Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1864-05-11

ocean: and though the fanatlclsm OF the age
| in which we5liye, like wave of tAe sea dashes
itself against this rock, it is only to be broken
into spray, and to prove how powerless are
human agencies when they wage war against
the DEGREES, of God. believe, as / believe
the fact of my being, that the only hope OF
Republican institutions on this continent, is
to lie found in the perpetuation of that insti.
tuition which has been made the occasion OF
this war- (Applause.l
We are then cohtending for the very prin.
ciples of cur fathers; and, gentlemen, permit
me to say, that'when theConvention oil South
Carolina, in that sublime vote which Withdrew
her from the old Federal alliance, threw OFT
the shackles by which she Was bound, 1t lfld
seem to me as though the spirits of our faith
crs were in that hall--that the Rutledges,
the Laurens, the Pinckneys, and the Haynes
of the past had re.appearcd in those grave and
reverend counsellors, who, With their hearts
solemply impressed with the fehr OF God,
were no. afraid to pit their State against all
the fortunes Of this fearful and bloody war.
Aud ,who on my thoughts have followed the sol.
diers CT our arnios on their lonely march anu
on the field Of strife, it has seemed to me that.
the spectres of those who suffered at Valley
Force had risen from their revolutionary bed
to hover around you, and testify to you that
YOU we're contending for the principles tor
which they fought, and for which they will
ingly surrendered their lives. NotWithstand-
ing all the priYations and hardships of the
times, rejoice that I live abreast of these
mighty scenes, and that it is permitted me 10
lift my poor voice il the assertion Of those
immortal principles; and may this right hand
forget its cunning, snd this voice be hushed
in death, ere it ceases TO proclaim. beneath
Heavens own dome, that it is Cor free, hap
py and glorious. Republican Government, that
we are as prepared to strive and die as were
our fathers before US. (Applause.)
Once more. There is an awful grandeur in
this struggle-in the loneliness with which it
is conducted. All the nations of earth have
turned away their eyes of sympathy. from US.
All alone, but upon platform as high as Our
cwn Blue Ridge, 3 spectacle to the world, and
Immediately under the eye'of the Great God
of Hosts and God,of Battles, we are seht:ng
for the right and for the true. Alono-all
alone--upont the face of the earth !! Let Eng
land and France coquette as long as they may
as it has been their policy through all the
past to coquette until the balance Of power
can be grasped by them-bu with firm faith
in the integrity Of our principles. and with q
religious trust in thepower OF Almighty GOD,
we ofths South, in our infancy, all alone,
will grapple with our foes until God, in his
own time, shall grant us our freedom, and ne
shall sit beneath our own vine with none to
moIest or make US afraid. y
7 cannot enter here into the discussion Of
the questions involved in these foreign affairs;
but must not deny myself the privilege OF
Saying word more as TO the issue, OF this
struggle. Let none but the deist doubt. ]
am free TO say to you that so long as there
is God, in whom can believe, and whose
hapd. know, is stretched out in the righte-
Gus administration OF human affairs, SO long
will hope for my country and for my ceun-
try's future; and when that hope shall die out
of my heart, the spring of life will be broken.
shall die with the dying of my hope. What
though odds be great against US? They are
less now thaa they have been. For three
years we have held the bloodhounds at bay,
and for three years 10 como, SO help US God,
we are able to hold them still at bay. (Cheers.)
Does not heaven spread its broad arch? :? Is
not the early and the lntte- rain gathered by
Gcd into its cisterns in the SIX? Do not our
feet tread the fertile earth which has given
seed time and harvest to man: Where,
then, is the danger of famine in such { land
as this? When you shall gather around thase
ample boards, and receive the welcome OF
e@olins;s fair daughters to the repast which
they Lese prepared, you will understand that
= ,f IN.
crees removed from all danger Of stsryation.
Aud when in turn they look upon these brave
men assembled here and remember that the
Contederacy ia girdlef by thousands Of such
n,t!s hearts, they will haze TO fear fsr the re-
suit.
Soldiers do you remember thatstirring Incl
dent in Grecisn history, when the hosts
poured through the narrow defile Of Thermo,
pyle how Themistocles-perhaps the greatest
name in alfe Grecian history-assemtledt the
fighters Of Athens upon the ships which Ie had
prepared, aud standing upon the prsw ofa
vessel, extended his arms over tbetSeet. and
exclaimed. This now is AthenY!" Have
you forgotten the Dutch war, when the Silent
William, regarded as the great hero OF history,
neycr won :. single battle, was always wors-
ted, encountered almost insuperable difficult
ties in maintaining the organization of his ar
ny, auti yet through IN indomitsslo will con-
duesed ihe coafiS, until to-dSsy all Europe
recognizes the Dutch Republic as heiog the
savionr and guacdian both Of tie civil and re.
ligious liberties OF the continent. Shall l
draw your attention nearerhome; and tell you
how, through seven years of bloody war, our
forefathers, with immeasurably less resources
than we command, wearisd out an mportu-
nate and powerful foe, and after he had oc-
cupied ali of our cities, drove him at last from
his strougholds and became the victors and
possessors of the soil? So will it be with
US; and when you are called again to face the
enemy, remember the benediction Of yonr
countrymen and the preciousness OF the
treasure you bear; and when next you return
to Cardinals fair soil, may it be our happi-
ness to welcome you not as now, simply de-
tenders, but as mighty conqnerors ever those
uho have fallen beneath your proyess. Zap.
plause-l
And now, General, turning to Gen. Hamp.
ton, I have an individual confession to make.
1t has been my privilege, asyou know, through
three and twenty years TO hold forth to my
r 81. iNaeSo1 o{ t1,o poora md ~, no