Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-08-30
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For the Advertiser.

The sui Jocts which Will moSt eher0SS -sue az
tcntion. of the Southern people of The united
States, and of the ciyliz;d world, for many years
to eome will be those connected with the peculiar
conduct of the huge, lengthy and exceedingly,
bloody revolution, recently ended between tho
South s1id the successful Nerth of this country :;
tho results and effects Of that mighty revolution
and the treatment which at its end was extended
by tho conqucrors to tho conquered party.
We all kuow.very we'll, and admit taat in
time of war, the greatest possible injuries that
can be iaacted by oontendiag parties, the one on
the other are perfectly admissible and legitimate,
unless they do violpncc to the recognised mode.
Of conducting civilized warfare. We Fill suppose
thcu letting history decide as to thocsrrcctness OF
iucorractness of MANNER that the shellipg and des
tructon ofthe grcatorpurtions ofthe townsof Fred
orif.hsburg Petersburg, Atlanta, Charleston, Wera
perfectly Legitimate; that driving out and SECT
tcring the populations of those towns all over
the country, exposed, many of them, without
shelter and fooJ'to the rigors of-winter and to
the inhospitalities of strangers, were right and
admissibIe; that the destruction of ou. Railroads
and the appropriation of our property were legiti
mate acts Of war that the innocent With the
guilty had equally to. suffer; that happy home
steads, the implements Of agriculture, productive
aelds and subsistence stores, with every other
element needed to characterize ne as civilized
people, deserved naught but On indiscriminate
wipipg out. We, will suppose. and indeed viii
oil
these when committed, were correct acts Of MAR,
and viii therefore simply glance for a7momen',
at our condition and our treatment since. the
| revolution now spoken of ended. -
The immediate results and effects then, of this
grea.cat end most gigantic Of contests have been
tho manumission from Involuntary serritude of
four millions of happy, coutented, and useful
qlaveG the great depreciation by it Of lands, real
estate and every other species of property the
uncertainty and u. roliableness of labor; foul
fields and short crops; the destruction Of almost
every energy and incentive to industry and ex-
ertion in the pursuit of agriculture, and the in
fiction on our people in majority of instances
Of an idle filthy, ignorant and devil ldefying race
5
prove anything but burden to themselves, ant
a scourge and curse to all around them. Ado
to these results and effects as direful and as un
exaggerated as they nrs, an incalculsbe array o
HELPLESS and destitute xidouhood and orphanage
| tho complete and sudden destruction of th'
Southern currency, and BY it the universal ruiz
and bankruptcy which have ensued, and we have
I a picture presented for our contemplation a.
\ hideous as it is dstressing--an amount of evi
perhaps, greater than was ever imposed on any
other nation or on any other people' on tho iac'
of the globe.>
But with NIL these oyis which We havo imper
fectly enumerated, and under which we now suffe
and groan, we do not despair. The same good
merciful and just God, who has all along ruled
and who has guarde!, protected and defended
US, aud who has also supplied all,our wanta, VI
tfssl viii not desert now in our day of adversi
ty-in our day of sore trial and distress. Ou
sins doubtless, have rendered us obnoxious tt
Him, and have provoked our sore punishments q
: His hands, but we have that abiding confidence
in His mercy, clsmensy and goodness whicl
makes us believe, that justice being satisfied, Il
will now turn from us the heavy rod of His chas
:. tening. As people, shave suffered, any woul
suppose, quite enough to glut the most insatiat
ambition of tho most cxacting of conquerors, bu
+ Heaven no thanked, we still have much more
be grateful for than perhaps re deserve. Man.
of us have the wreck of former comforts, tha
with energy can be made TO minister again to ou
, necessities. Our recuporative energies and re
sources are but crushed, they are not dead. Lo
us then with thafkfulness and confidence, shak
off the letbargy which enchains us, and awake I
vigorous and useful exercise, oil the remainiH
energies and resources that VIC can possibly sum
mon to our help. AS the strong and boundin
Lion, arising in his hiding place, and shaking tn
dows of Heaven from his flowing name, sallO
forth in the majesty Of his strength to supply hi
natural cravings, so we too, shaking from II
oyery hinderaace, and putting, ON our manheod
must 90 forth to fight anew the battle of LIFT
j grapple sternly, perlistcnuy and undauntedi
with fate's rcverses, and either in this way +
achieve for ourselves foot hold on our rishk
or, should it be necessary, TO even immediate ou-
selves IA yet more strenuous anp Man!y uanne
!, to obtain and to secure them. Thcro is nothih!
wanting 10 enable and to incite -us to do all thi
thcn, but fair chance-encouragemen
:. donce. A good and strong government "tb
bcst government tho world ever SAW can. nov
afford US this chapce-this encOuragcmsut--thi
= confidence. VIII it do SO? We have reason t
hopo it will. It is now taking steps looking t
the accomplishment of such purposes. ,Peace
profound peace, without the least inclination b.
our people to disturb it, and without, in our opin
, ion, tho least likelihood that twill ever be:dis
turbod in tho future by them, has now rsigne'
for the last four months from, Maine to the Ri
Graude. The blessings of tEis peace we are nov
led to expect, wo will bo allowed to enjoy to tn
full extent that our crippled condition may. afort
us. The Southern people, almost to unit accop
and recognize willingly and Without any yai'
repining, their situation. Under these circum
stances, and under this condition rof things then
We arc induced t, hopo that, with civil govern
mentre -ssta blisheithere will be in the crcunstnn
ces of our people in u very short time, agrea
change for the better wrought. Private rights
1 infrin ged and interfered nilh, we are led to be
/ \ -.s;.t ~ tSn