Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-10-07
From the clarlestoFstandard.
REJOINDER TO THE MERCURY'S REPLY.

lQlS 1)cfSecNtcSI pIluI, thtnE HULL lOuS Sillel'
ing and forbearance, has tuRed upon "its as
sailauts," in "gravc rebuke" Strange thai
such monsters should be found! Men so hard
, of heart and of spirit SO a dlgrcssive, as to "as
sair press at once SO geni and so just!
"This. duncan
Hath borne his faculties soneek; hath been
} So clear, in his great Office
That tears should drown tile wind"
Why is tue Mercury prosecuted? For myself
81 ain III blood,
Slept in so far that should Invade no more,
Returning were as tedious rs go o'er."
But to be serious. should make no reioin-
der to the 1ierc7uys labored defence, but for
the ney matter introducedg On the old points
l could but repeat myself. asNIy former numbers
still remain unanswered. The Mcrcury how
ever, true to its usual policy in not gbothering'
its readers by presenting Z both sidesy" gives
no inkli1g in its reply of the counter statement
Of facts made by !" Wide 4'0ake :" and cites the
bald propositions without any notice of the ar
gumcnt or inferences intended to sustain them.
This article, of course, will share the same fate.
On these points, then, will say but word or
two and dismiss the subject.
L.
of the Mercury, declared to the voters of Char
lesion that there was no aSinmediute issue i,l-
colred in the contest. save d personal opposition
to HIMSELF" and as voter of average intcl-
gcncc, myself declare that I was unnformed
as to any such issue of principle presented.
This is question of fact, as to which still in
sist that the Mercury was;wrong.
.. The Mercury is again wrong in point Of
fact, when it speaks of Mr::Whaley' Is addressing
'"the State Rights Party before the election"
No such meeting was held before the election.
The only meetings were those of the respective
"tfiendS" of the candidates The call to the
meeting referred to, was such as to erclWde eve
ry one not already satisfied with Mr.. Whalcy,
and to include all-Whigs, National Democrats
and Know Notlhngs-who meant to vote for
him, as well as his friends" Of the States
Rights Party.
As to the other point, affecting free discus
sion," the Mercury is especially studious to pre-
vent even the bald propositions" of Wide
Amakc" from reaching IFS readers.
have accused the Mercury of abusing its
porcr, in excluding articles, merely on the ground
that they questioned its positiuns-these arti
ees coming from politica; friends and supporters
of the paper, whilst it (the !Merc ry) reiterated
statements in regard to the State Rights Party,
disputed by these persons This, in public
political journal, was an abuse Of the "discre-
tionn vested in an etlito--a discretion which,
it is conceded, gives him the control OF the
columns Of his own paper In a paper of the
liepry. this: :abuseslasp pewss. was "a tyranny"
and the editors are responsible before the lri-
bunal of public opinion.
In what respect this position is inconsistent
with an alleged personal responsibility of an
Editor Tor an ahtlSc OF !" discretion" still more
misch;cvous, perhaps, in allowing the pubEca-
ton Of matter clearly libellous, must confess
myself unable to perceive. Both the rejection
and admission: under these respective circum-
stances arc, i'll l:iy opinion, in violation OF the
public responsibilities and drtics' binding
Oh Editors
propose, however, to notice the new matter
introduced into the ]lefcuryS defence, and
here, find that which, confess is the root Of
offence with me in the course of the Mercury.
| am one of those simple morals who think
that those really i'll earnest, who have great
enterprise in view should be anxious to enlist
coadutors enough to effect their purpose. When
| see, therefore. these engaged in an enterprise
difficult AMI pcrilous, whose position gives them
power, ll.biluaIly llsc that position to produce
distraction and diriSioa rather than unioa and
cOucar, doubt their wisdom and capacity rs
leaders. When sec the usual spirit Of intol-
crancc and prescription yielding readily to per-
sonal medilccions and interests, while i Is az
g:avatcd and intensified into recklessncSs by
local anal personal antagonism, consider such
offenders as incorrieible
The Mercury says that there arc two parties
in South Carolina" the National Democrats
and the State Rights Democrats" "National
Democracy sprung up when it was proposed
that the State should send delegates to the Gin
cinnati Convention"
shnk, .on the contrary, and I appeal to my
fcllow-citizcns TO sustain the truth Of the asser-
ton, that no such parties, as $'fch, e.rit m thc
Gin of Charleston. Tue Mercury, it is true,
las laiorcd hard 10 rr0duce such dir'S,on IN
the Democratic ranks, but hitherto Hhas taiied.
The true history is this: movement was
made bv several influential gentlemen, Tor the
purpose of arranging to send delegates to Gin
cinnati. A meeting was held, but tile popular
heart did not respond. The people were apa-
thetic and inliilcrcnt-tle masses took no part.
The individuals concerned gained nothing by
the movement; but, just as certainly, they lost
nothing. The Mercury opened it, batteries and
star flashed its red artillery" But it all end
cd ain smoke" Again there was no response.
Nobody minded the -Nercury's tllunderinss.
The neople-the great mass of quiet voters
cared nothing at all about the Cincinnati Con-
vention. The few who disapproved (outside of
the Mercmys family circle) cared quite too
little to make it the cause of discord and strife,
distraction and division, where, as good patriots,
they felt that there should be harmony, concert
and union They could tolerate difference of
opinion, and never, for a moment, thought Of
discarlinc long tried and valued friends because
At the period Of Judge Magrath's nomination,
no impression whatever had been made on the
uublic mind. His nomination for Congress was
made without reference to this question. The
lI.rcury which but short time before had in
Glowing language congratulated the country on
Mr.. Magrash's appointment as Judge, opened
its columns to an attack upon him, on rery ma
ny grounds, personal and poitical-the least Of
1chich was his connection with this movement.
Circumstances, brought about by this attack,
induced the withdrawal Of Judge NIagrath.
And a large portion of our citizens being salts
fed with none Of the remaining candidates
nominated the Hon. VIM. P. Aliles-certainly
without any reference whatever to this issue.
Mr.. Porter was at the same time candidate
for reelection to the Senate. The opposition
to him, surely had not reference to the Cincin-
natl Convention, nor had the support which
ilsarcd his success. If Mr.. Whaley, his oppo-
: ncnt. has ever reputliatcd his advocacy of the
Cincinnati Convention | am not aware of it.
lie certainly had not done so then.
} The only election since, is the recent one in
,,.b;cL ir Mr. Wlaey is to be allowed TO define