The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-09-04
Notes on the Situation.
BY HON. u. ii. HILL.

much !auded Roman maxim. But maxims
never saved country, and this one did not
save Rome. She was very weak. Tho
combined world was too weak 10 harm her.
But She icll--lcN1y h~ omn hands--aud for
centuries has remained fallen!
good. liberty loving Americans almost
despair of their country the events of tho
last thirteen years would seem TO DO su!ti
c'ciit TO save tiicm lrom rcproach. From
the repeal Of the Missouri Compromise
until now, no period in human annals Of
thricc the duration exhibits such execution
among leaders, such crcdulity among the
people, such treachcry by rulers aud such
energetic selt-dcstruction by the nation.
The United States have done more in
these years 10 awaken confidence in FREQ
institutions, and have inflicted moro injury
upon their own people, and created heavier
burdens for their children and childrcn's
children, then the united armies and navics
III the earth could have accomplished in frty
years Before these notes close | may
undertake to show tho real causes Of these
evils. IL is sufficient now that from 1851
spirit which is empty to the life Of the
Constitution has been dominant The Gov
crhmont has been in the keeping of its enc
m'cs. We read Of great man who, wllo
an infant, was nulsud by wolf This
may have been and may again pc possibc
but il never has been and never will be
possible for men OF extreme tcmpers and
Urlnions TO nurse II constitution whose only
hlo Is mutual concession for the common
good.
The Southern people, greatly provoked
aud misguided. Abandoned the Union to
preserve the Constitution, While the
Northcrn people, less provoked bu, equally
misguided, made war to preserve the Union,
by placing themselves under tho lead Of
men who were the bitter, impacablc enc
mes OF the Constitution, and who were fore
determined to destroy or reform it.
After four years of heroic struggle, the
Southern people laid down their arms be.
cause they were assured by their enemies,
a"l taught by long trusted but fuithcss
counscllers and Office holders among them
selves, that, by SO doing they would be
/ again i'll The Union MS before. The many
| believed this and Withdrew their supports
and deserted their colors. The few who
disbciicvcd were ovcrpowcred. But moro
! than lwo years have pasScd-morc than
hall the period Of tho actual conllict--and
! Tie Southern people, now thrice tlcludcd
| have not enjoyed the blessing Of the Union
Why? Because these leaders Of the North
--truc to their original hatred and perfect
" logical in that hatred declare the
Union shall not be restored except upon
terms which practically destroy the Consti.
tuition, and which certainly leave no Union
except one founded in force. And thus far
the Northcrn people either have failed to
| comprehend, or have consented TO sustain
! their trcachcry. and TO give the last dcycl-
| opmcnt of this most remarkable history, VIC
see some Of our Southern councillors, who
urged us into secession MS the only peaceful
method OF securing our rights; who after.
wards led us TO subugaton as tho only
| method escaping military despotsm now
boasting Of tho great confidence heretofore
rcp9scd in their counsel, and advising us
| to accept tho proposed terms for q new
| Union.
With such experience fresh and still
increasing, how shall we wonder if true
men douOl, II Brave men fear, and if good
men despair
For thirteen years tho actual revolution
has been right onward, aud is still onward.
! lie is Stupialy blind who does not sec that
the evils before us arc far greater than tho
| evils present and behind us. Our people
| nave drank bitter cups, but they are as
| honey when compared with cups thcy must
| drink iCtAc child is not taken from the
wolf, il the Constit ution is not taken from
the nursing care Of hoso who hate it, if the
| Government shall continue TO 10 admins-
| tered by its enomics.
| lfnnyihinG may say shall tend, however
slightly, to avert the evils which threaten
the country, shall not only be satisfied.
but happy. ] have no party TO serve and
10 personal ends TO accomplish
frankly admit, my opinions heretofore
have not been accepted by majority of The
people. have never thought that what
The majority believed was, therefore, true
or that what the majority did was, there
fore, right. My political ifo has been but
astrugslc against prevailing opinions and
policies. When policies hayo been adopted
and fixed in spite Of my opposition, have
lahorcd to work good results in spite of nv
convictions that the polici", were unwise.-t
And when | sec the ruin which has been
wrought. can but rejoice in the rccollco.
ton that was not ono Of the chosen arclh.
tocis. do believe the people have mouth
cd and still mourn only because wicljcd
men have ruled and still rule; and bolbvo
wicked men have been chosen to rule dnly
because they have made political issues to
fomcnt popular passions, and have shifted
their conduct and opinions TO the ponular
passions so fomented.
These notes arc, therefore, given 10 the
public, claiming no title to constellation,
except that they are written, not Il please
that public, but to aid in arrcsing ihe fur
thtr progress ofa revolution which has been
so prollho OF ruin in tho past, and which is
so tearfuly pregnant with ruin for the
future. II may turn out that no man.
no human power can arrest this revolution.
1t may be that u change of government,
through an ordeal of ANARCHY, inevitable.
But this much every man can do: lie can
soc to il TINT, if this dcstructiot must come,
it shall not owe IFS coming to his consent.
If tho Constitution must be- violated, it
shall not be by him. If thJ Government
must be snbycrted, it shall 10 the work of
others. This therefore, patr otic reader, is
all the promise I exact in advance; that,
whatever others may do, ybu will support
tho Constitution, and oppok what's contra
ry thereto. For mark this: Whatever else
people and rulers may do, ,thcy cannot sup
port or preserve the GovGnment by violat-
ing Its Fundamental law.
a Washington tccgrim to the Boston
Jo"rnM says: "rhc PIsidcnt gavo on M.
dicnco recently to seyctal representatives of
the press from a distoAcc, who called spo
cially to SEQ him. Inthc interview he. said
he was willing at anyt imo to furnish proper
information for publication, but he had rea.
son within short the to complain bitterly
of certain persons who Ind boon IN soo- h;n,