Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-09-29
MIR. ROBERTS LETTER, ,--SENAToH
AIhI0En

HAN dinner and which msy be found On another page
Allus;on IL llud to tho imputatnn Of derelicton in
principle aud duty freely hurled at several South
srn membors of CungrGs, and especially against our
distinguished Senator, the Hon. JAMES II. HAMMOND
Mr.. RoDEnrs opinions upon the course of our Sen
ator are, il il rue only the opinions of single pr
vato citizen But sol forth they arc, in connection
with political dinner given to q South Carolina
member Of Congress, they become part of the re-
curi of that occasion and would aOem to derive de-
gree OF public Importance from that association We
arc not aware that any of tho gontcmen engaged in
that dinner endorse these opinions Of Mr.. RoBEnT;
We know that some of them do mot. Yet the political
world around may regard it pertinent feature of
tho late demonstration; and VIC not disposed to
let auch an impression go forth undsputed.
Mr. RoYERr thcn does not, We think, speak the SEN
timents Of General BoSnAN or hs Misunderstanding
not of tho people of South Carolina,-when he says
that our State must Look elsewhere than 10 such man
a. Senator IIAAxoSp for one "to keep alive and
tive the principles Of that great statesman,
JOIN c. CALHOUN. IIo is further still from such con-
currence, whom he charges our Senator with "lower
ing the Southern stand.rd;" And farthes of ALL when
no imputes to that bold thinker and independent
Southern planter aspirations for the Presidency Of
the Union, as his motive in the course Of wecontid-
ered conservatism which lie has indicated to his con-
stueucy.
The principles Of JoHz c. CALHOUN are nuw-a-
days the subject Of much vague defamation promi-
nen among th"su principles, stood tho equal Rights
Of the Statos under srirt construction of tue Fed
eral Compact But next to those in his great heart,
stood also abiding devotion to Constitutional
Union. Who will deny t!s? While battling for the
rights of tho States against the inroads Of ccntrall
zation,-whilo exposing tho iufrngements Of the
Constitution with all tho vshemeucc Of his mighty
genua,-whcn was it that he ever spoke Of disrup
ton Of this Confodcracy but as coming evil When
was it, that ho ever laid aside the weapons Of Lis
strength and "dcspared Of the Republic?' Was not
his last wish for single hour upon the floor Of the
Senate, that he might stll avert the dangers which
threatened the American Union Holding the rights
of the States as paramount to the perrctuity of that
Union he ypt labored to the last and prayed that he
might labor moro, to both the Union aud the in
dependence Of the Sovoreigntcs which compose it.
Such wns the patriotism, such wore the "actYe,
principles of john c. CALHOUN. And such arc tho
principles of his successor, JAMES II. HANMosD. The
dawn Of better day has checred the South, since
our departed statesman ptood forth tho champion Of
her rigLtl md interests Tho spell of his greatness
has had much to do with tho breaking Of that dawn,
If he bore the ills of oppression then, rather than
counsel the last dire resort of revolution would he
not boar thun new, when justice is climbing to the
ascendant? If he toilcd on through the night with
out fsiptipg, would be hnye sunk beneath the glow
Of approaching sun.light7 Where then, we usk,
would tho "principles of JonN c. CALHOUN" place
the statesman Of today, if not In tho very Of
mnulyexerton, sithin the Union, which Sen. HAMMOND
wisely and boldly proposes to pursue' There is
thing inspiring in seeing our statesmen of the South
preparing to occupy political cmnence from which
they intend to control the Govcrnmentand vindcate tho
Constitution. 1t ia worthy the SUCCESSORS of CALHOUN
1t is patriotism around which hope, aHd genius, and
fath, she'd their congcuial hepms And the people of
the South will exut that 1t Ia thus however much Mr..
RoDEHr and others may groan in the spirit and say,
-"the ambition Of our public promises the ruin
Of the South and ire are su6erng for more Bondams."
[Mr. ROBERT has doubtless discovered before this,
that his of our Congrcssman's name in this invi
ioua sontiment is wrong. If he has read that
gontlemans speech aid noted the fact that, for nil
practical purposes, he acting shoulder to shoulder
with those very "pubc men" whose "ambitiop
promises the ruin Of the South" he will perhaps dis
cover that South Carolina will have to look yet
again, "elsowhore" for sOlpe to keep "aliye and
active" the principles Of JoaS {. CALHorS. But NE
digrcss.]
Mr.. RoSERT also asserts that Senator HAMMOND has
"lowcrcd the Southern standard" How, and in what
respeot2 Deponcnt answerctb not except by point
ing his munitory finger to the speech addressed by
the Senator to his friends and neighbours at the Beech
Island dinner We have turned to TINT speech re-
ported, and find nothing to warrant Mr. RongRrs
assertion. The Senator it is true, does tnke the
ground that there is now no issue before the country
aud that the South at present do nothing except
to watch and propare for her future struggles. He
goe, further, and declares his belief that the South
can triumph her enemies, in the Union Is this
q "lpwering Of tho Southern standard" But even
with this conidSnre in bis breast he neglects not to
caution his constituency in the most expressive terms
to hold themselves prepared for tue last resort Of
disuniDn. Is this "loweringof Of the Southern stand
ard?' III warns thcl, "be ready with bsyonets
fixed but do not Charge too anick:" 4s this Glow
ering Of tho Southern standard?" lie said that e ha
would not have South Carolina tied to the orgnnisa
ton Of this party any other party that did not act
with the party Of truth and right" Is this low
ering Of the Southern standar?" But it is needless
to prosecute this enquiry. Thcro is tho speech Of
Senator HAMMOND. Turn back and read it for your
sof 1t is replete with wisdom and patriotism, and
bears upon its every sentence refutation of the
grave charge hcre mnde against its distinguished
author.
But Mr.. ROBERT, not satisfied with attacking the
Senator's acts and words, cannot refrain from going
further and impugnins his motiyes.-attrbutiug his
course to corrupt desire for Federal Office tits un-
necessary to repel this imputation here, where
Senator'S lofty independence Of character, and proud
are so well known. Mr. RoRgRr is US much mistaken
in his estimate of Governor HArMpSDs sentiments
he is in bis appreciation Of that ytatcsans political
orthodoxy.
Wc hayo said enough, but not moro than seemed to
called for by this attack upon bonorcd Senator
of our State. In repcing it. wo do not question the
worth Of Mr.. ROBERT as a true Southrun neither
do we implicatp tho gentlemen of the BoxuAN dinner
in any degree Of hostility to Governor HAMMOND.
Arpauding his Senatorial courso as NO do it is not to
be expected that should quietly publish my thing
80 decidedly condennatory Of that course as is this
lpttDr Of Mr.. RonERr.