Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-08-31
The Charleston Mercury and the Ad-
vertiser.

before done. "And let all the people say, Amen"
The Charleston Mercury and the Ad-
vertiser.
This paper has exhibited a severity Of spirit
and feroeity of tone towards the EdEehold ID
rertiser, for which wo are ct q loss to account
Wo before distinctly announced to tho Mercury,
that it might proceed to publish its aings at our
honesty of purpose it listed, but that we would
nevertheless continue to write we felt prompted
for the general good. Again ne say, lot it tnunt
on with double distilled invective, if it shall 80
deem proper. It shall not, may, it cannot provoke
us. And this, not because we disregard its opin.
ion; but because there is One alone who IS entl-
tied to judge the hearts of his creatures, and to
Whom, alone we together owe our accountability
We hope the Mercury understands tho position we
occupy. For this position We claim that paperareS-
poet, only so long as shall conduct ourself with
degree of decorum compatible with such profes-
sion. Whom we shall condescsnd to depart from
that course by wantonly insulting an adversary
then let como not only its reprobation, but it'
contempt and derision,-for then should We de-
serve it all.
But really, there iS scarcely cause for this
seriousness Of air on our part. The Mercury is
too we'll known in South Carolina, that any one
should bo very uneasy at its reproaches. ofcourse
ne do not moan to imply that it can intentionally
miarepresent political opponent or wilfuliy
di,tort a position which does not jump with its
preferences By no means,-the Mercury Is toe
honorable for that But every one knows the
Mercury's habit of crying "wolf, wolf" on any
and every appearance of dangerj every one know:
its penchant for disunon; every ono knows the per-
tiuscity with which it presents the dark side o
the picture of Southern power and progress
every one knows its Procrustcan method OF press
ing principles without regard to policy; In short
every one knows the extreme standard by which
it judges men and measurcsj and every one will
accordingly take its arguments, its suggestions
or its denuncia,ions, as the case may be, with the
proper grains of allowance.
In the present instance, the Mercury has been
as usual, blinded by its pcculiurtics Of thought
and judgment. 1t fancies the great slave power
of the Southern States (which never was so per.
mancut as now) vcrging to its downfall under the
operation of squatter sovereignty and manifest deS'
tiny. First goes Tor will 60, gays the Mercury,
all the Indian Territory then the new States II
be made out Of Texas then Arizona next, N
the strength of its glowing imagination, it sees
Mexico acquired d,-and Mexico goos too;-Cuba
| happens to be overlooked we suppose, or thai
would also have been put down as acquired and
gono But this is not all yct;-hnryland, Mis-
souri,, and kentucky arc to go next; and then
| perhaps others of the Southern States.
Regarding all this US likely to follow from
ignoring the slavery issue i'll the coming Presl'
Dental canvass, it is entirely natural that the
Mercury should sound its note of alarm and cry
"wolf' again. Blu. it happens that large por-
ton of tho Mercurys fellow-citzens have 30 little
of " the blues" or else such IN abundance of ami.
NAL spirits in their composition as to be unable
to view these deplorabe consequences US at all
within the range of probability. Where tho 4er'
curry sees only "decay, gloom and deSolation,'
they find oils wide expanso of wealth and I'M.
proyement aud happiness. While the Mercury is
making its noun over the ftcblcness and litteness
of our Territorial strength, they cast their eyes
upon the map and find cause Of proud satisfaction
| They sec there that Maryland, Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ala
bama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas,
Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri present an as-
gregate area of $4,000 square miles of land, ol
near frc hundred and Gfy millions Of oeres, being
about one hundred and seventy millions of acres
moro than arc contained in the FREQ States oi
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jer-
sey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ohio, Indiana Mich
igan, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and California.
Tho !Vercary persists in believing and declaring
that no more slave States are possible for the
South unless .hc have the strong urm of Congress.
sional interference to help her. All agree with
tho Mercury that she is entitled to that assistance
whenever case shall arise that demands it. But
they arc at tho same timo hopeful (the Mercury
must bear with our lovity y that such case will
never agaiu occur-they hope and believe all such
Territory Ms our domestic institution nceds for its
full development VII become ours they expect
that of the Territory now belonging to the United
States the South will probably be able to occupy
and eontrol ut leust so much Of the Indian Terri
tnry as is not desert, and to secure beyond oil
doubt under Texas influence, oil the new States
that may be carved out there. While the Iercu-
ry sees Mexico acquired and gone. they would
perhaps reply to tho assumption by humming the
popular air of " Wait for the tOayon." When tho
they smile to observe that the Missouri statistics
show that the slave population has increased in
that State during the last decade with singular
rapidity. In fact the Mercury is still back there
in the Slough of Despond, while those other hope
full hearts (the Adrertiaer with them) have nearly
surmountod the Hill of Difficulty. The two stand
points being so very different, of course the views
they afford must be entirely dissimilar. No doubt
tho Mercury sights of terror around it, as far
rs its confined position enables it to see at all.
ing valley and pluin on every side,-a country
teeming with all that is great and good and wall
ed around for security by imperative demands
from every nation on earth for its rich und indis-
pensahle products.
The Adecniser agrees with the lercary when it
says:
Lying on our backs and hugging the deugive
phantom Of hopo, will never establish slavery in
the Territories or preserve it in the States, how
ever profitable Or advantageous. Hercules must
put his shoulder to the wheel If be wants the gods
to help him. ANY other theory is sensee,, or de-
signing.
Hercules must put his shoulder to the wheel if
be wants the gods to help him." We "thank
thee for the word ;'-it is just tho thing to illus
trate an idea. But how should Hercules put his
shoulder to the wheel Should it be by suoing
for help at tho hands of goYcrnment2 Hercule.