Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-09-09
From the Char lesion Mercury.
TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE SOUTH CAROIlSA
COLLEGE.
NO, III,

It has been objected to the College, that 1t
fosters an arislocratic spirit. In the sense III
which those who use the expression intend II
to be understood. no charge could be more
cruuI,ilcss The dlrc,.t REVERSE is true. nave
known the College and Collcgiails 4 long tine !;
lived in tue Campus no very alort portion :"
IN or,Iinary Lille and since, have seen Snclety
in its various phases throughout the Cnitcr
States; and assert that nowhere have ever
seen the fictitious distinctions growing out o
cytlancolls circumstances so little regarded, a.
among the students of the South Carolina Col
lore. There is all aristucracy acknowledged
there. and God forbid the: the Stree and equal"
doctrines SHOULD ever oLlitcrate the distinctions
established by such al aristociacy. 1t Is the
aristocracy of talent, courage, generosity, sooa
nature and truth, as tppoicd to opposite 'lia!i-
tics. What graduate OF the College Is 'he's
who has not been astonislIel st the slldden anu
as it has seemed to him, almost miraculous ec-
yation Of sCmc stupid, little-souled classmates
alter his return home, whose family connexions
and pccuniary expectations counted Tor nothing
while in College They do not even accept
"s.nk" as the "guinca's stamp" the m"n,S
the goltl," weighed and recognized by stand
ard. perhaps rot always 4 just one, but at least
their own. The most jealor, democrat may
rest assured that the arstocracy oI birth ara
wealth will help weak, mean BOBBY, lar less
in College than it will in after lite.
Some have made to the College an opposite
obiection-that there is too. much of :" COM
mnnism.n This, I think merit; and my ap-
prccation Of this caused my only doubt as to
ibe propriety of abolishing the commons" or
stewards hall" / believe that the soft city
youth. with his inevitable touch of cockneyiSm,
and tile luxurious, pampered son Of the lower
country planter-though either OF them Is apt
to be sufficiently selfapprcciatiyc, yet, Tor the
most part, oyer-scnstive and shrinklng-arc as
much improved by contact and collision with
thc bar(liier and more self-reliant, manhood OF
the up country, as the latter are by the more
thorough scholarship, superior polish, refine
ment and dclicacy of sentiment of their lower
country associates The association IS mutually
beneficial.
It is this which has contributed, more than
ANYTHING else to harmonize and unite feeling
and opinion in the State. Our State Constltu-
ton, eulosized by Mr.. Calhoun, and the pride
of every South Carolinian who is really proud
of South Carolina, but for the influence of the
College, would long since have fallen before the
aLLaCkS Vi plCJuuiISJ NiSiiA"ooO"H'SHii ~ "
spirit of shallow, narrow and sciolistic reform.
If the College goes, farewell to that state of
things where Lowndes, Chcves, and Calhoun,
were united in action-where Calhoun, Nc
Dutiic, Hayne, Hamilton, and Miller, were as
! one man-where, for thirty years, the State
has known no serious division in politics, except
on questions of cypcdiency. Farewell to that
unity in sentiment and opinion which has made de
South Carolina small as she IS, the centre ana
rallying point of State Rights resistance; as
Massachusetts has been perhaps owing to the
influence of Harvard, of the antagonistic princi-
pies Of cncroaching Federal power. 1t is the
educated intellect, and the trained and develop
ed morale of State, which gives it tone, CHAR
actcr, and direction.
Let tho Board of Trustees beware Of any
action whicl. may mperil the existence of this
Invaluable institution. 1t has resisted its enc
mics. The Board, hope, will not give point
tc the familiar adage, save Inc from my
friends"
! shall not dwell on tho recent unfortunate