Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-05-15
8. CAROLINA AND THE UNION.


We admire the State pride and lofty dis
interestedness of South Carolinians. The
character and condition of her people affords
ample proof that Southern institutions do
net operate injuriously on the physical COM
fort, the morals, or intelligence of society.
With so much that is valuable and desirable
to preserve, we do not wonder that she is
highly conservative in feeling, probably more
so than any State in the Union. We concur
with her that it would be reasonable and
profane to initiate, at the South, the restless
spirit Of change and innovation exhibited by
the now dominant party at the North. But
we widely differ with her as to thebest means
of stemming this incoming tide Of innova.
ton. Political disunion would not bring
about intellectual disunion. Public opinion
is fabricated in Western Europe, for that is
the centre of thought and fashion for Chris.
tendon. Thence it finds its way through
our North to the South. The current Of
thought, thus setting in upon us, will be sure
to subvert cur institutions, unless we can
check its advances; by origiuatinga counter.
current atthe South. There will be no long
truce, or drawn battle, between institutions
so opposite in their morals, their tendencies
and their influences, as ours and those of
Western Europe and the North. We are
essentially one people, having similar wants,
religion, thoughts and interests, and control
led by. one public opinion, however different
our existing political institutions.
Social forms so widely differing as those
of domestic slavery, and (attempted) univer-
sal liberty, cannot long co-exist in the Great
Republic of Christendom. They cannot be
equally adapted to the wants and interests
of society. The one form or the other must
be very wrong, very i'll suited, to promote
the quiet, the peace, the happiness, the mo-
rality, the religion and general well-being
Of the community. Disunion will not allay
e1citementa and investigation-much less be-
get lasting peace. The war between the two
systems RACES everywhere; and will contin.
ue to rage till the one conquers and the other
is exterminated. If with disunion We could
have "the all and end all there" theinduce.
ments would but inspire our European and
American adversaries with additional zeal,
and Raks tAs# iH1a asafe1 fas ta tss
adduce to show that the evils of our system
are less than those of theirs.
The time is eminently propitious for addu-
cling those facts and arguments, and the South
is "about it." Our adversaries delight in
sociological discussions; for they are bold
and rash experimenters, sanguine optimists
and perfectionists, who admit that they have
not yet found the right form Of society, and
are eager to listen to the suggestions Of all
who propose to show a new road to Utopia.
Let us take the census of crime and of power
tyand of food, of the South, and of the NORTH
and Of Western Europe in one hand, and in
the other the history of the famines, the riots,
the revolutions, the infdelities, the supersti-
tions, the immoralities, the agrarianisms, and
the universal anarchical upheaving Of free
society. Let us compare the evils Of the
two forms Of society as exhibited in univer.
sal history. Let US weigh the authorities
derived from the usages Of mankindin favor
of the one or the other and finally let ms
appeal to the Bible in our defence. Within
the last two years only has the Southern
press began to adopt this mode Of dealing
with the subject. 1t has thrown down the
guage to the North, and the North will not
take it up. The North still continuesto de.
nounce slavery, but will not meet the issue,
(Which form of society has been attended
with most of good and least Of evil 7"
South Carolina, We think, should take
higher ground. Stay in the Union, and en-.
deavor to control its policy. The discussion
of the relative merits Of the opposing sys-
TENS, will beget fair and honorable rivalry
that may lead to much good. We do not
hope, nor wish, to see slavery like ours in
troduced at the North. There is no room
for black slaves, and We never wish to see
white men made slaves. But We do hope,
and expect, and believe, that conservative
men everywhere are about to adopt the prin-
ciple that men should be governed, not "let
alone" and that each one should be govern
ed according to his wants, and moral and in
tellectual capacity. This is the principle,
and is the only one that can save society from
general decentralization and dissolution. How
clearly and promptly does Carlyle portray in
his Latter Day Pamphlets this fastening Of
society into the gulf Of chaotic anarchy -
The opposite principle is that Of LassezJasre,
or political economy, which is ushering in
Mormonism, Free Love, and all the other
vile isms of the day. Every man at the
North who values the right to private prop
erty, the purity of the marriage tie, or the
sacredness Of religion, must and will unite
with us. Conservatism there sees this, and
isalready uniting with us. Disunion is low,
neutral, halfway ground, and becomes not
the chivalry of South Carolina. She, who
was first and noblest at Molino del Rey and
the city of Mexico, should bear the foremost
banner in these civil turmoils-not stay mo-
ping and fretting in the tent. Let death or
victory be her watchword, for death or Victo-
ry it must come to. to.-Rtchmond Enquirer.
A SMART WoMAN.-A preacher not long
since, asking to stay all night at country
house, was forbidden by the lady. Know
ing her to be member of the church and
generally pleased to entertain ministers, he