Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-12-16

and our means for meeting the respon-
sibiIties Of our public debt. In such 9
policy he will require strong Govern
ment, and will be interested in securing
peace and contentment at home. Tt
! do this, he must organize the produc-
tive. labor and resources of the country
on the frmest basis, for without this he
cannot sustain the public credit and
finances Of the Government. The great
! e.. .ces of the Southern States cannot
/ be relied on, nor can the finances of the
Government be permanently, sustained
under the absolute negro Governments
as. nov, establishedin this country. He
from necessity, must place things upon
amore Conservative and permanent con.
ditipn than now exists, or he cannot
consolidate the Government so as to
|5gireitpower abroad. Besides, in his
report emadeasome years ago on the state
sof the Southern country, he gave us
. CONSTRUCTIVE views, and expressly re-
commenaed the abelition Of the Freed
mans Bureaa or rather that itshould
be under the command ef.the Chief of
theiArmy, and not a separate organiza-
ton. I recollect when Gen. Harrison
was elected President, it was supposed
thathe would follow the counsels Of the
IextFeme Wings of his party, but his adj
mlnistration, in fact, fell into the hands
of the most conservative portion of his
party
It was the same case when Gen. Tay-
lor was elected = mention these cir
cumstances to urge upon you, from our
experience, to " Keep cool ,gauaaevents !"
and take advantage Of Circumstances as
they arise. Amongst profigate and
dissolute people, the strong Government
of one is better and safer than the loose
Government of the ignorant many.
True, you can no longer appeal to the
Abracadabra of the Constitution. Its
SPIRITS gone, and gone forever, I fear
but on ali proper opportunities, appeal
to itwhenever you can. Be faithful
and true to it; do nothing rash or moth
ing under the pressure Of passion, ag-
gravated by grievous wrong. True, we
.have.seen enough to almostsshake our
confidence in the experimenting of a
good God over the affairs of men. But
recollect that greater people than we
are, and perhaps more worthy, have
been crushed and exterminated under
the iron heel of despotism. But still
God reigns, and in the end His divine
goodness will triumph. His ways are
not as our ways, nor are his ends and
purposes seen by poor, frail man.
Many Of our wrongs of late have risen
out Of the prognitical experiment of ap-
pointing Provisional Governors, with
an attempt at sovereign power'in the
reorganization of these States, upon the
assuihed principle that they had never
sece:shd .hecaIlse they never could. You
might as we'll assume That no Battle Hau
ever been fought, and that there had
only been incidental skirlnishes.
This fatal error produced others, and
further confusion, with violent, bitter
party feelings, and we were made the
victims of both sides. Then, after this,
tie Government has been managed by
a total want of ncape. This has thrown
all power into the hands of the daring
and reckless, and they seized on posi-
ton to crafty passion, avarlce, and am
bition. and we, without power, have
been made to suffer at the hands of the
daring and abandoned.
I am induced to fear that neither of
the great parties North care much. for
us or o,rcondition. We think we have
suffered so much, that our deeds Of he
roism and valor ought to enlist the
sympathy of all just and virtuous men
everywhere. But in fact, we really en-
list but little more feeling than do the
heroic and brave men and noble women
of Paraguay. What people upon this
earth have ever exhibited more devo-
ton, virtue, and heroic courage and en-
durance than they have? Yet who,
even amongst us, ever thinks or feels
for that noble and bleeding people?
Such is the case towards US, and we
now have, in fact not much to rely upon
but ourselves. Bet us exert ourselves
to restore'a conservative influence over
our State Government if possible La
lborsto support our families by every
l;hoilest means, no matter how humble.
Strain every nerve and drain every re-
source to educate our children, forwith-
out this the country must sink down to
permanent degradation. Pursue our
industrial and peaceful occupations as
best we can. Eschew party contests
and the bitterness of&politics Bear
our fate 6withs enduring philosophy,
Sigbenot for riches, for we must be poor.
liTFhe. times are troublesome, and there is
uncertainty ahead: Scenes may arise
where rich man may feel danger and
suffering. Better be a virtuous people,
brave and truthful, than to have pow
cr, wealth, and station, from the plum
der and robbery of the helpless and
wronged. Iimay not become ne tc
assume titus to advise you, but you will
pardon it from the love | bear my
State. I anxiously desire that no por.
tion of her people shall do any thing
wrong or act from passion or in rash
ness. All we have, ourtwives and chill.
dren, are at stake. I love my own
home and my own country, because ii
was the home and the country of my
forefathers. se
\. We are in a painful and critical stu.
alton. We are in the midst of great
events. The Government is probably
changing from a Republic into an En-