Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-01-23
EXTRACTS FROM AN ADDRESS BY SAMUEL
McE0WAN. ES0R.


As samples of this very chaste and sensi
bic production, delivered before the Literary
Societies of Erskine College, in August last
we have selected, somewhat at random, the
following impressive passages:
"On the fourth of July, l776, the place
where we now stand was on the very verge
of civilization in the Province of South Caro-.
lima. A short distance hence-at the point
where the trail from Ninety.Six to the Keo.
wee crossed the Cherokee boundary-stood
a small Indian clearinghouse, known as
Dewett's Corner. Hostilities had then al
ready commenced between Great Britain
and her Colonies Fort Moultrie, hastily
constructed of spungy logs from its immedi-
ate vicinity, and fighting under the famous
crescent banner of blue, had already driven
the Fleet of Sir Peter Parker shattered and
defeated, from the harbor Of Charleston, and
by that heroic achievement had given renown
to the Palmetto and proud device to the
escutcheon the embryo State. The Cher.
okee Indians, urged by Cameron and other
British agents, and stimulated by the hope OF
plunder, and of revenge for all their boarded
wrongs, real aud imaginary, had, in violation
of recent treaties, seized the tomahawk,
crossed the border near this place, and rush.
ed, with savage ferocity, upon the exposed
inhabitants of the frontier. Captain Aaron
Smiths family on Little River, consisting Of
fifteen souls, male and female, white and
black, had all been massacred, except two
sons. One of these had escaped to White
Hall and alarmed that settlement; whilst the
other hard pressed by barbarians thirsting
for his blood, had succeeded in reaching the
residence of Mr.. Francis Salvador on Cora.
naca Creek and there, holding up the bleed.
ing stumps of his mutilated hands, told the
fearful tale of slaughter, and reused the
scattered settlers of that vicinity to rally,
for the double purpose of avengng their
murdered neighbors and Of protecting their
own 6re.sides and families.
This irruption of the Indians upon the
Western border Of the Province, was doubt
less intended to be simultaneous with the
attack on Charleston and the Sea.board; and
on the morning of the day rendered ever
memorable by the declaration of American
independence, Dewett's Corner was deser-
ted-Major Downes, and the people Of Ra-
buns Creek were besieged by he Ghsfoteees e5;
Williamson and Mr.. Salvador, with mus
ter of militia hastily collected, and still col.
lectng, lay at Holmes field on Hogskin
Creek. This little army Of militia, soon
afterwards crossed the border, and took aud
burnt most of the lower Towns, among
which was Esseneca, where the lamented
Salvador fell and was brutally scalped by
the ruthless enemy. 1t also penetrated into
the middle settlements and valleys, and in.
ficted upon the whole nation Of Cherokees,
including the Over.hills, such signal chas-
tisement for their treachery and bloody
foray, that they sued for peace, and conclu-
ded treaty with South Carolina and Geor-
gia, by which they acknowed ged themselves
vanquishcd and ceded to South Carolina all
the territory lying on this side Of the Oconee
mountain. This treaty was made by the
representatives of the different parties, in
May l777, and as if by sort of poetcal
Justice was signed at Dewetts Corner, near
the place where tie war had been commen.
ced by indiscriminate massacre and mid
night murder.
Seventy.nine years have passed and gone,
and how different the scene! How great
the change that has taken place 1t is al
most beyond the power of imagination to
compass it. After the Declaration Of lnde.
pendence, that struggle, in which our ances.
tors had been engaged, was no longer pet
ty defence against Indian depredations, or
merely the resentful rebellion of revolted
subjects; but it became great war of de.
liberate and settled purpose; and in that
character, Notwithstanding many reverses,
especially in South Carolina, it was waged
heroically, until our National independence
was formally acknowledged by the proudest
power on the face Of the earth, and recorded
for the purposes of history in the treaty of
Paris 1883.
"In view, then, of our great progress in
the past, and our high hopes OF the future
in view of the glorious mission set before US,
and of the high destiny which we may fair
ly suppose is intended for US as people--it
becomes every man of US to do bis duty
his duty to himself, his duty to others, and
his duty to his country. That we may be
enabled to discharge our duty, it is necessary
to understand what it is; and for this pur-
pose it is well now and then to recur to first
principles--to glance at the point from
which we started-to observe the direction
in which we are tending-to examine how
far we have advanced, and the causes OF
such ACKNOWLEDGEMENT we have been
retarded, and the reasons why; and to draw
from such views useful and practical lessons
for our improvement and future guidance.
This occasion is perhaps proper one
for US to take such a reckoning-to examine
the auspices, and interrogate the oracles as
to our reasonable hopes and destiny, and
especially to recall, if possible, our whole
duty touching the great subject Of education
The first great king of Macedon, when
be had attained to such grandeur that he
was supposed to be in danger of. being car.
ried away by the adulation Of sycophants
and Aatterers, and of forgetting who and
what he was, had the wisdom to keep a
servant in his employment, whose duty ii
was to proclaim in his hearing, every day
before he gave audience Philip, remem
Der thou art mortal" In the Same way
there are some fundamental truths, which
though they are neither new nor striking, il
is important to proclaim before the people