The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-11-10
Senator Hammond's Speech.

Ter no apology for crowding our columns
with such a speech, the ablest that has ap.
peared for many day, and, in its states
manlike exposition Of the theory and prac-
lice OF government. its profound origina,i-
ty OF thought, its comprehensive views of
Southern rights and Sonlhern wrongs, and
its expansive and ably digested suggestions
to the South in regard to her policy and
proper course as part OF this confedcrucy,
deserves to be classed among the finest eff
forts of Calhoun or McDufie. HAMMOND
is to-day, emPhatically, the brightest star in
the Southern galaxy. South Carolina has
rarely been without n great Senator in Con-
gress she has n character in this respect,
and if she has lost any prestige since the
days of llayne, Of Cheves, of McDuilie.
and Of Calhoun, it is revived in her present
distinguished champion and representative.
The State elected him almost by accla-
nation, and he has happily demonstrated
that none had too high conception of his
abilities. Many, it is true, have been dis
appointed in him we expected that such
been the profound and honest statesman
that he is if it had not been so. lie has
n OF trucklcd TO the desires and wishes of
The hre-eating politicians of the South and
sown dissentions in Southern ranks: he
has not appealed TO our fears, and pictured
the Demon Of Aboli,ionsm as n thing too
terrible for the South 10 meet face TO face
IN manly fight in the Union aud under
the guarantees of the constitution: he does
no. c"onsel the South that her only hope
ia in an immediate dissolution of th, Union
that it is useless TO contend-,hht she
must strike her colors ut once and ayoid
The chances of an ignominous defeat. Had
he done this, he would have met the desires
and expectations Of many in the South. and
in our State, whose efforts tend 10 diyid,
the Sou.h and to make party distinctions
among us. But his course has been IN.
very antIpodes of this. Like brave and
discreet General, he has carefully SURVEYED
his forces; counted the siren 9Th of his no
sitlon and compared il with that of the
enemy; has calmly retrcsp,cicd the pro.
gress a. events from the beginning Of this
abolition warfare, and The result of his oh.
serra'ions are the vel, malurcd convictions
that the South, united, has no Reason for
lear or apprehension that her present po-
si,Ion in the Ui ion is one of both honor
and s'rengih--strength considered. not
only in respect To numbers, wealth and in
exh"mstlblc resources, but Il degree Of NOR.
al strength that n ;ncaIculablc. and tha; is
Increasing with every turn of the wheels of
civilization throughout the world. And f
this abolition war fare is to continue To AN
issue, it is clearly TO be II warfare OF dcfrnc.
al The South We have everything that we
could ask under ;hc c"nstiiutiun-no prnc.
Teal deprivation Of our rights TO complain
oi, and he counsels rs, that we have ONLY
To unite our resources, con.iie in our
strength, and await the issue with which
VIZ are threatened
rms, IL seems 10 us, is sound and judi-
cions advice; but in this opinion. ". are
aware that We are opposed by many of our
contemporaries of the press, 10y II large party
IN the State and 10y many persons in our
own section. In their judgments. the
speech IL not warm enough upon the sub.
jcet of Southern wrongs its tone is not
sectional enough; il embraces in its com.
prehensive details an area outside Of Suutb
Carolina . and the speaker is accused of
having modified, very materially, his views
since his speech in the last Congress was
delivered.
We think that upon the subject of South.
ern Rights, Senator Hammond is everything
That IL warranted by the present condition
oil affairs and We see no discrepancy. or
Inconsistency, between his late speech and
the one he delivered in Congress, in which
he pictured the North and the South in ar.
ray face to face and warned the opposition
OF the danger Of pushing III to rxtremities.
lie might adopt the same language to-day,
and 1t be in perfect consonance with his late
remarks. What is more to the point than
when he tells us that we must be prepared 10
take care Of ourselves, whatever may come
that we can never permit any foreign inter.
Terence with our peculiar industrial system,
whether 10 abolish, or to modify, or 10 i'm
pose undue burdens upon H. Such in,erfer-
ence, he tells us, must be resisted with all
our might and without any regard to conse-
qreaesa. syha, cara Nc for the sree.be.
OF such men at the North as Seward, and
and for the fanaiica! jubilees gotten MP for
party purposes, so long as they do not ef-
'cet US practically are we to be scared
out Of the Union by such pallry demon
straiions! let them put 10 us practical
test--one that will touch our interests or
our honor, and the whole South will be
ready 10 assert her rights, aud, IL need be,
her Independence. The remedy of disso.
luton Is always at hand, and we can resort
TO it at any moment that our rights or priv.