Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-09-11

H' tl,a
stroy their own constitution which was be-
queathed to them by their fathers.
Besides these various reasons against the
policy advocated by the meeting, it appears
to me that it is premature for the people to
move at present. The authorities at Wash
ington have not indicated the course they
propose to pursue towards the State. nor have
they manifested great zeal in the restoration
of that Union for which they have professedly
been fighting for the last four years. They
have not asked the State to return to the
Union, nor have they announced the terms
upon which it can do So. When they have
done these things, it will be time enough for
the State to take counsel how. to act. ~.
recommend, then, with all Difference to
yourself and the gentlemen over, whom you
presided the other dav, that the people should
remain perfectly quiet, taking no action
whatever in public affairs. Leave all these
matters 10 the United States Government,
which will, doubtless, in good time, provide
government for you. Until that is done, the
cartridge-box can take the place of the ballot,
box, and the bayonet is q good substitute tor
the law 1t is better to be governed by
these than to give to your State g constitu-
tion which misrepresepts the wishes of the
people, humiliates their pride, debauches
their society, destroys their prosperity and
degrades their State. -. a
have the honour to be, very. respectfully,
your friend and fellow.citizen,
WADE HAMPTON,
ACCORDING TO CONGRESS THE SOUTH IS STILL
IN THE UNION.
It was clear to my mind that the true poll
cy of the South was to remain passive, OBJ
serving, with the most scrupulous fidelity, the
obligations we assumed when we laid down
our arms, and making no concessions beyond
those embraced in the terms upon whicn we
surrendered. I held that the United States
Government had not only offered terms to
the South but that its faith was pledged to
the observance OF those terms. Every Official
act of every department of that government,
during the war, declared that the Southern
States were still members of the Union, and
Congress, by an almost unanimous vote, IN
the most solemn manner,
"Resolced That this war is not waged, on
our part, in any spirit of oppression, nor for.
any purpose of conquest or subjugation, nor
purpose OF overthrowing or interfering with
the rights or established institutions of the
States, bur to defend and maintain the supre-
macy of the constitution, and 10 preserve the
Union with all the dignity, equality and rights
of the several States unimpaireJ. That as
soon as these objects are accomplished, the
wur ought to cease"
The same body gave the strongest evidence
that they regarded the Union unbroken even
during the. war, by their recognition Of Mr..
Carlisle as Senator from Virgini.-I mean
the noble "Old Dominion" and not her i!e-
gitimate and degenerate child. West Virginia
aud allowing him 10 retain his seat until
near tie close If the war The very paroles
given to The Southern soldiers promised the
projection of the Iaaised Stsses Government
70 those hofdrfg Tnen1.sso forrss as they obeyedL
the laws of "the States wherein they re-
sided - thus recognizing, not only the South
ern States as Stuics. but Tia lars Of those
States We had every reason, as far as we
could trust to the faith Of our opponents, TO
believe that the Southern States would be .e-
ceiyed into the Union with all their "dignity,
equality and rights unimpaired,' as soon as
they renewed their allegiance to the general
government, and acknowledged lis supremacy.
puYlc rA1TH-ouR GREAT MIsTAKEs-THE
NORTH BETRAYED.
I! would be foreign to the purpose Of this
communication 10 discuss what faith has been
kept with the South-manknd has already
affixed to that sort of faith the name of Punic;
only touch on these points 10 show the mis-
takes committed by the South, when it cor
formed~to those demands Of the North which
were interpolated into the conditions, after
our surrender. Our State Conventions were
mistakes; so were the changes of our cvnsti.
tutions greater than all others was the leg
isation ratifying the amendment of tic
United States Constitution known as Article
Is. am we'll aware that the action of the
Southern people, at that time, was dictated
by an honest desire 10 secure The blessings Of
peace, and by high sense Of honour, which
prompted theul to show that they were sim
cere In their wisf to 90 everything that would
tend to the restoration of the Union on hon
durable terms. | have no hesitation in as
serting that the Southern States would then
have been brought back to the Union with
more OF "loyalty'-to use iavourite ex
preston of the North-than had existed
amongst them for forty years past, had the
North proved itself to be as magGanimouS rs
it had shown itself to be powerful. But it
was the misfortune, not only of the South,
but of the whole country, that the party
which Lad obtained possession OF the govern
a.
power than Of restoring the Union TO its own
pristine glory. After acquiring power, on the
sole ground Of bringing back the Southern
States to the comnon fold, with all their
"dignity, equality and rights unimpaired," "
they basely betrayed the people Of the North,
BY subordnating the interests and rights Of
ten States to th; effort to pcrpctuate the
power Of their party, falsifying, while they
did SO, every pledge which they had made
during le continuance of the war. The
war, which.was professedly waged solely for
the restoration of the Union, in its progress,
degenerated into an open attempt, on the part
Of its authors, to consolidate and perpetuate
Radical rule, and government, which was
founded on the noble maxim that "gorern-
mepts derive their just powers from the con-
sent of the governed" has been perverted to
the base ends Of subjcctiug ten millions Of its
people to military deSpotisp.
MILITARY DEsPoTlsM.
That may not be accused of stating this
proposition in stronger language than is war
ranted By the facts Of the case, [ beg to call
your attention to the following extract of an
article which emanated from Massachusetts,.
Bearing the imprimatur of Boston, its Ian
guage, which, had it been uttered here, might
have smacked ut treason, can be regarded