Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-06-11

y in another, and thus the compact itself woul
II be in the hands of simple majority in Coz
t gress, instead of in the hands of the States wh
9 made it. The organic law of this Confederac
e was made by three.fourths of the States, an
! they alone can add to or take from it. There
: no human tribunal can do it but them; and tn
} country will sink down into the imBecility q
7 slaves, if they submit to anything short Of tina
} These were our difficulties. And that part Q
] the Constitution which enjoins the rendition Q
| fugitives from labor had become obsolete. Ken
lucky, Virginia and Maryland felt the grievanc
too heavy 70 be borne. Now, how stand tn
great issues? True, we have been wronge
deeply wrongcd in the past history of an unne
cessary amount of revenue too heavy. But
tariff, embracing the principles of free trade, o
at least abolishing specifics and minimums, ha
The Democratic party, in its triumph, broke
cific and minimum duties, expressly for protec
tion, and passed the tariff of ls46, with its az
ralorem as substitute. True, the ad ualorem
is entirely too high, and the revenue beyond all
that is necessary, and the heavy disbursements
are corrupting, and ought to bo reduced. But
the vital principle Of protection, specifics and
minimus, is destroyed. They grew up from the
Tariff of 1916 and bacame the centre Of exis-
tence to a protective tariff-another corrupt
branch of the system Bank, is destroyed, and
the Cumberland road, with canals, was the GEN.
tire of the corrupt system of internal improve
ments. 1t is now abandoned, and there has
been no appropriation for it since 1887. The
great issues are now changed. A Southern
Senator, Mr.. Mason, from Virginia, penned the
fugitive slave law to enforce the Constitution on
that point. A northwestern Senator from a
non-slaveholding Slate introduced and carried
triumphantly by the force of his genius the re-
peal Of the Missouri restriction The North
now complains of grievances. They demand
the restoration of this Missouri line-the repeal
of the fugitive slave law. They demand the
abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia
and the regulation of the slave trade between
the States, aud that no new State with slavery
shall hereafter be admitted. These are all posi-
tive measures. They require action-ofensive
moves. We stand on the defensive. The Gov
ernment, at last for the first time in twenty-five
years, has made platform we can stand upon.
We sustain it. The North wages war upon it.
Heretofore, when We complained of grievances,
if any portion of the South made specific
movement for redress, other portions would OPP
pose it, and we were divided. Now the North
has to move, and when they propose specific
action they in turn will be divided, and must be
from the very nature of things, and with the
South united and the North divided, ace can con-
troll this Union, if we but have wisdom and pa
triotism to perceive what is right, and to do it
manfully and truthfully.
1t is provincial craftsmanship not TO UNDER
stand the issues and comprehend the great
changes in the country. We need no platform
ttfs Government flssF III nat !. Mn
President at its head, andA it is strong enough
and wide enough for US to stand upon it boldly,
and if they make platform below that, they
must fall themselves. The North itself has
been overrun and prostrated by a corrupt and
profigate combination of parties amongst them.
selves, and there is no hope for the honest and
true there, but in the Constitution and the aohole
Constitution. We 90 for that Constitution as
broad enough for us all. AS long as we are in
the Union am for discharging alt-our dutles
faithfully, and fully, under that Union: scorn
and despse to affect one thing and to feel anoth-
er If we are going for secession that is another
thing. But as long as we are part OF this con-
federacy let us do our duty, manfully and faith
fully, to the country, The achole country-and nolh-
inc but the countrH. These are my sentiments.
A Senator from non.slaveholding State in
the northwest introduced repeal OF the Mis-
souri, compromise, and by his ability and energy
carried it through triumphantly by the assistance
Of northern votes. And here pay my tribute
to brave and talented man-herc, in the very
centre and heart of South Carolina, take pride
in rendering my cordial appreciation TO very
intellectual and intrepid statesman. And shall
we refuse to stand by those who have planted
themselves in the breach made by the tanatical
and the factious in the institutions OF our coun-
try-who stand with Douglass on the very out.
er wall, and wave the flag of constitutional
equality? No! no! Render justice to whom
Justice is due.
Shall we turn our backs with Indifference up
| on the President, who nobly stands in the very
portals that lead to the Temple Of our common
liberties bearing as he does aloft in one hand,
the sword of Justice and in the other the agis
of the Constitution Shall we refuse to nerve
his patriotic arm! Shall we refuse TO stand by
him? No no!-every feeling of my nature re-
volts at atit-every impulse Of my heart warns
me to the contest.
But it is said, that to stand by our friends in
every emergency is to endanger the virtue OF
our men-is to bring them into contact with cor
ruption!! And has it come to ths-that South
Carolina has sunk so low that she has no sons
who can be trusted in the common councils OF
our sister States? If we are thus prostrate'
poor indeed we must be-and in truth it is time
that our guardians should be appointed. But
there is danger of our becoming corrupted with
federal offices, if we 60 for choosing sound
and true President !! We have no mo.
motive except to engage in scramble tor
federal offices! J! All! have right to say
that there are men here, who can trample the
livery and trapping of federal honors beneath
their feet in the dust of the earth if incompatl,
BILE with the honor and hts of South Carolina
tell gentlemen, that there are those here, who
disdain
"To crook the pregnant hinges Of the knee,
Where thrift may follow fawning."
throw back the insinuation in pity and con
tempt. If there be any son of South Carolina
who, on account of his character and devotion
to the Constitution, may be thought worthy o
Federal power, why may he not wear the badg
with honor! There is nothing at present in tn
attitude of the State to forbid it. No-let u
, do our duty-let us do what is right in forbear
ing liberality to those who differ with US. D.
openly and fairly what is right, and my life OF
it South Carolina will sustain u.s.
Low.CouNTRY WuEAT.-We have receive
3l II