Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-05-28
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

Among the many omens of sinister import to the
South, is the strong disinclinaton manifested to
think, on the present state of the political world
With many, the election of BUCHANAN to the Pre-
sidency, is the imagined finale of the agitation
between the North and South. They are as short
sighted as those who suppose that the question OF
slavery is the only apple of discord between these
two sections We confess, that if q calm ever
comes, when there will be no agitation, no hatred,
nor yituperation and abuse between them, that
we will lose all faith in political science, and es-
TEEN BURKE, BESTHAM and CALHOUN, but self
deluded sophists Just as surely as Government
is intended to promote the happiness and inter-
course of society-and what axiom can be more
self. evident-must there ever be source Of dis
content, ill-feeing and injustice. Wisely said
BURKE: "The circumstances are what render eve'
ery civil and political scheme beneficial or noxious
to mankind" Circumstances are what render
our present political organization njudicious, and
Iu-suired, even when honestly conducted, to The
wants of the whole country. Circumstances, it is
true, made it once the best-that could be devised
by human wisdom, but the exigency, which called
it into being has passed away, and what suited us
when enveloped in swaddling clothes, may not pro-
tect so we'll our stawart manhood.
There was time when external danger was the
pledge of internal peace-when powerful nations
esteemed US only as prey for daring fa!con-and
then the one great, sll-important motive of self
protection united US for moment, and hushed in
to low whisper the jarring elements. But it did
not remove them. When peace was secured, for
q short time, the expanding facilities which the
West then afforded, prevented immediate civil dis
sension but that West is no longer wilderness,
but great and popuous, and affiliated by geograph-
ical and other influences with the North or the
South is itselfimbued with their abiding hate and
rancour, and wheels into the fight on either side.
And now with change of circumstances, it be-
comes necessary to amend the work of our fore
fathers and re-cast the political condition OF our
country.
1t might be shown conclusively, by arguments
based on the nature of man and his connection
with government, that there is and must ever e1-
ist a natural irreconcileable antagonism between
the North and South, but to many, facts are more
convincing than syllogisms, and our past history,
and the present bitter animosties, are practical
illustrations of this assertion. That antagonism
depends as much on geographical lines and econo-
mica interests as on differences in domestic insti-
tutions. The Slavery agitation is but the cover OF
deeper designs and more dangerous aims. Itwas
the bait at first held out to tempt the fanatcal,
to inaame against the South the religious enthu-
siasts, to subserve the purposes Of crafty dema-
gogues, until at the present moment it is mistaken
for the ,,rimum mobile of the more deeply seated
agitation. That fountain source may he found
farther back 1t might be recognised in the diff
ferences between the trainers of the Constitution.
But it stands out boldly in the wide difference be-
tween the Interpretation which CALHOUN and WEB
sTER cave to that Constitution. Then it became
evident that the two sections required different
laws, that what would build up the North was
fatal to the interests of the South, that what fa-
vored the prosperity of the latter would retard the
rapid expansion of the former. When this natural
,nta gonism between the economical interests of
The two sections first became fixed and perma-
1ent belief, the slavery agitation first assumed its
lark and dabolical aspect.
But the "reminiscences Of the Revolution-the |
owe and kindly feelings which circumstances had
L. ,t,n ton ctr in no
mind for it to cherish the idea of separation of
he Union A respectable body of Nullifers, it
true, were deeply impressed with the belief that
here should be q remedy somewhere, but as yet
The idea of radical change was entertained Sc
riously by few, if by any, North or South. With |
laudable patriotism, our political seers attempt
I'd to remove the evils, and the fimsy Compro-
nises, with their nakedness concealed by the elo-
1uence of the gifted CLAY, for moment awaken
I'd hopes that the discord was hushed forever
But it soon became manifest that feeling, found
ed in the self.interest as we'll as the fanacsm Of
, people, is not to be spirited away, by shallow
and gilded rhetoric.
The honest and intelligent portion of the South
now saw and admitted that the danger was immi-
neut yet from disinclination to innovation, and
contrary to their better judgment, they all falter
ed and turned back when South Carolina proposed
4 Southern Confederacy. She disdained to use
the baser subterfuges and appliances of the poti-
,al quack, and called for justice or open war;
"My sentence is for open war: of wiles,
More unexpert, / boast not; then let those
Contrive who need; or when they need, not now:
For, while they sit contriving, shall the rest,
Millions that stand in arms, and longing wait
The signal to ascend, sit lingering here,
and for their dwelling-pace
Accept this dark opprobrious den of shame,
The prison of his tyranny who reigns
By our delay"
1t was because other States had less intelli-
gence, or South Carolina less reverence for Uni
on, which threatened to engulph the liberty, for
which, she gallantly sundered the ties which
bound her to England; that she alone Of Southern
States was prepared to unite and form conserva-
tive Southern democracy.
One other circumstance. perhaps, even more
thar the want of intelligence or the power of rev.
erence, or devotion for the Union, controlled the
action of other Statos. In them all the Democrat
ic and Whig Parties, rival idols for the people,
were contending for victory-a victory which was
to exterminate one or the other Of them-and the
partisans of each, had no time nor inclination to
consider new issue. 1t is well-known that the
Democracy were everywhere triumphant, and the
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