Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-01-09
mr.. TiiImants speeeh Continued.

better than good government administered by
bad ones. If any ono stilg doubts my assertion
thatan .oligarshy rules South Carolina, let me
ask it. the people rule it, and put case to him
as evidence of the fact. Suppose q large ma
jority Of the people of Soutla Capolina were to
dssire and So express themselves, that my friend
from Ab6sSille, (AEr. CeGewAN,( should be elec.
ted theis Governor or United States Senator
could the Will Of the people be carried out if
Il confieted with the wishes, feelings, or prin-
ciples of a majority of this Legislature? No,
sir: and this House knows it. Talk Of the
people of South Carolina ruling The State! They
have nothing to, do with it, but an odious, cum
ning- tyrannioaE Intriguing oligarchy rule it.
Yes, sir, an oligarehy, for will not disgrace the
English language by calling it an aristocracy,
which can, mt least, respect in proper way
If the will of the people of South Carolina had
been carried out in elections by this assembly,
many reputed great man would have enjoyed
his greatness in the shades of private life, his
merit unknown to any one but himself, while
either men with real genius, modesty, purity
and independence of character would have filled
the places, instead of being shelved, or thurst
a.de, and at times having their fair fame backen-
ed by calumnies and falsehood, invented and in
dus;riously circulated to calm the popular mind.
And it is thus that our olig,rchy rule or ruin
every man who tries TO think, speak or act for
himself.
L have said that ws have no newspapers which
discuss State politics, and that it il the business
oflhe parishes to gag thsm; | will now add,
ttati is. the business Of The oligarchy to pre-
vent discussion on fundamental State measures,
and wiIlconsider the two propositions together
|. believe it -was Harrison who said that the
people can always feel, though they can but sell
dom see. This is emphaticalIy true of our people.
They are in a ferment now, and have heen for
some time, but they are welded to their district
idols, who sacrifice them to the gods of Coum-
5ja- Time and again have grave questions of
State policy been agitated in one, two, or three
districts in the up.country, and controlled the
local elections, under the lead of good men and
tue; but no Simultaneous movement can ever
be made throughout the up-country, until the
people can see what they must do. While the
fires of agitation are burning in one district the
cold calmnsss ct death reigns, perhaps, in q
neiyhberng district because its oligarchsts its
prants for Office here, cry - conservatism! con-
servatissap and deneunce the reatftends of the
people as demagogues, anarchists, and call them
by other Infamous names Hence only spasmodic
or disjoine6 efforts; have been made'ia favor
ofany refors. The oligarchy and the papers,
for their own selfish ends, are trying all the time
to divert the minds of the people from their own
business-their own affairs-their own institu-
tions, to those ofthe federal government Now,
fcauaot account satisfactorily 10 myself, upon
any other ground thun the one have stated,
for the wonderful desire of South Carolina, un-
der the lead of the oligarchy, who are under the
control Of the parishes to be eternally picking a
quarrel with Uncle Sam. They never let him
rest in peace. When he is right they suspect
him, and when he is wrong they abuse him.
Laughter. They are never contented with
him, and cannot, for my existence, account for
it, as before said, upon any ground than that it
is principle with small human nature to make
a fuss. Continued laughter We are all
acquainted with that little animal. to which the
ladies are so partial, and vsiri is inclined at
times to make any amount Of fuss. Laughter !
And / am afraid it is characteristic of little men
to do the same thing. They are afraid that their
Importance will not be adrnitted-that their
nanheod will not be recognised, and are ever
ready for u 6ght,, or at least for a quarrel, to
make good theif pretensions. !. Laughter. But
at the same time, you will always find in regard
to them, great difference between talking and
doing, for they invariably exhibit their peculiar
chasaeteris.ics upon every trying OCCASION
These parishes are continually getting up a
quarrel somewhere. and admit that they car.
ricd ne off in their last one-seccsson. But, not
~ithstanding their great partiality for quarrel
: ling, when the Mexican war came on, out of
eleven companies in the Palmetto Regiment,
only two OF the parish districts, Charleston and
Sunpter, sent any soldiers to fight our battles.
do not wish to impugn the courage of the
uhnoh h,,o D,,tT 7 A.
that it is tho nature Of small communities, as of
most small men, to be forever quarreling.
do not blame the parishes for holding on to
their conservatism. 1t is our duty, to make
them yield Power IL sweet 1t is like reli.
gion, property, the principle Of exchange, or any
other great principle That moves men in masses.
We must compel them 10 part with their abso-
lutte power over both the Offices and the !egisla-
turc of the. States 1t sfsheer nonsense then TO
oppose giving the election of electors to the
people for fear that it will disturb the sectional
relations of The State, and even if it should, it
ought to be done, because, as the parishes have
held sway so long, it is but right that our Sec
tion. which is in truth the State, should rule
awhile now. have never heard but four argu.
ments advanced in defence of the parish system,
and will meet them in detail: lst 1t is alleged
that the parishes have superior intelligence TO
the districts. I'd. That they have more property.
Sd. That ithey;awn more slaves; and 4th That
they have antagopistic mterests TO the up coun.
try. Although there may have been some force
in the first argument half century ago, there
is certainly none now. But, on the contrary, |
believe the 'reyerseis true. The single district
of'Abbcville has more colleges and high schools
than all the parishes put together, to say nothing
of Wofford College, of Furman University,
Johnson University, &c.
The same may be said of the property OF
the two sections. The parishes once had
more undoubtedly, but have shown from
the best data to be obtained, that now the
districts have above S53,OOOOOO more OF
property than the parishes And so also as
to slaves. The districts now pay taxes for
6l,O62 slaves more than the parishes. |
concede that the low country did once own
twice as many slaves as the up country,
chiefly on account Of being an older com.
munity and nearer the sea board, while the
slave trade was re opened between 1904
and 1908. But things have now changed,
and although it was doubtless right that the
parishes should have. had negative on leg
islation in 1908 when our dearly beloved
compromise was adopted, yet the reasons
no longer exist. The districts now have
slaves to protect, as we'll as the parishes,
and all our laws. operate equally on slaves
wherever found in the State. Now for the
alleged antagonistic interests of the two
sections. Both sections it must be conceded