Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-09-14
dp,olitiital,
SPEECH OF HON. w. w. BOYCE.
AT EBENEZER, YORK DISTRICT, s. C.
SEPTEMBER /, 1859.

FELLOW CITIZENS I think the South is
threatened with great and near approaching
danecr-thc domination of o northern sec.
tional party. Our paramount policy IS, there
fore, to prevent the occurrence of this danger
if possible and If it cannot be prevented, TO
take such steps as that it may occur under
such circumstances as will enable US most
efficiently to assert our independence, the only
measure of redress that will then be left US.
In other words, the immediate danger which
threatens us is tue election Of black repub-
Iican President in 1850. Our paramount
pol cy, to which everything else should be
suburtlinated, is to prevent such an election II
we can and if We cannot, 10 see that 1t takes
place under such issues as will ensure the
greatest unaIimity OF the South in such meas.
ures as may be necessary then to be taken.
In the convention which framed the FEEDER
al Constitution, the greatest difficulty which
occurred was in arranging the basis OF repre-
srntation in the two houses OF Congress. The
large States urged representation both iu
the House of Representatives and in the Sen
ate, based on population; to this the small
States sternly objected, and, on the contrary,
earnestly insisted that the representation in
both Houses should be based on'State SOW
ereigntv. SO that each State should have an
equal voice inboth Houses. This controversy
threatened the disruption of the convention.
and was only adjusted by compromise by
which the House of Representatives was con-
stituted Oh the basis demanded by the large
States and the Senate Oil the basis demanded
by the small States. The ground of this con.
troversy was the apprehension, on the part OF
the small States, that the large States would
combine together and oppreSs the small States.
Very few persons had the sagacity to see at
that early day, that the real collision would
be, not bc ween the large aud The small States,
but between the Northern and Southern
States. Experience soon demonstrated that
the apprehension of the small States, from the
combination of the large States, was ground
less. But the safeguard which the small
States had required in the organization of the
Senate, though it proved unnecessary for the
purpose for which it was intended, became Of
great Importance in another puint of view
US q bulwarh to the South. From the begin.
ming OF the government to 1871 the South had
az least an equality in the Senate, so that the
Federal Government could take no step to
which the South was unanimously opposed.
Whatever was done then by the Federal Gov
ernmcnt pr,or to lGI7, to which objection
may be taken, was done with the appro-
baton Of at least portion of the outh.
Tae existence of this check in the Senate was
OF incalculable advantage; while il gave the
South security, it neccsstated on the part of
the North moderation. It was therefore
great misfortune to the country when the in
crease of free States destroyed the equilibrium
St Sfgy Ees sYqk in hs Ssqa|s GspsSsFsd is
cal relations occupied by the North and the
South to each other it was vertahle reVolu
lion. The Government WAS no longer a
Government of checks and balances (; it was
practically y naked democracy. Tic North
had onl--to unite 20 take possession of the
rinvc-nmcnt, aud the South would be as
! .owerle>s in the Government as il all her re.
prcSen alton had been struck out of existence.
" is the strh'g probability Of the Northern:
) les combining together in u sectional or
ranizatiun aI1 thus taking possession of the
Government, which has Induced rrr to believe
that the Union could not lie Of long continu.
arce. We know that nothing is more easy
than 10 persuade mankind to assume power.
whether the invitation he addressed to one o,
all inc usual Inducements to power, great
social question was present in addition to
stimulate ambition. Whilst therefore have
appreciated and respected that conservative
and patriotic class, in the free States, who
have opposed themselves to the march of
sectiunalism, l have thought their defeat was
only question OF time. The New England
States have already become so sGctionalized
that the Union would be impossible, but for
the influence Of some OF the middle and
north western States. But these States are
gradually yielding to the sectional impulse,
aGd cannot be relied upon with certainty for
ths future. The best hope offs conservative
influence from amy portion of the free States,
comes, think tr0m the States on the Pacific
For Obvious and natural reasons these States
! have maintained and are likely TO maintain
cunscrvatve position in the Union. The III.
crease OF free States on the Pacific is the best
hope for the maintenance Of constitutional
| Union. They are attracted to the South by
i the great interest Of free trade. The Chains
OF protective tariff will CRATE more harshly
upon the shores Of the Pacific that it ever has
even upon the shores Of the Gulf of Mexico.
| The magnificent commerce of the .georgeous
East glitters before the eyes OF the Americans
of the Pacific, and they are not likely to har-
ness themselves to the yoke OF the New Eng.
land manufacturers. The conservative in
!lnenccs are to be looked for from the Pacific
states. Tho danger is that it may not come
In sufficient strength to be efectual.
The tendency Of the free States to 5cc.
Coual organization was not 10 in being
manifested after the equilibrium OF the two
sections had been destroyed in the Senate.
Tue tendency was manifest in the Presen
tial election of 1852. Mr. Fillmore and Mr..
Webster were steruly rejected in tho why
dominating convention because they had run
counter to the Iree.soil sentiment, and Gen.
Scott, who WAS acceptable 10 NJ. Seward re-
ceivcd the Illumination. By the next Pres.
dental election the sectonalism uf tie North
had become irrepressible The repeal of the
Missouri restriction furnished the pretext, and
the republican party. purely northern ant,
sectional party, came very near electing their
candidate. The alleged motive of the repuL-
| lica0 organization was to secure freedom to
kausa-, which they insisted rad been dedi.
called to freedom by solemn compromise,
and this question having been iSpnsed of, it
might be surpassed that the republican organi-
z.t on would die out. But this is not the
case. The organization is kept up in full
vigor. This shows that this is not an acc-
dental or Temporary parry, but that it is per-
manent, and naturally springs ont of the
political elements in tie free States. con-
slider this the most striking indication of the
seclionalsm of the North. Not satisfied with
success upon the principal issue upon which
they placed themselves in The formation Of
their pary-the freedom Of kansas-they
persist in Keeping up their party organization.
Nothing could more thoroughly demonstrate
the sectionasm of the North, than this fact.
The pretence Of Kansas is abandoned. Mr.
Seward. the preat head of the party. boldly