The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-02-28
What Should tho son,h NO

in view of the fact that n rabid Aboli-
tonist now presides over the deliberations
OF Congress-ln view Of the sectional feel
ing and blind fanaticism which is now the
political food Of tho Northern masscs-in
view OF that frcnzicd spirit of Abolitionism
which boards its wrath that it may hurl it
against our domestic institutions-we say.
III view of the perilousness of the times.
and amid the dangers that stand thick
around us, should not the Southern public
be moved to the important enquiry, What
should the South do to turn back the tide
Of political corruption which threatens the
domestic peace and pcrpctuity of her insti-
tutions?
IN our opinion, the first great and only
effective ant;dote, is union among ourselves.
No odious or restrictive measure has ever
yet been palmcd off upon us, except by di.
vision at the South. The South, united, is
now and ever has been able, by the aid of
few Northern conscrvativcs-whoscs souls
are large enough to contemplate Il nations
lntercst-to carry any point or principle
sanctioned by the Constitution and national
justice OF the country. 1t requires no po-
i'tleal sagacity TO trace the evils which
have been entaied upon us, to division in
our household. How long shall we con-
tinuc to cherish party strife and contention
to add fuel to the consuming furnace of
party faction? When arc we to learn that
the only issue between the North and
South, is that Of slavery or no slavery 2
Why should we lose sight of this para
mount question, and quarrel upon minor
and insignificant issues, involving neither
private Or public interest.
1t is la'ncntablc that one portion of the
South is now arraycd against the other
that the Native American party, ignoring
the existence Of frccsoilism, have trav-
cled abroad to find an enemy in the person
of the Pope, who has not tithc of power
to injure US, in comparison with Abolition
ism. They seem to think that our national
tranquility is endangered by foreign influ-
encc. They argue npon the snpposition of
what the Pope of the Romish Church would
do if he had the power. We are candid
to admit that the tyranny of the Pope, in
times gone by, has proved fatal to the lib
critics of those over whom his mower cx-
tended; but we cannot shut out the belief
from our mind that his power is diminished
among any people, in proportion to their
advancement i'll education, civilization and
intellectual acquirements-that it is only
in the dark cavcrns of ignorance and SUI
perstition, that the spirituality and infalli-
bllity Of this august parsonage will be ac-
knowledgcd. If Popcry can sustain itself
only Where ignorance prevails, to argue
that our country is in danger of being over
run 10y the Romish Church, is to argue that
Christianity is to fall from her estate, and
that we are to lapse back into the sloughs
OF Ignorance and semi-barbarisln.
A cardinal principle of the American
party, is that 1mericans must rule Inser-
'co." Well, VIC presume that no man of
intelligence would undertake to deny that
Americans do now and ever will rule Amer
lea. Will the foreign and Catholic vote in
Congress ever be able to sway the deibcra-
'ions of that body They certainly have
no power now. And if we are justified in
the assumption that the ratio of increase in
the foreign and Catholic combined, and the
native population, has in the past and will
III the future remain the same, it is equally
certain that foreign and Catholic influence
will never go beyond its present strength.
We are glad to believe that the Amer;-
can party South, since its Inauguration, has
been purged of many of its impurities
that it has dispensed with its grips and
oaths-tbat upon the slavery question it
has, in several of the Southern States, ta-
ken strong grounds, and sworn to stand by
the Georgia platform-so much so, that it
IS now difficult to recognize the features
which distinguish it f,om the Democratic
party. The Mobile Register, in speaking
of the platform recently adopted by the
Know-Nothing Convention of Alabama,
makes the following remarks, from which
it would appear that the differences are
more imaginary than real:
Hooking at the political status of the
know-Nothing party of Alabama as now
fixed by itself, we cannot suppress feeling
OF surprise at the narrowness of the distinc-
tive principles upon which it has based it.
self, and on which it hopes to hold together
and consolidate its strength. In no single
material and real respect does the party in
this State (taking their late platforms as the
gude,) differ in principle from the Demo-
cratic party. The only apparent difference
is set forth in the fifth resolution adopted
by the State Council at Montgomery in
November, 1855, and re-aftirmed by the