Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-12-17

No mi GUY Uuua win slaves, and The gentle
man, with all his theoretical notions, could not
| set them free. He would own them HIMSELF
have no doubt, if it was bis interest. Laughter
| dare say he might govern them very well. ]
have not The least doubt Of that. do not think
he would be 4 worse man for it. According to
notion, If we were involved in war with Spain,
and North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina,
and the States on the Gulf were to send their
young men to Cuba, and the soil was wet with
their blood shed in acquiring that territory, the
northern portion would have right to 90 in
and drive out the survivors and take it. That
is about his proposition, because he says, if it
is acquired the North will not let us own it, AS
that would be an expansion of slavery have
never contended for the expansion Of slavery
by Congress as IN element of power. But this
fact, gentlemen, must stare you in the face
that we ire in minority, destined to lie ! mi
norty continually. and you never made war
upon US until YOU acquired the majority.
Mr. WADE. We never made war upon you
at all.
Mr.. BUTLER Now, sir, the gentleman says
he does not wish to interfere with tie inslilu.
ton of slavery in the Statos. do not know
that he does; but have heard of Il man who
said he would not burn another's barn, but he
would set fire all around the woods. Laughter.
If you are in prairie, and there is house in
the midst of it, you arc not willing to burn the
house, but you will set fire TO the grass These
associations have put out pamphlets which have
been circulated as far as they could be eircula-
ted; and that is an attack on slavery. When
was this done? 1appeal to you, when was it
none? Not until you OCCURRED power. Hav-
ing acquired it, you have attempted 10 exercise
it to some extent | am glad to know that there
is different opinion in the North.
Now, gentlemen, let me ask some of you
question. You have had associations fatal, in
agree with the Senatar from Ohio, that when
the Union shall have survived the Constitution,
and be made the instrument of sectional ascen.
dency to either one or the other, | would despise
it ps despise tyrant. Constitutional liberty
will stand by. As long as am in this Union,
under the present Constitution, you will hear
me maintain nothing which in my opinion is
inconsistent with the continuance of the
Union on fair terms; but the moment you
acquire such an ascendency as to elect the
two chief executive officers from the northern
section to the exclusion Of the South | can tell
you what will be the result. There will be no
language of acerbiy You will find tue people
settling down very quietly. DO not think there
will be any great noise | am opposed to at
tanning m end through anarchy. do not wish
to approach anything through anarchy and vio-
lence; and | believe there is too much sense in
this country to force Us TO 60 to war when we
cannot agree. Lot and Abraham were brothers ;
but when they could not exactly agree, one said
to the other, lyon take the left hand, and
will take the right" and perhaps they were bet
ter friends afterwards than they had been be-
fore. Here, however, there is no necessity for
any such attitude, if you will but observe the
Constitution.
The Senator from Ohio his indicated another
proposition to which shall advert. It is sub
stantially, "We have right TO agitate US much
as we please in our section, and it the agitation
reaches yours it is not our lookout" That
was not formerly the understanding. There
was no such agitation at the beginning of this
Confcderacy. Now, will some of the Senators
on The other side, who are in affiliation with the
Abolitions,s and Frec-Soilers, tell me who
wrote nm article on this subject in the last Octo-
Der number of the Edinburgh Review? wish
some of them to answer me.
Mr.. WADE and Mr WILSON. do not know
Mr.. BUTLER. You have not only agitated by
your own speeches and action, but assert be.
fore the American people that you have brought
into your service, either directly or indirectly
! the public press Of Great Britain-your rival