Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-08-20
remember the fate of the frog in the table, that tried
10 initiate the bull-and stop.
Yours Respectfully,
JOSEPH GRIFFITH.
For the Advertiser,
TO JOSEPH GRIFFITH, ESQ.

+ Dir: an IHoSL ihppy lH uuElh9 UeeH ieSSueo" ~
your kind communication, from that contempt, into
which my unfortunate attempts had sunk me. My
gratitude to the Lion Of the tribe, knows no bounds.
How shall words express it7 The travail Of your
soul, when you have to marshal the language. un-
acknowledged BY you, Of the Elder Pitt, Lord
Mansfield, and Of the vencrated Apostle Paul, him.
SELF in producing botchcd and irrelevant reply to
me, indicates n very different feeling in your bosom
than contempt which you will visit upon me just
about as soon rs You will your pity or compassion.
It will he we'll for me not TO merit this latter, il your
article is any index of your disposition and temper.
Take care how you suggest this idea of contempt to
the public mind. The ground upon which you
stand is no prccarious that you should shudder. at
that on,inous word. And, to be frank with YOU
if had been your enemy my vengeance would have
been more than satisfied by your hourishing debut
in the papers. | was not your enemy though,
was dcsirous Of discussing with you grave subject
and have been answered, by something, frequent
ly bordering on unmeaning and hippant pelulaney.
I asked for bread. and you have given me stone !;
or should rather say, something agreeable neither
to the sight, taste smell, but offensive to all the
senses. If am young man, the community will
tolerate little redundant nonsense issuing from
>uch source but from a father, and one who has
been teacher of youth it requires lessons Of Pract-
cal wisdom, and food which shall be Wholesome 10
the country, and to posterity.
Men, Of course, are compelled to admire your
dashng gallantry, when you interpose your manly
form between your friends and the lashes Of satire,
the renomous fang of SANDER and the bighting
curses of the destroyer; and they would naturally
sorrow over the discontinue Of such akniaht, sans
peur-sans reproche," ---- in this degenerate
age But they suspect that you have somewhat
mistaken yourself when you intimate that you
would rather suffer On attack ourself than witness
IN assault upon your steady friends-that solid
Spartan phalanx who rally around you in all times
Of dsmay. That is conception altogether super
human-a little transcendng the most romantic i'm
pulses of chivary. It is q glorious sentiment, bnt
too subimated either for man, for spirit or ,ae
| Devil.
But, sir, you speak Of assaults, and traductinn,
and dismal war Of ruin and determination upon
you, as if your party were not the real a9Grcssors
Who commenced this controversy in Edgeiied Dis
trict, but the Division party WIN, since 1852,
have been nursing and tanning the fires Of discon-
lent in every little angle and corner Of our once
harmonious District buttAe Division party2 Who,
fr the last four years, have been starting up every
| L.,
flowing Cannadian, to distract the public mind and
the public vote, but the Division party Who have
noutcd the questions Of giving the election OF Mass
trates, Of Governor, Of Commissioner in Equity, OF
Judges, of Coroner Of Ccnsus-takcr, Of Eschcator.
and Of Commissioners Of Roads, Bridges aud Fer
res and of Free-schools, and Of superintendent Of
the Village Pump, to the people, but the Division
party2 Who have held eaucuses and public meet
ings, almost weekly, at Red Bank. at Shady Grove,
and at every untenanted Cabin on Big Creek and
Little Saluda, wherein almost every question at war
with the existing order Of things, and with the peace
and composurc of this society, has been asitated
md discussed with fiery vapuuring, but the Division
party3 Who, BY the confession Of their own High
VOWS more indissoluble than those which unite
,lasons in life and death, and have even suffered
the Church Of the Living God to be swallowed up
in the greedy vortex Of their ORDER but the Division
party? Who have not only decresd innumcrable
changes in our judicature and in our system OF
State government, but have resolved upon the ex,
cusion from Office Of every citizen who independently
rfusrs to join their unlal!owed fraternity 1t is
ihe Division party. They have begun the contest
md carried it on at WILL and, despite the forbear-
ncc of the rest Of the District they have per force
brought it to arms They have raised spirit I"
resistance Which will never down at the bidding o
luy MIN or set of men, until obtan security for
, community which has been irra'ed anl driicd TO
| the teeth.
What in!ercnce can any sensible maa, not idrntl.
lied with the Division pnrty. possibly draw from
your resolution at Richardson's passed .ong ago, and
rc-rrsoved in other parts, but thu; state OF hos
ti!ity exists between him and you, by your own
su!rnn declaration? The drift Of your resolution
H,s that you would support, for all offices ofhonor,
profit or trust, the Nun OF men most favorable Ia
iividn. the District. That rcsulve is unrcpra'cd
.ud all men know that you Lave acted up TO it and
Ire dc,ern,ine! 10 continue in so dung, 1T every
cust and hazard \ numerous GnGy of excellent
citizens dlcr with you. What are they to do ?
rhcy scc that in general scramble for office, you
will invariably elect your friends, by giving them
an exclusive vote Of two or three hundred, to the
defeat of other good men, perhaps ten times better
qualified for all the duties of Legislation is well as
ii. society than they Is that to be borne by intel-
| rent frecmen? Mo- An issue must and 1oiH be
made with you at the ballot box. 1t is the duty OF
every friend justice 10 sustain such an issue and
% dcf4t your par,isans at every election, until you
repeal your obnoxious resolution and adopt course
If proceeding characterized by higher spirit OF
ihcrlity You may depend upon it, that the voters
will not now allow you 10 dodge the question OF
iuur own making, by starting an Infinite number oil
,thcr paltry issues, about which the people have
~ CONCERN. What care the people at this
iuncure far the question Of giving the election Of
Electors of President and Vicc-Pr silcnt to them
selves? The election Of President takes place be-
ore any action could be Lad on such al issue and
ample time for the discussion Of that great and
doubtful matter will intervene helrc the expiration
nf the next Presidential term. Were it hot I'M
pertinent, I would ask you, il the late calls upon
the Candidates for their opi;ns "n the subject just
treated Of, was not prepared ana signed, after due
consultation, almost alone by the Division party !!