Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-08-16

farm, out-buildings, fencing, farm implements
and appearance of crops generally, including
corn, cotton, small grain, peas, potatoes, &C.,
aad for the best conducted farm award q premi-
A. W.
Letter from Hon. w. w. Boyce.
SABINE FARM, August 3, 1860.
Gentlemen: My high respect for you induces
me to hasten q reply to your note.
If Lincoln be elected, [ think the Southern
States should withdraw from the Union, all If
not all, then as many as will and if no other,
South Carolina alone, in the promptest manner,
and by the most direct means.
To comprehend the full significance of Lin
coins election, we must remember the principles,
the character, and the sentiment of the Repub-
licau party.
The vital principle Of this party is negro equali-
ty, the only logical finale of which is emancipa-
ton. To see this, it is only necessary to look at
their platform, which, though intended for OBJ
vious reasons of policy to appear conservative,
yet raises the veil in part. This platform says ::
1--WE hold that all men ore created equal; that
they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable rights that among these are life,
liberty" &C., and this on motion of Mr.. Gid.
dings. This is intended to include negroes. 1t
follows, therefore, according to Republican faith,
that no one can be rightfully held in slavery.
Slavery, then, is a great wrong.
The Republican party are bound, therefore, so
far as their constitutions power COOS, to Iemove
that wrong. At present their practical point of
attack is the territories when this question
shall no longer exist, then the District of Colum-
hia will receive their attention, and so on with
the other outposts of slavery. Supposiag these
outposts disposed of, then the movement neces.
sarily must be directed against slavery in the
States. The party will be bound to exercise its
constitutional powers to destroy slavery in the
States. 1t would be considered entirely consti-
tutional by the Republicans to agitate the ques
ton so as to influence the South by moral means
to abolish slavery. Aud as soon as the admis
sion of new free. States, and the change of status
of some of the border States furnished the ne.
cessary majority to change the Constitution, the
Republican party would be sure to demand such
change, and abolish slavery in the States. The
Republican party has but ore stopping place
emancipation. Mr.. Senator Wilson, of Massa
chusetts, one of the ablest men in the Republi
can party, comprehended the mission of his par.
ty, when he said, in Boston, II tell you here to-
night, that the agitation of human slavery will
continue while the foot of o slave presses the
soil of the American Republic"
By the character Of this party, / mean its sec
tionalism. 1t is a party confined entirely to the
Northern States-both its candidates are North
ern men. The idea of the majority section band
ing together for the purpose of Selling upon the
Government, is at war with the spirit of the Con-
s~titution The great idea Of the Constitution is
the equality of the States. The seizure of the
Government by one section is q practical revolu
ton in the Government. The Northern States
then become the master States, and the Southern
States sink into an inferior condition. This is
not the Union into which our fathers entered. II
was ushered in by the administration of Wash
ington, q Southern stakeholder, who had hum
bled England.
The new order of things which the Republi-
can party propose to introduce would be inaugu-
rated by the administration of Lincoln, o North
ern Abolitionist, who would humble the South.
Between these two administrations what a pro-
found gulf! The first represented the perfect
equality Of the States; the second would repre-
sent the domination of the North and the subju-
cation of the South. A half dozen unsuccessful
campaigns could not put the South in o more
abject condition.
BY the sentiment of this party, I mean its an
tagonism to the South. 1t requires no elaborate
pAoSA W. ohOn tudI II lcClluS " saho- P0AJ ~
that of hostility to the South. The tone of the
Republican press, the temper Of public speeches,
such as are delivered by Sumner and LoVejoy,
and other leading men in the party, the sympathy
for John Brown, the very agitation of the slavery
question, and numerous other facts which might
be cited, show that the great passion on which
the Republican party rests is hatred to the South.
Such being the Republican party, for the
South to consent to its domination is to consent
to death. Not that I apprehend any startling
measures of aggression by this party immedi.
ately. No its policy is too obviously a wise
moderation, and it's leaders are men of too much
sagacity to be driven ahead of their programme.
But the mere fact of such a party taking pos.
session of the Federal Government, with the &C.
quiescence Of the South, will be the most fatal
blow the South has ever received. The whole
power and patronage of the Government will be
placed upon the side of negro equality; the
Northern majority adverse to US will be stimula-
ted to new life ; they will feel the exultation of
being the master States. The Southern States.
on the other hand, will be wounded in their pres
tige their equality gone, hopeless of the future,
they will be prepared for defeat because they
will have despaired Of victory.
Great as are the mortal effects, important
practical results would also speedily follow. The
patronage Of the Administration would be used
to build up o Republican party in the border
slave States; and the Federal Judiciary would
be remodeled, 80 that the dogmas of fanaticism
would become the DEGREES of the Supreme Court.
Nor could we obtain peace by on abject submits
sion, if so inclined; the agitation would 60 on
with increased volume when it was found not to
be hazardous, and we would ultimately be forced
to yield all, or to resist under circumstances in
6nitely more discouraging than exist at present.
To acquisce in the vast powers Of the Federal
Government going into the hands of our would
be masters, with the intention of resisting at
some future time, would be to emulate the intat-
uation of the Numidian King, who delivered his
his arms, his elephants, and his des-
erters to the Romans, and then renewed the war,
having needlessly deprived himself of the means
of defence.
If the South acquiesces in a Republican admin
~istration, I think the question of negro equality
is settled against US, and emancipation only o
question of time. I have regarded this question
in the same light for years, and I have consider
ed the success of the Republican party in the
Presidential election as involving the necessity Of
revolution. So regarding it, 1 have thought the
great paramount object of our policy was to let
this Republican success occur, If 1t must occur,
under the most suspicious circumstances, for q
disruption, and those suspicious circumstances l
thought would consist principally in the largest
attainable sympathy North, and the greatest uni
ty South. These conditions I thought were most
likely to be reached BY a wise and prudent mode
ration on the part Of the South. And accord.
ingly advised and acted in that direction, and |
an satisfied I never. gave wiser c~ounsels. / said
to my constituents last summer, that we must
act with the most consummate prudence then, in
order to profit by the most desperate boldness If
it became ecessary,-prudence to give no pretext
for the election of q Republican-bolduess to re-
lieye ourselves from such election if it must take
place. My policy was q consistent policy pru.
dence, when prudence might be advantageous;
holiness, when nothing else was left. The time
is now approaching when, in my opinion the on
ly alternative will be boldness. If the Republic
can party triumph in the Presidential election,