Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-10-02
"A Good practical sermon.

As far as ,oorL is concerned-effurts of entor.
prise tending to tho welfare and rcsusctation of
our Southern country, and manly exertions to
provide for our own households-the present Sea-
son is the beginning of new year. Now is en-
pbatically the limo for every man to begin his
labors for the coming year, with high resolve and
wise forethought. No earthly use to be whining
so much and so continually about politics No
earthly use to be forever pulling around, declar-
ing that the country is going to ruin, that there
is no money in it, that the negro will not work,
that business is dead and buried, and that there
is nothing further to be done Six or eight hours
of gh-handlo, repeated daily for six months,
will cure oil such notions.
'Tis not to BE- denied that the legislation of
Congress is deeply injurious 10 every interest Of
the South. But rs long ms it does not proven: US
from work, We should not permit it to make US
despondcnt. There may be considerable differ
once between doing nothing Mt all, because Fed
sral legislation is adverse, and doing as much ms
prudence and resolution will allow under the
circumstances. That Congress is hindrsncc is
most true; but we can gain nothing but harm by
making it an excuse for omitting anything that
might be dono in spite Of its opposition. We
have this distinction to make, and to mnke it
properly, and act upon it, may require no small
degree of wisdom ard strength of character. So
much the better, if NO arc only found equal to
tho emergency.
Bat there i, G great danger Of substituting
abuse of the opposition for effective work which
might be dono Notwithstanding the uutowardDcss
of the situation. Lot US remember the tragic
hero who lost his sef-rcspect because hc yielded
to the computation to cursc-to uupack his heart
With words-1hile he permitted an enterprise of
great pith an moment to lose the name Of actor.
Those mythical two blades Of grass, growing
where but one grew before, may be made an &C
tuaity in spite of Congress. The wrath Of Stevens
dues not shrivcl up our iuheritauee-nor dow
believe it will ever do SO; neither does tho sbuse
of Sumner and Wade corrupt our climate. Tho
sun shines, rains fall winds blow, waters sparkle,
and seeds gcrmiuatc, albeit Fssscnden docs not
bless US. And We c,ntrivc to 1.-Two ana movc and
have our being, Notwithstanding the hittor bene-
dictio IS of Bcechcr, tho poisonou: diatribes Of
Wendell Phillips, and tho stolen spoons of But
ler. Nothing could gain us the opposition Of
vain and vindicti7o men except their belief that
we have some capacity for usefulness and the best
charity we can show them in return is to provo
to thcm that they ara not mistaken.
Old Dr.. johnson assures US that "kings and
laws" havo much smaller influence in causing
or curing the evils of humanity than is generally
supposed. 'Thaddcus Stevens tho king of Radi-
calsm, who has openly and abovc-board wished
all the Southern people in hell, would TO doubt
be glad to plan. ;horns in our pillcSs and in our
hoarts-to bias. with pestilcnce and famine what
has been left from the desolation Of war. But
fortunately for the poor old man, as well rs for
ourselves, his power falls short of his desire. The
like is also quite true of his party and Of every
other source of mischief except such as wo
choose to cherish within ourselves; Of which, in
our opinion the greatest is likely to bo the failure
fully to appreciate and command our opportuni-
ties, simlly because they are somemhat darksnetl
by political situation different from what we
would have chosen. No creator mistake could
possibly be made.