue than the paramount one Of Southern
Rights. Second, that the mode by which
you propose to effect it-secret prescription
lis unconstitutional in spirit, and in practice
unmanly and timid.
SOUTHERN RIGHTS.
A GREAT Loss.-From letter written
by Gen. Sutter, we learn that the injury
sustained by the noble pioneer this year
from the invasion Of grasshoppers is almost
irreparable. The annoying insects have
almost entirely destroyed his fruits, vines and
grain, and he thinks the loss cannot be less
than $4,000. TO save few choise grape
vines, and rare fruit trees, he has been com.
PEELED to cover them with mosquito nets,
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