Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-07-01
COL. J. 1. ORR.

l
|. 8 COL Orr is at present in Kansas. AT LeaV-
enworth be was invited to speak, but declined.
His hopes are fixed on the Speakership, and he
will carefully avoid anything that will compro-
mise him in the least with. the National Demo
cracy."- Yorkuilze Enquirer.
The last sentence of the above paragraph con-
tains q most unkind and dishonoring imputation
upon our Representative, and one which we
cannot suffer to pass in silence. Politically we
do not champion Ool. Orr. His political views
are we'll known, and he is ever prompt, on prop
er occasions, to give them full and free express
sion.a We however, defend him on the score Of
friendship; and because he is our: Representa-
tive, and has been long honored with the conf
dence Of this and his entire Congressional Dis
trict. and can retain his present relation so long
as it pleases him; and because, further, hei
absent from home, and may not have opportu-
nifty even to see the charge implied in the above.
Col: Orr has for years occupied an isolated
position before the people of the State, and his
assumed unpopularity induced some OF his col
leagues (whose sentiments were kindred to his
own) to stand and act aloof from him. Indeed,
we believe the Speakership Of the late Congress
would have been secured to Col. Orr but for the
fact that the South Carolina delegation refused
to enter the caucus of nomination. Yet, in the
midst of all this obloquy and mistrust, he never
faltered in the avowal Of his sentiments or hes
itated in following the line Of public duty his
judgment dictated. Upon no part Of his past
life need he look back with modification or
shame, unless it be to that time when the in
sane trickery of the ultra State Rights party
seduced even Mr.. Calhoun, for brief time into
the ranks of the Taylor Democracy. Col. Orr,
listening to similar appeals, yielded his judgment
for once-and only once; and his action then
has furnished stereotyped theme for assault
from those who enmeshed him in their foils.
Ever since he has thought and acted for himself,
and intends to do so for the future.
Col. Orr. is in the West on private business
totally apart from politics. Happening in Mem.
phis at the railroad jubilee he contented himself
with responding in general terms to compi-
mentary toast. he was also in Minnesota, and
passed through st. Louis on his way to Kansas.
At Leavenworth he was invited to make speech.
Had he yielded, it would necessarily have been
political, and decidedly Southern, for he made
a Southern speech in Congress on this very
question of Kansas. As an election was ap-
preaching for constitutional convention, he
prudently concluded to let the people OF the
Territory settle their political difficulties for
themselves, without intruding foreign influences
into their counsels. In doing so, however, he
seems to have avoided Charybdis only to run
on Scylla. While, as we suppose, he was acting
with the honesty of man and the faith Of a
statesman, he is told at home that he was ca
tering to the prejudices Of Northern Democrats
to secure their support to elveate him to the
Spcakership! The trade of traducing Southern
statesmen at the North is so well followed, that
we really had no expectation that our own peo-
pie would join in the hue and cry against their
true meu,-Spartanburg Spartan