The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-06-08

| ahce, anu, DeileVlng II to have been bC
trayed, it purposes to surround it with ade
quate Safeguards. They who particpat,
in these opinions will applaud this profoune
purpose: they who conspire to destroy tha
Protestant civilization, or who abet, or sci
themselves to those who do, must abide tn
political overthrow which so justly and per
manently awaits them. The country cher
ishes lis glorious nationality; and believing
it to be endangered, it has risen up in it
majesty-to assert, to vindicate, and to de
velope still more powerfully the nationalt,
without which the country itself has NJ
destiny-no mission on the face of the earth
They who are SO lost to every exalted in
stinct, as to be insensible to the grandeur O
such hopes as God has set before us, ma,
also despise all the efforts by which thos,
hopes are to be realized. Nevertheless, tn,
country will guard and assure its natioalit,
in spite of its rccrcant children as well as
its open foes. This is my version of this
grand movement; one point of view from
which its rise, its progress, and its aims are
distinctly manifest. Let the country exc
cute such a work in such spirit, and she
will be launched anew upon her high career.
1t may be of less importance to deter,
mine by what means this great spirit has
been aroused and concentrated. Yet this
is not difficult. Manifcstly whatever these
means were, they must lave worked long
and worked deeply. Was it nothing that
IN all parts of the country, and for Years to-
gether, and upon the most opposite pretexts,
the dissolution of the Union was constantly
threatened Was it nothing that political
corruption grown gigantic in the land had
shocked all honest men. Was it nothing
that stream of foreign paupers and felons
flowed ceaselessly into the bosom of the re-
publica Was it nothing that millions of
foreign Papists and foreign Inide1s, inunda-
ting the country like a flood of locusts,
were openly organized into political pow
ers, directed against the Liberty, the Reli-
gion, and the Nationality of the people 2
Was it nothing that political parties openly
bought and sold the support of these fear
tul powers-contracting always for such
payments in return, as were the most hu-
initiating and the most fatal! Was it no.
thing, that the voice Of patriots, the power
of the press, the opportunities Of the pulpit
were directed, each in his own sphere and
for years together against this frightful and
enormous wickedncss Was it nothing
that at length, men could neither vote nor
preach, nor speak, nor pray, nor teach, with
out being liable to insult and violcnce-un-
less they would do all in such manner as
suited the tastes of foreign mobs, composed
of foreign 1nfilels and Papists Yea, ver-
lily, they were deep causes, and they worked
long, which wrought the American people
to that earnest and fervid, but yet calm and
settled enthusiasm, which pervadcs the
nation.
No doubt Religion is an clement of this
widespread excitement. But it is not the
only element, nor with all men the chief
one. Either Of the other elements, by itself,
or this one by iself ought to have been suf-
ficicnt to have saved the country from the
peril which now demands the power of all
three to avert it. Because it is All element
at all, they over whom long delayed retri-
button is impending scream at the bare
mention of it, as the demoniacs did when
they saw Christ approach them. 1t is a
persecution for conscience sake in their
view, that we hesitate to surrender our
Country, our Liberty, and our Religion to
the guidance of corrupt men banded with
foreigners and what makes it persccur-
ton is, that these foreigners happen to be
Papists and Tnfdels. If they had happen
ed to be Chinese or Mahomedans the ma.
tion would have revolted much sooner.
And yet without reason. For we and on,
fathers have an unsettled account with
Popery, many centuries old. At first II
was the Emperor and the Pope who trod us
into the dust. Then it was Kings and
Bishops, who burned some at the stake, and
drove the rest ou: of all lands into this vii.
l.. ness. Now it is priests and mobs, and
40 don,,, 'ogues, who have followed US into oul
uIana % e ~efuge-nay, our last place Of ref
- p ~ ron. W here the combat of centu
20 &, fnrn, q, once more degrading and
dete,tabIe. date m "a and ~ mers likely to be fatal to us
than in either of its pre- 'edlng forms. Shall
we be driven into the Pa.lhc Sha'l We
succumb9 Or shall we turn ninon our re-
lentless pursuersa They have :folit,~eo tne
lion to his last den, and brought hil.' 'c
bay l., Did they expect him TO die like
stag In bis lair : gSs W. ~,
ae The revolt of the country was wholly un.
expected by those who, supposed they had
already secured jts final subjugation; and
like every other greater retribution, it takes
those it falls on. by surprise. 1t is not
tbsretore, to be wondered at that they exc
tsrats with peculiar horror the special means
tof success against them which their, :owI
befhdity and fetocity had rendered abso
Io ~ srhe enIintry orpaif