Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-05-08
senator wilson and his Speech.

The Tribune and other papers of the North
have for some time been urging upon the Re
publican party the necessity OF sending their
REPRESENTATIVES inu ihe Southern States,
with view of ensuring the election from
these Commonwealths Of Republican Sena.
tors and Representatives. They were not
willing to leave to each people the settlement
Of their own political affairs. Strife at the
bustings was their successor for strife on the
battle-G field.
The object clearly was for the mere ad-
vancemert OF party. 1t certainly could be
neither in the interests of restoration or re-
construction, because unless reversed by
the Supreme Court, these are already deter
mined on.
The effort is to radicalize the South BY
appeals 10 pas; prcjudices, and to issues, on
which there is no longer now any difference.
Whatever the professions made, it IS not har
mony, but division and dissension, that is in
tended.
And this policy has been inaugurated-
Senator Nye, of Nevada, is to take Mis'isslp
p in hand And South Carolina among
Others, has been committed to Senator Vii.
son, of Massa chusefts. who is to be followed
by the Hon. VIM. d. KELLEY, of Pennsylvania.
The movement was inaugurated yesterday
by Senator Wilson's speech, on the Citadel
Green. He came as the avant courier. he
has fulfilled his mission here. Heis certainly,
no orator. Ills manner is rather dull and
heavy, and he SPEAKS with marked effor'.
There are many here, who if allowed reply,
could have swept his audience from him.
Although avowing that he came as the or
gan OF no p rty, Yet his whole utterance was
TO accuse and arraieu the cause ofSouth Car
olina in the past, and to invoke the support at
the ballot box OF the Republican platform.
He argued, as. if slavery was still the issue,
when lie knew we'll that there is not now
man in South Carolina who desires or con,
templates its revival iu letter or spirit. This
was the burden Of bis speech. And yet he
we'll understood that the white race of this
Safe, by their own act, have forever abolish
cd involuntary serviiude. In Fact, they IN
.orpurated the provision of freedom. by
heir own votes, into the Constitution of the
State.
They therefore, are, without exception, as
much in favor Of freedom to-day as the hon
,rable Senator himself Ii tue dead past is
to BE- brought up simply for partisan eff ct, be
should recall his own words altered in lSJj:
" an, confent to icuce yluce,y 10 tie l"upic II
Me Sues rdere Il no,r cri.,is. Iysc1yai=e the
Democyntic docf,.n-. ..j States rights in lis
apphcaiiOn 10 s.orery"
South Carolina, on whose soil, he, yester
day, sto2d, ana whose white race IL assailed
for the presence heretofore 'oi slavery, was
one of the States where slavery then pre-
vailed. and where he was content to leave it
in 1855 SIC existed.
1t is true, lie disavowel any desire for
war Of races, but the whole tendency OF his
renarks was, by careful words and covered
PHRASES, to array the colored race against
those of their own CommonwealthS rs their
oppressors in the past, aud as if they were
unwilling to enact impartial laws and admin
lister justice and equal government.
Mr.. Wilson has failed in his efforts else
where We believe he will fail here.
Mr.. Wilson can make no complaint Of the
want Of free and unirammelcd speech.
His tour has not proved q success elsewhere,
although he was referred to at Wilmington as
the coming man for the Presidential Chair.
In Virginia he utterly failed to induce the
old Wings to unite with him in the organiza-
ton Of Radical party founded OH his ideas.
We believe he will fail here. There is no
natural antagonism between the two races
here. They must understand, that iuhabi-
tants of the same soil, must look to each
other, for their maintenance, laws and rights.
The interests of the colored mau cannot be
promoted by division. And it will, We think,
be found in the end, that they will understand
where their real welfare lies, and their edu-
cation and advancement can best be promo
ted BY union aid Identification with the white
rac, oi their own State, rather than by scpa-
ration and distrlst at home, and BY alliances
with parties in other States, who should first
cast the beam from their own eye, before they
find fault with the imaginary mote here
Charleston Courier, 4th.