Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-09-09
From the Charleston Courier.
THE MERCURY AND THE RECENT ELECTIo,

From the Charleston Courier
THE MERCURY AND THE RECENT ELECTION.
MEssRs. EDIroEs: AS an independent citizen,
reared in the State Rights school, and uncon-
scious of having at any time deviated from the
faith, I feel constrained to enter on Indignant
protest against the attempt of the Mercury to
its own sole bcllest. This print has, for q long
time, assumed To dictate the principles the
measures and policy OF the State. In all this il
has been sufficiently narrow, proscriptive, and
denunciatory, but ii is : step beyond to under
take to select the men who shall be voted for to
sustain the principles. measures, and policy
which the .Nsrrury itself accepts.
The Mercury Of the 9th tells us that Mr..
Barker's position in the late electionswas q all
that the States Rights Democracy could desire.
set he was not hsir "man,' and their friends
throughout the State are congratulated on his
defeat. And this is proclaimed in the face OF
the admission. that What are conceded TO be true
"principles would have tTin!nphed' in his sue,
cess.
Is it to be tolerated, that 81 press is thus not
only to erect its Procrustcan bed upon which
lnen are to be placed, and the rack applied i!
they are too short, and limbs Topped off if too
long, but when o man is found to ht-Who, in
his own fair proportions, is neither too long or
too short, who IS " all that State Rights men can
desire''-yct he is put under the ban, he ard his
supporters, because he is not their man." as
meaning the Ms'rarys selection, for in examin
ing the article to which ailude, it will be secr
it can mean nothing else.
The Mercury SAYS that Mr.. Whaley notori
ously was the candidate Of the States Rights
Democratic party" When was he selected
Where nominated? How did he become their
candidate? And why, ask, was he chosen as
the standard beaer Of the States Rights Democ
racy?
/, for one, know of no meeting of the party
Of no consultation of q general character among
those usually taking an active interest in such
proceedings. Again, [ ask, BY what authority
the Mercury SAYS that Mr.. Whaley was "noto,
r:ously the candidate of the States Rights Demo,
c:atic party?"
Has it come to this that the Mercury selects
the candidate? Like other soveraigns, it raay
have IL consulting cabinet. Cabinets, however.
are usually political, and to some extent, repre-.
sent party. Is not this cabinet much more
personQL than political in its complexion
If "Mr. Barker's position is all that the States
Rights Democracy can desire, in what had Mr..
Whaley the advantage personally, so US " make
him notoriousy the candidate Of the States
Rights Democratic parry
Were lis politics mere States Rights Demo.
cratic. or: Il NmsrY, than Mr. Barriers in
1Sj0-5i, wl.cu he w;.s arlerstoDd tO arinoyc
t,o "compromi.c" and oppose secession, wIcih"y
separate or in " "cooperation?" Or when b.
acted as Vice President toa Wlig Convention
and supported General Scott for the Presidency
In, nI t,,
anti Pierce paper after his return; or. at later
p..:::,l. when he wrote his letter to Judge Ma.
grath, enrolling himself as q " National Demo
ca. and lauding the Cincinnati Convention ?''
Mere thcsc the antccelents making him par &C.
eslisncs the candidate Of the States Rights Dem.
ocratic party, in preference to Mr.. Barker, whose
anteceden:s were always States Rights and
Democratic, who declined to go as 4 dele cate
position at the time was "alp' that could he
desired?
Does it not resolve itself into this, that any
b,dy-Whig, Union-man, Compromisc-m,n Gin.
ciula;i Cvnvun;iDn-man, National Democrat,
whether he is any o.c al Of these, he becomes
the candidate Of tile Estates Rights Democratic
party" proriard the l'isrcwy and its Cabinet
approve; and any other person, through ALI
opposed during the canvass, but his defeat held
up as cause Of congratulation throughout the
State.
Will independent men, free uen, Democrats,
Santh CaroiinianS, submit to be thus Press.
ridden?
1t Is time that real States Rights men-not
selt:seek.rs but having at heart the interests Of
the State and the South firm in their own con.
yictions, but tolerant of diicrencc-contcnt to
persuade rather than drivc-dcsiring harmony
and not distraction. should unite to prevent anv
journal from assuming to dictate according to
its will, the opinions and principles Of the State,
Again, the .MelrHry speaks OF the result Of
the late election "as determining the feelings
and opinions of the people of Charleston, with
respect to parties i'll the State and the policy OF
the general government" Is it possible that
the Itfsrcury can believe that statement to be
1rnn? 1t is news to most of the voters.
Does the Mercury mean to imply that the 1899
y,.les cast iur Mr.. Whaley were States Rights
Democratic votes, and the 1913 cast for Mr..
Barker were the votes of men opposed to the
doctrines and principles OF the Southern Rights
Democracy. as expressed in the resolutions
(;auc,i,,:.i ~ the -Me,rmY.) passed at the
n,ect;::!. -. mat party in August, 1855? Does
r,f the .hcycurg know that the fact is other.
wise?
The fifth resolution adopted at that meeting
reads as follows:
"That in the opinion of this meeting the cxis-
teuce and progress of the organization, known
AZ the Order of Know-Nothings, is opposed
and practically to the principles
which have hitherto characterized South Caro-
lima as State. and the .SMthe,m Rights Party
everywhere, and render a reorganization of that
narty in South Carolina n matter Of imperative
duty with those who remain steadfast in the
faith"
One of the Editors of the Mercury was of
thc Committee which framed these resolutions
all of them approved. a
Now, the "organizaS On known as the Order
ot "know- Nothing" may or may not be dead,
u is it not "notorious' that tho majority of
hs4Rsho then constituted that Order supported
II haley: shall not pry into tho secrets
# the Merrnry's cabinet, but / doubt whether
uondan, Know.Nothings may not be found
here.
piers refused 70 cpusider. party politics as III
.h[lh n thu efeerfbh ana gave their suffragss