Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-10-27
A WORD ABoUT 8 OURSELVES.

bio duties of his position. Yet tho present conduc-
tors of the Aduertiser have over studiuusy avoided
this seeming egotsn prafefring toipcur misconstruc
ton, rather than sfoct di,play Of aptecedcnts of
slight importance to any but themselves. There is
however, at this time, pri. Of political censOrous
manifested in certain quarters Of our state-and
which too has infected portion Of the press,-that
ia calculated to awaken even the least sensitive, and
to mako each turn and examine his past purposes
and policy, in scf.defenoe. To DO moro explicit, the
Advertiser (alung with several other papers has been
pointed Mt expressly, ms being engaged in IN attempt
to "nationaze South Carolina and tic her to tho
wheels Of Party" Something like this, is the Ian
suage in vogue among our self. f.sufieent ccnsors
We emphatically deny the charge Of these wise
acres, and defy them to show any thing in record
of eight years ueonastentwith the following briefly
stated points: .a:5
l. The Adrertiser heartily and zealousy advocated
the of secession in 1851 and 1852, believing
that it constitutional procedure and that an ac
tual issue then existed demanding It's exercise
2. Upon the failure Of thst movement in South
Carolinn Immediately took the next highest avail
nblo position in the State which tho ground Of
cooperation with our sister States of the South for
tho preservation Of Southern Rights in the Union, but
if that were found hopeless then for their prcserva-
ton at my and every hazard.
g. In the prosecution of this line Of policy-(which
was understood to be tho established policy Of South
Carolinn)- question came ur, "should our State
tnke any part in the deliberations Of the Cincinnati
Convention of 1885," Having the fact before our
eyes that the Stato would certainly be represented to
some extent in TINT convention, md the further fact
that all the other Southern States would DO repre-
sencd there, the Adrertiser promptly advocated the
proprety of sending delegates bnsing its advocacy
upon two chief reasons The first of these was the
necessity of having State represented we'll if at
all; and the second was, the wisdom Of the stcp in
carrying out our avowed desire Of moro complete af
lliaton with the States Of tho South, some Of which
had by resolution sought our cooperation in the
matter.
4. The result of the deliberations of the Cincinnati
Convention was the election of JAMES BUCHANAN.
With the great bulk Of Southern men, we were sats
fed with this result, and expressed mt once tho hope
and expectation with which his election had re-inspi
rel our Southern ranks.
fur abundanty justified tho confidence reposed in him
by the South and by the Democratic party; und We
have accorded our humble appreciation and support
to hp, with hundreds of thousands of other South
ern meNL
6. In regard to the Democratic party, our position
has ever been this and no other: We have advocated
cooperation with that party for the advancement Of
@ sFuk.n
of the Union. But we havo been as fnr ns any one
from wishing to tie our State to its charOt-whces.
And to say the TRUTH we do not exactly understand
what is meant by that style of expression.
Z. The doctrine Of States Rights has always been
tho corucr-st of our political creed; md the Adj
rerssr has repeatedly argued that the more complete
triumph not only Of Southern Rights, but Of States
Riyhts also as connected Herewith, of the
strongest inducements to our going with the other
Southern Suites into the Convention Of the Democrat
c party: Tho idea wus, to increase the States Rights
element of that party until it should become really
and truly the party Of the Constitution out and out,
as it is already by contrast with any other political
organization in the Union.
8. In respect to the continued existence Of the
auleEiSau Oua PnPc oooio ~ 40 huue9-hena
this striking language of McDuprIE: "Wc will cling
to the pillars Of our liberties, and if it
must fall We Willspcrishs amidst its ruins" That
motto placed there and kept there by better and
abler mon than we; and We have not thought proper
to remove or to modify it Understanding its tenor
and purport to be, that the Union should bc nain-
tanned as long as there rational hope of its sub
serving tho great end of human liberty designed by
its founders have retained this motto of prede
ce,sors rs our own But should the emost gloomy pre-
dctions Of the dcspondent yet be verified and should
it come to pass thnt this temple must full Of
those who believe that there will yet be opportun
ty Of political salvation left us in the trucon of
Southern Republic. Many arc tho doubts and un-
cortaintes that hang between US and such consum-
mntion But there is for faith in its attainment,
if prudence and determination shall prevail in South
crn counsela. Still it is dark prospect II is last
dire resor. Aud nc are not of those who would urge
its wisdom, except upon direct pa'pable issue,
which would justify US before the world and before
posteriy.
Such has been the course such i, at present the po-
stiou of the Adcertiser, and ask those who have
cnvled ut politics, to show where VIC have ever
expressed opinion at variance with this brief state
mont