Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-06-25
TIE SOUTH CAROLINA DEMOCRACY.


and now look to concerted action with our fellow
citizens of the Democratic creed for security, are
fai,hless 10 our anrecee~s and untrue to onr State
Never was more incorrect more unkind PROPOSE
ton advanced.
We speak for ourself when We say that ntshange
has, or ever WILL come the faith we cherished in
the Secession movement of 1851. We still conscen-
tousIy believe that it was the true policy for the
time and that, had it been carried ont properly ny
our State the result would have been either imne'
iate and thorough reform of The abuses Of the Grnera
Government or the speedy establishment OF southern
Confederation. But how stands the matter now !!
By The decision of 1882 the State of South Carroll.
na was committed to The policy Of co operation; and
when this decision wns clearly manifested at The
ballot box in the fall of that year, the storm of Seces-
sion had passed forever-and we all acqnesced' or
affected TO acQnesce, in the decree OF the popular
mind. IInwererit it was with others, we are one OF
those who claim 10 ave been honest in that acqnies-
crnce Never was truth more apparent lnSfanfcr,
an ,la, our favori,e policy Secession, lay dead in
its trenches; And, turning from its contemplation
with mixture of pride and regret, we asked oursel
what next are We to do! The answer was obvious.
Our brothers in South Carolina, who had opposed
what they termed the rash experiment Of Secession, still
occupied The worthy stronghold of Southern Rights
They declared it 10 be their purpose to act in concert
with their Southern sisters for the preservation of
those rights. They arowed that, even with Georgia
Alone they ready 10 abide TO the last breach the
tests involved in that series Of propositions so well
known as the Georgia platform. Was it then for the
natriosecessionst because his chosen plan Of redress
had been put aside, 10 sit down in spitefu chagrin
aud do nothing more in the cause OF his hnme and
his institutions Was it rather his duty 10 fall in
at once and heartily as the PECULIARLY Of his posi-
,iun would permit, with the views of the dominant
party in South Carolina! Thee is but ore reply 10
the question. Such assuredly was his duty; And
throughout the State, with few exceptions, such
was The course of our party. So generally has it
been thus, that already, in The short space OF four
wears, almost every vestige of That heated internal
strife has disappeared, and again find ourselves,
in South Carolina, united people. To say that
srcessonisis have rececd is rs untrue 10 assert
that co-operatonsts have played false. Both parties
stand honestly where the trial of 52 left them. They
have dropped their differences with nIbcness sell
dom witnessed in political life. They ceased recrimi.
nations almost as The battle was lost and won
and have been inerchanging kind tones and acts ol
conciIialon all over The State, until At ergih We are
sworn sons Of the same mother again. And what
now is our position? C.,
There is but one party amongst us that deserves
name and it is the Democratic party. fragment ol
that party is disposed still 10 keep the Stale in tie
condition Of isolation she has occupied for years
past But the great body of it, made up as much ol
secrssianss of co.operalionss, is convinced that
the day has come when South Carolina should stand
shoulder to shoulder with those Of her cu-Saies whose
,es,ines are linked with hers for veal or for Voc
that sir. should no longer shun the heat and burden
of the day in whatever honorable field Of exerilo may
be presented her by those whose object is at once
the maintenance OF Southern equality and the triumph
of the Constitution These are friends, wherever
found. These are orr brothers, who stand ready tc
welcome us to that only moe Of cooperation The cir
cumslances of the day will justify, cooperation with
the free and bold Dem cracy of the country. Is Il
reasonable is PATRIOTIC 10 rcsisth influence Which
now draws us by the triple chord of interest, honor
and duty, TO the great ruling party Of the SoaM The
name and authority Of Calhoun are sometimes adver
led to by those who urge(!) the State TO inactivity
But is there man in South Carolina who dream
that our mghX dsanFsAb sn sat adss fFea Sf5
lion-and actual, industrious participation ioo-in 9
struggle wEnse result may decide the fate OF The
American Union! Take Mr.. CALHOUN where he
y as when stricken down in death. Recall his d"rE
concern for the American Union, as then expressed
Remember his earnest wish that he could bs spare,
TO make one more speech in the American Senate tc
stay the downward tendency of the government
! Bear in mind his idea of double Presidency,
scheme prompted By the desire Of aaying strife be
tween Ihe sections. And will any one say that his
intellect and patriotism r herc) would not now grasT
the occasion Of Soucrn unaninily, no. only 10 vim
cale Southern rights, bul also 10 save the Conrdcr
acy! Can any one duub bu; HAT lie woul lead hi,
State into The great political battlefield of 1856 anu
plant her colors in the very heart Of each honorable
engagement To think Otherwise, would be 10 es
! TEEN him disu.Ionisr per Sc. Such was not Nj
| CALHOUN. Suc! were mol The nullile:s Of 1883
Such were not the Secessiu;sis Of 1851 Such are
not the Caro- lima Democrats Of to-day And it is boil
wrong and superficial to assert that who was q
disciple Of Calhoun, nullfer and s.crssionis, can
not consistently acl with the Democracy Of The
country precisely as the true Democrats Of Soul
Carolina are at this time doing. y plain and pa
irioic course is THEIRS and it will be approved By the
voice of the commonwealth. Tie trne gUml Of tic
country is their aim, and the history of the next few
| years will show that they have been wise in time
As fur the taunts which have been unnecessarily
flung ii the South Carolina representation in the Gin
cinnali Contention, there is need Of retort. They
are uf themselves nimsy, rs 10 fall harmless half
way of the mark. That representation, every unpre
iudrcd mind will admit, acted for The hest according
10 lie circumstances thai surrurIn I'd them. They
! went, determined 10 throw tie influence of SUuIl
! Carolina in favor Of PIERCE. They did so fairly and
s9uarcly conjunction w their southern co adaors
But they failed Again, they rallied 10 the banner O
DOUGLAS along ,rih many Of their southern coGLlm
tiois. And again they failed. Tile majority oflhose
with whom they were assembled IN convention over
| ruled their preferences by The nomination of Il Third
man, BUCHANAN and the Srulh, and South CarOtiao
with the South yirluousy and wisely agreed to sustain
thai venerable statesman. And thus they wen
through the Convention. What more could our dele
CATION do! That South Carolina had but eight votes
was no fault of theirs. The States real Influence
before the country (slna Of her children
choose TO consider ~ d' ublless far greater III
Convention than ont Of it. Was il not really as IS
! TOO! She was received into that Convention gladly
especially ON the part Of her Southern allies and,
compliment 10 her course Of aclipn her seaport was
selected The place of meeting for tile next conven.
ton She is now where she should be. in unreserve
aililialion with her friends and sympa,hzers in the
! Union. Let her continue to act with them warmly
and energc,cay II is only thus that she can be al