Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-12-18
address of uon. b. II. Hill.

at Macon, on the Gsh, Mr.. HILL addressed
the Convention as follows:
/. Gentlemen of the Convention: Your as
sembling is auspicious-a IN time
and in place; auspicious for our State-for
all the States for Constitutional government
and for human liberty. When | look over
this large, intelligent and venerable assem-
bly,, 1 am assured your deliberations will be
as they ought to be, as the grave issues be-
fore you require they should be, wise, mod,
crate and considerate, but firm, frank and
determined
Eighty years ago the fathers of the peo--
ple Of ali these States, fresh from the com.
mon struggles of revolution waged for the
liberties. of each State, assembled in Phila-
delphia to found and organize constitution
and government adapted to the condition and
wants of the people, and thenceforth to be
known as peculiarly American. They rep
resented States, each acknowledged to be in
dependent, sovereign and absolute. They
found interests common to all the States, and
interests local and peculiar to each State.
They naturally and wisely determined to con-
fide to common and federal government the
administration of the interests common to
all. leaving to each State the undlsturbed
control Of the interests peculiar to itself.
They framed a written Constitution for the
General Government, and in that written
Constitution sought distinctly TO set forth the
powers conferred, and declared the common
interest, the general welfare, which the ex-
ercise of those powers was destined to pro-
mote and conserve. To protect the States
from encroachments by the General Govern
meut, they declared that all powers not dele.
gated were expressly reserved. To protect
the General Government from interference by
the States, they. declared that the. General
Government, within its powers, should be
supreme.
Under this happy arrangement OF distinct
but harmonious government-the great Amer
ican idea-all hedged about by written con-
stitutions-the great American safe-guards-
our people grew and prospered as no people
grew and prospered, as no people ever before
either grew or prospsred. :.
But, unfortunately, in the Convention itself
differences existed which were not reconciled
and solved with sufficient distinctness; differ.
ences, too, touching the respective rights and
powers of the created and the creating gov
ernments. These differences continued to
exist, to enlarge and to excite, until fiually
they eliminated in fearful, disastrous and
ever to be regretted collision Of arms.
After gallant defence of her convictions,
honestly entertained, and OF her rights long
enjoyed according to those convictions. the
South laid down her arms. Every intelligent
and honest man knows that the people of the
South desisted from the struggle sincerely
desiring, and in good faith intending, to re.
main in the Onion Of OUR common fathers as
modified only by the legitimate issues settled
by the arbitrament of arms. all who say
otherwise SANDER frank, noble and gallant
pco;le, and they kno,o they SANDER. Why,
shea, ,pge g not union and peace and good
will in union?
iuerc is but one answer 10 this question.
1t is because the startling fact is now plainly
developed to the whole world of mankind,
| which few wise men always saw and feaied,
that there are Americans who were never
satisfied with the original arrangement made
by our fathers-with the idea of central and
| local governments each sovereign inits sphere,
| and they are aking advantage OF onr untor
tunatc convulsions, and Of the passions there.
aud to destroy the governments thereon
| founded. 90
Therefore the great question now before
the American pcoplc-the question out Of
which all other questions grows: Shall
We, can We, preserve that original arrange
merit? Shall we, can VIC, retain and continue
a genera! government, supreme in its sphere,
but limited in its powers t., the general inter-
csts, common to all the Statos, and local
governments, absolute over the local interests
peculiar to each State? Shall we keep faith
with plainly written constituents? Canwe con.
tinue constitutional governments? live can. all
interests are thereby saved, and al! other
questions are thereby settled If we cannot.
all the interests Of all the people Of all the
States are iecpardized and destroyed, and
al!AStates, people and interests-are hurried
into Wild conTnsion, subjected to the terrible
ordeal of bloody anarchy, and bound to the
inevitable destiny OF universal, irrenediablez
despotisml Negro supremacy, universal suf-
lrage, social and political equality of races,
are all issues, fearful issues, but they are all
Subordinate issues. God fixed the questions
of equality. Human governments must set.
tic aud protect rights. If. wo can preserve
our American arrangements Of of'goyernniental
all rishts--adequat2, appropriate and equai
rights for all races-are secure; but if these
governments are moi preserved, all rights and
all equality for all races are gone, and all
people on tue continent must become the
mere subjects Of power, and the remediess-
victims of wrong and tyranny. ,.4.
The party which seeks to destroy these
wisely ordered and we'll balanced govern
ments, framed in 1881, is one with which YOU
eau make no compromise without being false
to the white race, false to the Constitution
and false to every original and fundamental
principle on which the American federative
system rests.
I5needs no wise man, no annointcd prophet
therefore, 10 tell you your duty. That duty
is as manifest US existence, and US important
as life. IL is summed up in one sentence
hold on. hold on, at all hazards and through
all sacrifices, to. the Constitution Of your
fathers. We are called "rebels" and /" trait
ors,n because we desire to live under. that
Constitution, while they who call us;so are
daily engaged in the rebellious and traiterous
work of insdiously undermining and des-
troying that Constitution and every principle
Incorporated in it. They would conceal by
their words the treason their acts make
patent. They divert by their calumnies of
others attention from the wicked measure by
which they arc bringing ruin upon all
Hitherto they have had the aid Of the people
of the North. But they have secured that
aid by the most monstrous and persistent
misrepresentations and ISLANDERS Of our de-
sires, our actions and purposes. But an
fully convinced that the people Of the North
ewes large proportion of those known as
Repubicans-do not in their hearts desire to
do US injustice. They have oppressed, be-
cause they have misunderstood. But ISLANDERS