Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-03-08

| we refuse to recognize direct inspiration
, We nevertheless accord to them q divine
character. They tolerate therefore no turtle
question of mere expediency. It is the Law
of Heaven, and can not be gaiasayed by tn,
sophistry of selfish nature. But there arr
ma1ins, tho truth of which, though they
have not the sanction of direct inspiration
being prudential merely authenticated bync
less universal experience than the moral law
ain unity thereis strength" So simple q
proposition all will say Should not have need
cd the illustration of father who, calling
his sons together gave each a single rod to
break and then bundle, that they might
know The truth of this maxim. Nor was it
needed for the mere knowledge which it i'm
parted, but to entorcs its importance, and
thereby ensure its observance among the broth
ers. Do we smile at the old mans simplicity.
He would put US to'the blush should he re-
mind us that in all. the Confederacy there
was not the wisdom to discover the moral OF
his LESSON. That four years of dreadful war
against an antagonist of three times our num-
Der and in all the appointments and insiru-
neats of war still more our superior, were
iedCE luiI elSuI
were stronger than 6ye.s
l.. But this so simple lesson had far deeper
significance than'the occular demonstration
of a physical. fact. 1t was the moral nfu.
ence or strength which unity oi. purpose
gives to our actions, and which so otter in
life gives triumph to Ike less, against lie
greater number. dt is 81 power which mag
not be expressed with the precision Of figures,
but which iS'farely oyer.estitnated. Who can
tell how many It would bring hack of those
who have abandoned our cause, 9as the rich
mans war and the poor mans fight, to knrw
that we had,sacri6ced so much, for principles
as dear to the poor as the rich.
Who can say what might not be accom-
>plisbed by eight millions Of frecn,en moved
by a single impulse. Nor is tEis all. if we
would measure its influence to the fall. By
whatever cypher the sum be expressed, de-
duct it from the strength cf the enemy. It's
moral influence in the exaltation and impulse
which it would impart toiour ranks, would
in no less degree depress theirs, so that. if
there be time leji, with the complex machine.
ry OF our government, to bring this mighty
weapon to our rescue, we may Ithink not
without good reason hope, that Mr.. Lincoln
was for Cnce right, when be said that he
could not carry on the contest for six months
without the aid of the negro.
And who would not give him up Gas q
slaveI mean) thousand times, for peace
and independence Who. if an angelshould
descend and offer to lead our hosts to victory
uudcr the banner of emancipation, would
withhold his slave for the property which be.
held in his muscle? And arc. mot the laws
of natures God, though visible only to the
mental eye, as sure in their operation as il
Inscribed upsn banners and borne By mes
senger deputed from Heaven direct The
chilli of nature love. liberty no less than the
philosopher.
We sec it, have all felt it even in earliest
childhood. How cur young hearts have
bounded " th rapture when the restraints of
parental authority or Of the school room were
withdrawn. Perhaps it had been Ayetter for
u; if we had known less Of this early liberty.
Yet this but proves all the more clearly the
pow.r-the Irresistible power, Of this all
pcrvading passion Of the human heart In
boyhood, though we recognize the rigEtof
parental authority and its superior wisdom,
yet who that did not look forward with i'm
patient desire 10 the day when he should be
n free man. The very poetry Of youth, says
Montgomery, is, " when l shall be a man"
The love of liberty, then, repeat, is an
instinct of the human heart, q law of our
nature, and what is nature but the outward, !,
visible, corporeal body, of'which Deity is the
soul. Men and children, and it is in the
child Of which our own experience furnishes
the best lesson, that we may with greatest
profit study the negro, the nntaught, dntu
torcd child of nature, Meis and children ]
say, long for it, work for it, suffer for it. live
and die for it. In this is that great truth,
which sooner or later we must recognise, and
with which we must put ourselves in conformi.
ty if we expect Nature, or Natures God, to
help us-for what is truth but Natu-e-thc
harmons of Natures laNs-confornity to
Natures lav-t.e law Of Heaven.
Think not that God sill suspend bis o:rTnal
law to help us forward. No: all CIR fasting
and prayers will avail lis uoihiDg, if VIC fol-
low not hutt-if we conf rm not the i'm
mutable laws of nature. In ju- so far, not
a step, nor so much as the tenth part Of q
hair's breadth further, Will Ged be with us.
W. w.