Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-09-13
For the Advertiser.

companions in srins, to. tarry for season, ana
eadeavor right up tie State. and imprcve their
condition here, bofore they abandon their lands
aud scaniy possessions, and seek for new homes
uuler the brighton skies and s.rencr heavens OF
the lar South.
1t will not bo set down to vanity or cg"tism.
lras;, If, in replying to your letter, avail my
sef OF the convenient medium of the public press,
to satisfy tho inquiries of many others, who, since
tho surrender Of Gen. JOHSs6I, have sought my
.pinions on the same suhjectr that appear now
TO be engrcssing your Own thoughts, as well as
those CT mujoIfty of that great population,
which SO lately constituted "thc Ceafed.rntc
States OF America"
First thcn aa to our obligations to remain ia
the couHtry, and suffer whatever cvilalhc results
o! the war aad the bchests OF our late victcricus
enemies may inaict upon US, disagree, totally,
with Gen. HAMPTON, and ell that class of patriots,
w;o :.weuld rather bear the ills they have, Than
ny to those Toy know not of )" and who, fortified,
in mind. by the prccepts of tha; ilusirious mcm-
bsr of Pandim onirm, whose tongue
"Dropt mama, and could make the worse appear
The better reason. to perplcx and dash
DIaturcst counscls,'-
are ready to persr adc themselves and others, that
VIC can happily conform to the desperate condition
of our affairs, and that when our minds have
grown familiar with poverty, subOrdinaton, and
balcful ruin,
.. This horror will grow rild, this darkness light,
hat bn.,n n FLIGHT
or future days lGay bring what chance, what
change
Worth waiting, srce our prcscnt lot appears
For happy taeagh but i'll, for ill not worst,
Ii We procufe not TO ourselves more Voc
If we were in condition to struggle manfu!ly
for our rights and for great principles, that havc
been buried deep under the hoof Of the wal: horse
if the sword had not bcca sheathe;l, to rest in
its scabbord forever, then could appreciate the
argument, that we should oil remain here, to
strive together, to triumph together, or to glerf-
ousy perish together. Whilst the South was Up
in arms, and the fires of courage and patriotism
were blazing through the land, and lighting hhr
sons to victory or honorable graves, itwould have
been exceedingly basc and nnmanly for nDy Of
1
and bravo MIN would have suffered death be-
fore accepting mn alternative SO full OF isaoniny.
| But tie Confoderaey sas bowed her neck to the
foot Of the conquero.. and, without making terms
FOR her security, has lamely submitted herself
! aud the destinies of her children wholly to the
will Of her sovereign inaster. Itzrqaires. there
fore, = suotcr understanding than mine, 10 dis
coycr any gaed reason for our detention upon her
s,i: unless, through abundant ch~r,y, and hear; y
full of compassion. are c"nstraiaed to ac-
urrn the principle, "that misery loyes company
and clothing ourselves, in sack cloth, ai' putjrG 6
dust and ashod upnr sur heads, cnn rec-ncifc i:
to our ssnse oi iuly .pd prpprictr, to Spend lhc
remainder t, sur days il condlencc with The
most miseInul- gf u,anai"d, in whining anu
whmptr"s oycr :iiafidatcd cstates, over broken
down fnanccs, ov.r Geca;ns cities, and over lest
property, and lost honors, and irrstrivable eis-
aster. 0a
If VIC stay here with the very best of intentions
and we could esrtaiply lie aetuated BY no oilst Il s;
we are bound hand ard fool" and aresutteriy
roworless, either for gcci or or evil. Though
endowed with lie. genius Of Burkcs and Chath.
ans, and the administrative abilities of tho PiSs
aud Taleyrands, even of tho mighty Napoe
ons themselves. we c.uld bsrr no field Tor the
excrcsc d; our exalted faculties, and could only
ac. tic part Q; The merest cirhors, in the great
.um of hama4 uirars We haze hcen rebcliious,
ana ty ST., u,ersr force, compelled t9 yield, ANA
ha;uray vnsugh, the government e! the United
S.acs, being yet afraid to Trust us, undertakes To
manage us according to her owa policy, without
heedias he wildcs; Shricks Of our 9cmagogucs.
or, us we may suppose, the lotticSt appeals CT
devoted patriotism herself In other words, diff
rig with the great maiori'y Of tho American
psnIlc. on principles OF government which ne
deemed vital 10 our liberties, and differing also,
IN reference to the emancipation of OUT siares,
We wagcd war; in which VIC saEcd our property,
our lives, and tho blood of cur sons, prefusely
p,urcd out. on ten thousand fields of slaughter.
Tic Gods ayerted their faces from our struggling
banner, and victory perehed upon the standards
Gf on. FOO After such display of hcroism and
cnluran &c, rs the world never witnessed before,
We lost the priceless wager, tho nestimabc prize.
which bad been ccnsccratcl By an ocean of blood,
and with that darling jewel, we lost all that en-
doaied us to country. Ii isc moderate estimate
, TO aver, that wo have been bcrelt Of Mt least
three-rour,hs Of all the property in the land, and
the only principles Of government which nc es.
tecmcd Il guaranty FOR cur liberties, besides all
! these aspirations and considerations, which, in
/ IT,. opinion Of the brcvest and the best, made
/ living an honor or existence ought but burden.
! Moreover, according to the usage of nations, we
have forfeited, at least FOR time, I'll pretensons
to tho right Of selfg government. What is it then,
that enchains us to these barren rocks and desc
la,o tls? And what would avail our puny exer-
.ivns, since having rendered The issue of baaic,
and lost it, We have been completely shacklcd and
rendered politically deal, and, perhaps, physical
! y md tnanciully PROSTATE and powerioss for all
time To come? L; is my government that love
as my country. any other skies would be as
/ prsrti.us, and aDy othcr lands rs generous as
these; aud, therefore, it is beyond the scope Of
NV mental vision, TO doteot Il reason, WHY, if I
can find country Iet,r adapted to mike Inc
happy, and soil moro prolific ia tho supplies for
the wants man, shuuidJ not ADOPT them and