Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-05-23
From the Charleston Mercury.
THE PROGRAMME.

THE PR0GRAMlnE
The spirit Of anti.slavery must be considered
Just now rs the real motive power of Northern
politics: All ideas are seelhng in this men,
srum 1t is the universal solvent and test Of
Northernsm. Whoever is not anti-slavery, is
not only dough-face, but 4 traitor and 4 mon
scr. The one idea is absorbing all others in
politics and there threatens 10 survive no party
which will not admit this as the primary ele-
ment in It's creed. Whether we call it Aboli-
tionism, or Free Soilism, or Whieism, or Know
No,hingism all seeks anti-savery as its nutri-
ment, It's necessity and lis soul. And this spirit
draws after it, az we have now abundant evi-
dence, the overwhelming predoninance of North
ern votes. The Democratic party on its old
basis scarcely has IN existence. The North is
politically arrayed against the South, and for no
peaceful purpose. The antagonism is deadly.
We warned our friends when the hollow
truce Of the Compromise of 1850 WAS accepted,
that We were only deferring an issue that would
be forced on us at no distant day, in shape
still more fearful; and now we have it. We
have, in fact, wofu!ly mistaken the way of mas
lering this spirit Of anti-savery. Concessions
only embolden aud madden its ambition. 1t is
Ii struggle for power Oh the part Of the North.
Every concession is 4 victory, and every COM
promise is simply diversion of the struggle
into another channel. There can be no peace
except by the utter submission of the South,
or by the exhibition Of such power and deter
minalion on her part rs to leave no doubt that
the further progress of an,i-slarery must be,
not over remonstrances, resolutions and adverse
minority votes, but over plaanx Of cold iron.
The people of Missouri hare really made the
true issue, and discovered the only practicable
w. l.,h h,,
law open to everybody. The Abolitonists
attempted to seize it by organizing hired hands
to herd upon the soil, for the avowed purpose
of making at the outset an anti-slavery colony.
The people of Missouri saw this danger gather
ing over them, and organized to meet IT, Gov.
Reedcr says they have conqured Kansas. We
hope SO, and that they will hold the conquest as
gallantly rs they have won it.
There was need of such IN issue to wake up
the sluggard spirit of the South. While we
doze in day-drealns, the North is everywhere
fermenting with fiery passion and breathing
hostile design against us. Formerly the Aboli-
ton meetings of New York were gatherings of
select set Of fanatics; but this year they are
assemblies of the general public, and seem to
be the centres of political movement. The
anti-slavery orators are now, not the prophets
of the People, the statesmen and leaders of the
North. This is a state Of things that We ought
TO know and be prepared to cope with.
From the speeches delivered at the recent
anti-slavery gatherings in New York, we extract
the concluding part Of the address of the Know
Nothing Abolition Senator from Massachusetts,
MIR. Wilson; and we ask our readers TO deter
lnine Tor themselves why it is, that after propo-
sing all sorts Of injuries and insults TO the
South as parts Of the settled policy of the
North, he yet dares to encourage his friends
with assurances that these atrocities involve no
sort of danger 10 the Union,-in fact, that The
South cannot be kicked out Of the Union. But
read and Judge:
"rhe time has come to declare to this coun-
try that we are in favor Of the immediate aboli-
lion of slavery, wherever we have the constitu-
,ional power TO abolish it Let it be under
stood that our object is the emancipation of the
bondmen CT America. Applause. We do not
propose 10 interfere with slavery in the slave
States. In those States they have the power
and are responsible for the existence Of slavery;
but in the District of Columbia and in the
Territories slavery exists by our authority, and
We have the power to abolish 1t; and we intend
to abolish it. Applausc.] We intend to repeal
the act Of 1907, under which the domestic slave
traffic is now carried on under protection of the
national flag. We intend to repeal uncondi-
tionally the Fugitive Slave act of 1850. Loud
applause. And we mean that Kansas shall
never come into this Union as slave State
never. Sensation, applause and cries of brave.
Let these twin Americans Strengthen and
Atchison-carry their hordes into Kansas, and
conquer it us Governor Reeder says they have
conquered it; but let them understand this
let the South understand it-that Kansas must
come into this Union us Il free State or never
come into the Union. And let them understand
we shall make it all issue in every Congression-
nj district; and venture TO say there are few
Congressional districts in the North which can
send man in favor of admitting Kansas as
slave State. Applause. Let them understand
we shall contest it in every Legislature in the
1856, we, anti-slarcrv men of all parties, make
it u condition that We will not qualify for any
party or any set of men in the country who are
not in favor Of our sentiments; and that the
man whom We vote for President shall be piedg-
I'D in favor of the policy Of freedom in Kansas
and Nebraska. Applause. Let it be under
stood by the country-by the whig party-by
the democratic party-by the American party
that the candidate of 1856, if lre gets the votes
of these free States, must be pledged by his
past life, or by pledges which shall bind him MS
strongly rs pledges can bind men, that he is in
favor OF restoring freedom to Kansas. Con-
tnued applause. Let them understand, further
that we, an,i.slavery men of lhe'country, shall
carry out these measures. We have the power
to do so, and we intend to use it, We do not
war upon the South. We do not denounce the
South. We support this policy BECAUSE we
love the master and the slave, and we intend to
perform toward the master and the slaye-to
use the words OF William Leggett-"th offices
of kind humanity" We intend to wipe out
of the constitutions and statute books every
law which makes any distinction on account Of
color. Applause. You of New York owe it to
the cause of liberty to blot out from the con-
stitution of your great State those provisions
which make distinction here on account OF
color. Applause. If we would show our
devotion to freedom, if we would give the pow
er We possess to the cause of liberty, we owe
it 20 ourselves that We place ourselves right IN
the free States. Let them understand too, that
we are devoted to the constitution and the
Union-that we are national. Let them under
stand that the great doctrine of the Declaration
of Independence, that all men are created equal,
is the national American position; and that the
declaration of the constitution of the United
States, that it was framed for the purpose of
securing the blessings Of liberty to ourselves
and 10 our posterity, is 4 national position; and
ihat on that national position we stand-tlat
freedom is national and slavery local and Sec
tional; that we intend 10 stand by the consti-
tuition and by the Union. because by so doing
we can secure emancipation, and by keeping