Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-07-15
From the Charleston Mercury.
THE EDGEFIELD ADVERTISER.
NUNBER SEVEN.

be swallowed up with all that we hold DEAR and
the place among nations which knew us once, is
to know us no more forever. What and where is
this vortex? Is it to be found in Black Repubi-
canism7 The South knows that enemy well, and,
with that knowledge feels secure of her ability to
yanuuish its endeavors for evil Is it to be found
in the powers that be :" They are oil for us. Is
it in Southern dissensions2 The South stands
firm upon the Georgia platform OF 1867 Is 1t IN
Congressional oppression? We have gained the
repeal of the Missouri Compromise, more ex-
plicit recognition of our rights as to fugitive
Slaves, some lcssening of the burden Of tariff eX-
actions-and We may, without infatuation, expect
yet greater justice in the future Or IS 1t IN
the crushing pressure of an outside civilization
Let it suffice to say that our labor clothes the
world Where, then, we ask again, and what, is
this vortex"
We have gained the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise, a more explicit recognition OF our
rights as TO fugitive slaves, and some lessening
of the burden Of Tariff eXactions we may,
without infatuation, expect yet greater justice
in the future Our cotemporary, we frankly
acknowledge, seems to have far wider means of
information than we possess. We have sup.
posed that at no tine so far as the Federal
Government was concerned, has there been any
doubt as to our right to fugitive slaves, or any
doubt about its full acknowledgment Decision
after decision in the Supreme Court of the Unit
ed States has affirmed our rights, and the Elk.
ecutive of the Government by the threat Of
arms, has enforced it. The law cannot be more
explicit, nor its enforcement, so far as the Fed
eral Government is concerned, more strenuous.
The difficulty has been, and is now where it has
always been, with the States and people of the
North. They practically nullifed the constitu-
tional provision formerly, and they do the same
with the Fugitive Slave law now. Some have
gone further. Unfortunately, Ohio, Pennsylva-
mia, and other States, have passed laws virtually
nullifing the Fugitive Slave Law. They have
laid heavy penalties on those citizens who shall
aid in enforcing it. At this very moment, the
United States Marshal and his subordinates are
on trial before the Courts of Ohio, under the
laws passed by that State, for arresting one of
the negro thieves who have carried off the slaves
of Kentuckian to Canada. Now that the
Northern States or the people of the Northern
States, have, by obeying and conforming to the
laws of Congress, manifested more explicit re-
cognition Of our rights as to fugitive slaves, is
fact which has not reached our cognizance. On
the contrary, in our comparative ignorance, we
had supposed that the recovery of fugitive slaves
had become so costly and 80 dangerous in the
Northern States, that the attempt was almost
entirely abandoned. Every day, slaves are pass
| ing away to the North, and more rapidly than
formerly, because with greater impunity, and
we hear of few efforts to recover them. The
Territories of the border slave States are drain
ed of their slaves, by the double process of es-
cape to the Abolitionists Of the North, or sale
by their master to the further South, from
sense of insecurity. Massachusetts,, at the last
sitting of her Legislature appropriated an
amount of money to be expended under her
Governor, to overthrow, if possible, the present
laws of Virginia, providing for an inspection of
Northern vessels, to prevent the abduction OF
her slaves. On the whole, then, in our view OF
things, we really are at a loss to imagine on
what our contemporary relies for his assertion,
that "we have gained o more explicit recogni-
ton of our rights as to fugitive slaves" If
every negro who works his press, should run Oft
to the North, and write telling him where they
were, we have no idea he would make the least
effort to recover them, however explicit the re.
cognition Of his rights may be. Potent and
valuable recognition certainly
And, then, as to the arift-"we have gained
some lessening of tho burden Of Tariff exac.
tions, and we may without intatuation, expect
yet greater for the future
We see it stated that at the end of hisquarter
there will be thirty millions of surplus revenue
lying in the Treasury of the United States in hard
cash. The great bulk of this comes annually,
though indirectly, out Of the pockets of the con-
sumerS Of the South. There was about the same
amount last year, although the expenditures of
the General Government were pushed up from
twenty-sevcn millions during the first year of Mr.
Folks administration, to seventy millions of dol
| Il
tion spreading corruption into every department
of the Government, is kept up for the benefit
Of Northern manufactures. A small reduction
on the commodities they manufacture acas made
by the Tariff passed at the last Congress, but
the Northern people more than UNIDENTIFIED them
selves by making entirely free from tax every
thing they needed for carrying on their manufac
lures, and leaving the burden of the tax on the
consumers of the South Of the articles they need
Mr.. Sumner, the martyr, is probably good au.
thority as to the character of this Tariff. We
see it stated as q matter of faithful heroism that
he rose up at midnight from his bed of suffering
in Washington, and went into the Senate Cham.
Der to vote for this Tariff; and paper at the
North asserts that this one vote and the influence
it exercised in the passage of this Tariff, was
worth, to his constituents, an age of service. He
asserted it was the best Tariff ever passed by
Congress for the benefit of New England inter
ests. Now, if Mr.. Sumner is right in his views
of this Tariff, what cause for congratulation can
it afford to our cotemporary2
It is the best tariff ever passed for the benefit
of New England interests, because it is the most
unequal tariff in its exaction upon the people OF
the respective sections. The Northern States,
when we consider the benefits it confers ON their
manufacturing interests, pay, as section, MOTH
ing by this tariff. The Southern people pay all
the taxes, and are now more colonial in their
relation towards the North than they were before
in this respect. And this is the sort of tariff
our cotcmporary regards with appreciation, when
it asserts that we have "yained some lesscning
of the burden of tariff cxactons." Some les.
senipg of the burden of tariff exactions! Why
should we bear any burden of tariff exaction?"
If for revenue fairly and exclusively, the tariff
is no "burlen." 1t is proper contribution,
for which we receive full equivalent in the ben
efts of the Government we have set up and
will most freely support. The tariff is only q
"Jurdcn" when its eXactions are made, not for
the support of the Government, but to minister
to the money.making and avarice of the people
Of the North. Why, we repeat, should we bear
any such exaction? Still less does it become us
to talk of having gained some lcssening of the
burden" "Millions for defence, but not cent
for tribute" was the manly response of Caro-
linian of old. Where are we now when high
spirited gcntleman-ag gallant ullifer-a staunch
Southern Rights man in lS52-vaunts of our
having gained some lessening of the burden Of
tariff exactions ?" and then, by way of opening
up to our eyes brilliant prospect says we1nay,