The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-08-22


inclined tue agitation would 90 Oh with
increased volume when it was found not
TO be hazardous, and we would ultimate.
ly be forced to yield all, or to resist un.
der circumstances iufniteiy more dis
couraging than exist n, present. TO ac,
quesce IN the vast powers OF the Federal
Government going into the hands Of our
would be masters, with the intention of
r2SiSting at some future time, would be
10 emulate the i"fatualion of the Numid
ian King, Who delivered his treasures, his
arms, his elephants aud bis deserlers 10
the Romans, and then renewed ,he war.
having ueedIessly deprived himself Of the
means Of defence.
1t the South acquie>ces 10 Republi-
can administration, | think the question
OF negro equality is settled against US,
and emancipation only question Of line.
| have regarded this question in the same
light for y, ars, and have considered the
success of the Republican party in r.e
PresiGe"iiaI election as involving the ne
cessity of revolution. So regarding il. |
have thought the great paramount object
OF our policy was to let this Republican
success occur, Is it must occur, under the
most auSpiclous circumstances for dis.
rupton, and those auspicious circum-
stances | thought would consist princi
paIly in the largest attainable sympathy
North, and the greatest unity South
These conditions thought were most
likely 10 be reached 10y a wise aud pru
dent moderation on the part Of the SoutE.
And accordingly advised and acted in
that direction, and | am satisfied / never
gave wiser counsels. said to my con-
stltueDts last Summer, that we must act
with tie most cOnsummate prudence then.
in order to profit by the most desperate
boIdness if it become necessary,
dcnCe to give no pretcxt for the election
Of RepublicAn-boldness to relieve our
selves from such election if it must take
place. My policy was consistent poll
cy prudence, when prudence might be
advantageous ; holdness, when nothing
else was left. The time is now approach.
ing when, in my opinion, the only alter
native will he boldness. If the Republi.
can party triumph in the Presidential el.
ectlon, our state has no choice but TO i'm
mediateIv withdraw from the Union.-
Nor is This go hazardous an undertaking
as might Se conceived at first sight.
Suppose we have done this. Then only
two courses remain TO our enemies. First,
they must let us alone secondly, they
must attempt 10 coerce us. Either alter
native will accomplish our purpose.
Suppose they let us aione-very good.
We will have free trade with Europe and
get along very well in our happy lnedioc
rity, far better than as a degraded satell
tie Of gorgeous system, whose glories
would be for others whose shame for
US alone. We would not have 10 paw
any :axes. direct or indirect, to Northern
AbolitioniS,s-that would be some con
ISOLATION.
Suppose they undertake to coerce US
then the Southern States are compelled
10 make common cause with us, and we
wake up some morning and find the flag
Of a Southern Confederacy floating over
us. That would be a great deal better
than paying tribute to John Brown sym.
pathi2crs.
The South still has splendid cards in
her hand il she will only play them. The
constitution OF Northern society is artfi
cial IN the extreme. Immense wealth
mas been accumulated there. A few are
richer than the Kings Of the East; the
multitude labor for their daily bread -
much of this wealth is breath-the breath
of credit. A civil convulsion will bring
their paper system Of credit tumLlinp
about their ears. The first gun fired in
civil war will cost them five hundred mil.
lion dollars, and strikes will not he con.
fined to the shoemakers, but will become
epidemic. II Lincoln is elected, let us
put them at defiance, and il they incline
to try the last argument Of Kings agains:
us, very well. When, in sixty days, they
have lost five hundred millions dollars,
and hear the curses Of their unemployed
mob, demanding bread or blood, perhaps
the doctrine of negro equality will no; be
quite so popular, and the beginning Of a
powerful reaction may take place, the
harbinger Of long years Of peace and fra.
ternity. But if no reaction takes place,
and our Northern tyrants persist in put
ting us to our mettle-very well. II moth.
ing will do them but the sword, be it so.
Let us show that we can grasp the
sword AS well as they can that we are
not degenerate descendants Of those glo.
rious heroes from whom we draw our lin.
cage. IL the worst comes to the worst,
We can but fall, sword in hand, fighting
tor all that makes life desirable-iustice
equality and our country. But have no
fear rs to the result, il comes to a aues.
ton Of arms. We can give blows as we'll
as receive them, and we are as apt to
have our winter quares in the city Of
New York, as they theirs in New Orleans.
But we do not desire war. We wish
peace and fraternity in the Union il pos.
sible; but one thing there is, which we
are determined to have, in the Union or
out Of lt--equs!ity. Woe to those who
would rob us of this, for they will bring
great calamities on their country, them,