The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1861-01-24
Shed F? Does revolution ever 90 back

plished? Does revolution ever go back
wards? Can force compel South Carroll
na to return? No. the whole power Of the
Federal Government is inadequate to the
task. She may be overun by invading ar
mics-her cities may be demolished, and
her churches may be deserted to the moles
and the bats; her classic halls may echo
the hoot Of the midnight owl; her sons
may perish Oh an hundred lc-tields;
her women and children and her old men
may fly from their burning dwellings
but she can never be conqucrcd-ncvcr.
ncver The same mountains that pro-
tccted her soldiers in the Revolution, still
lift their majestic heads and stretch out
their giant arms; the same trackless
swamps that sheltered Marion (the swamp
Fox) and his men, still invite her brave
defenders in the hour of defeat to seek
their friendly and secure hiding places
Four hundred thousand people, with the
spirit of '7G burning in their breasts, and
believing themselves to be fighting for
Gods truth and human rights, arc invin-
ciblc by any force that may be sent
ganst them The race is not to the
swift. nor the battle to the trong.
But should she fall like Leonidas and
his Spartans, second Thermopyle will
rival the glorics of the first
But size will not fight her battles alone.
Her sons scattered through other lands
will fly to her stricken bosom like clouds,
and like doves to their windows her sis
ter Southern States will rally to the res
cue.
As then force cannot stay the rcvolu-
ton, why should it be attempted? Is
war so pleasant pastimc that we can af-
ford to make the experiment? Is the
spectacle of these States striving to de-
stroy each other not enough to appal
you?
You wish to preserve the Union-that
is the passionate desire of most of my
hearers this day. | cannot tell whether
any means will preserve it; / do not
know that God intends it to be preserved.
lie NAV see that it will be best for us to
separate, and may have so ordained.
But ono thing is certain. the only pos
siblc method of preserving or rather Of
reconstructing the Union will be by avoid
inc bloodshcd. If the States that scccdc
arc allowed quietly to go out-thcn when
the passions Of the hour have cooled. and
reaction has taken place at Tic North, it
may be possible TO reconstruct the Union
upon surcr and more lasting basis.
But war will forever render this hope
less; the attempt Oh the part OF the Gov
crnmcnt to coerce Il seeding State will
unite The South in a solid column it will
become war OF scctions--fillccn slave
holding against eighteen hireling States !;
Il great gulf will be fixed between them.
across which they can never pass. Let
all those that love the Union strive for
peace.
The provdcntial attitude of this and
the other middle States is very rcmarla-
bic; they occupy the central portions CT
the country; they are washed by the
Bcautinl River ANIL l,y the Fathcrofs Wa
tcrs: l9cy are great and powerful Com
monNeaihs; they arc siavchoding, but
in the course Of late political events have
been cstranged from their natural allies
they are inspired with Il profound love CT
the Union; they have carefully abstain
ed from threats Of resistance, and. from
everything which could irritatc the
Northern States; and now wcre.they to
rise up in their majesty and say to the
Federal Government and to the North,
no force shall be employed; if dissolution
must come. let it be pcaccabc; were Viz
ginia kentucky, Tennessee, and Nilsson
ri to do this, it would at once arrest the
danger or at least it would clear their
skirts Of the responsibility. And who
Lnowcth.whethcr thou art come to the
Kingdom for such IL time rs this? p 1t
may be that God has been preparing you
by his mysterious workings for this very
task
:Think not within thysclf that thou
shalt escape in the Kings house, more
than all the Jews Should war COM
mcncc you will be among the greatest
sufferers; the battle will rage along the