Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-11-27
TO THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

TO THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
In obedience to the orders of the President
Of these United States Of America" | huve
landed On your shores with small force OF
national troops.
The dictates Of duty which, under these
circumstances, l owe to great sovereign
State, and TO proud and hospitable people,
among whom 1 have passed some of the pleas
antts days of my life, prompt me to proclaim
that We have counc amongst you with no feel
ingS of personal animosity-no desire to harm
your citizcns destroy your property, or inter-
fere with any Of your lawful rights or your
social and local institutions, beyond what the
causes herein briefly alluded TO may render
unavoidable.
Citizens of South Carolina, the civilized
world stands appalled, at the course you are
pursuing; appalled, at the crime you arc COM
mitting against your own mothcr-the best,
the most enlightened, and heretofore the
most prosperous Of nations. You are in
state OF active rebellion against the laws of
your country. You have lawlessly seized
upon the forts: arsenals, and other property
belonging to our common country; and within
your borders. With this property You are in
arms, and waaing q ruthless war against your
constitutional Government, and thus threat
cning the existence of a Government which
you arc bound by the terms Of solemn come
pact TO live under and faithfully support In
doing this you are not only undermining and
preparing the way for totally ignoring your
own political and social existence, but you
arc threatening the civilized world with the
odious sentiment that selfgovcrnment Is i'm.
possible with civilized man.
Fellow citizens, implorc YOU to pause and
reflect upon the tenor and consequence OF
your acts If the awful sacrifices made by
the devastation Of our property, the shedding
of fraternal blood in battle, the mourning and
wailing Of widows and orphans throughout
our land, are insufficient to deter You from
further pursuing this unholy war, then pom
der, bescech you, upon the ultimate, but not
less certain, result, which its further progress
must necessarily and naturally entail upon
your once happy and prosperous State In
decd, can you pursue this fratliclda war, and
continue to imbrue your hands in the loyal
b!mG &c your coanfrymen, your friends, your
kiusmen, for 10 other object than to disrupt
the Cenc3cracy of great people--a Confed-
eracy established by your own hands-in or
der to set up, were itpossible. an independent
Government under which yon can never lire
in peace, prosperity Or qnietness??
Carolinians! we have come among Ion as
loyal men, fully Impressed with our co"sil'u-
tional obligations to the citizens Of your State.
Those obligations shall he performed as far
as i'll our power. But be not DECEIVED. The
obligation OF suppressing armed combinations
against the constitutional ilathoriii' is para
mount to all others. If, in the performance
of this duty, other lnilior but important ohli-
gallons should be in any way neglected, it
must he attributed to the necessities oi the
case, because rights dependent ON the laws Of
the State must be- necessarily subordinate to
military cxi genccs created By lasurreclion and
rebellion. I. W. SHERMAN.
Brigadier General Commanding,
Headquarters. G. c., Port Roya, S. e..
November s, 1861.