Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-12-16
HENRY A. METZE,
F. S. .LENIE, f,Com
R. HAMIAN,
EpeEwooD, October II, 1868.

EDGEWOoD, OcIODer ~, looo. :
Gentlemen IL return you my thanks
for your kind invitation to address the
people of Lexington on the 29th instant
Lexington is the place ] made my frsi
speech at the Bar, soon after T was aa
mitted. But regret my inability te
dc. SO under the circumstances in which
| am situated. Whenever 1 have here.
tofore addressed my fellow-citizens, ]
have been accustomed to utter, without
reserve or disguise, the sentiments Of
my heart. 1t would be impolitic thus
to speak at present. My heart is too
full of the sorrows of degraded and
ruined country, and my tongue is too
old to be trained to lisp the accents
suited to the changed state sof things
amongstus. 1, therefore, prefer to re-
main quiet, and act upef the advice
given to us all by AGr2 Adams in his re-
cent speechy delivered at Charleston.
His words are, :. Keep cool, -aoatcA yoa'
l.eAeaec, come whence it may" It was
always my opinion that the South had
better keep from taking any lead inthe
Presidential canvass, but to leave to the
North the entire responsibility Of max
ing theissues and fighting the campaign
through. Our liberties and institutions
have been overthrown and crushed, and
it is for them to decide now whether
theirs too shall fall; for it is plain to
any rejecting mind that the conquest
and overthrow OF our States, South,
must result finally in the overthrow Of
theirs, North, and in q permanent
change of the Government. They unit
ed to overthrow ours, and now let them
save their own if they can. Itis clear
we have no power to save ourselves or
them either.
Montesquien has profoundly remark
ed that,no Republic can afford to- con-
quer and subjugate a people, or hold in
subsection any portion of its own peo-
pie, because this requires the exercise
of more arbitrary powers than is com
patible with the forms Of Republic;
and the exercise of these powers must,
from their very nature, change the Gov
erament- 1,rnn- the Installation
of the Democratic party IN power might
prove great step towards the check Of
arbitrary authority, and perhaps to the
final reformation of the Government it.
self. But this would require the high
est craftsmanship and greatest nerve.
And the country seems to have passed
that point. Mr. Adams appears to think
that awatcr sheds " in the outer slopes
of tile mountains will hereafter pro-
duce affinities, and the great interior
basins" may produce "antagonisms,
that will drive us altogether under the
wing Of Massachusetts for shelter and
protection from tie pelting storms that
may arise in future contests. God save
us from such protection Il If we are to
claim protection, let us rather look for
it-in those interior basins Of the West.
where many Of our kindred and race
have gone, and are now living. 1t was
puritanical fanaticism that drenched old
England in blood and overthrew the
government for time. And it is the
same puritanical race in New England,
with it's fanaticism, that has drenched
this country in blood and overthrew
-our-Goyernment. We can never stand
together With them under any water
shed" to CLAIM, protection, particularly
from any storm that, may arise from
the great interior basiaaof the great
West 49, ses5s..,sf =
We must rather follow our kindred
and our race where there is at least
some magnanimity and heroic generosl-
ty to redeem many errors. I fear nc
such afinities, as are to be found under
any {" water Sheds will ever restore
the great checks and balances Of ou1
wonderful constitution as made by our
fathers, no matter how the ingenious
abstraction may be urged under the
weight Of a great name inherited.
No great system of public liberty has
ever been restored when once over
thrown, except perhaps amongst the
British people, when William Of Orange
restored it by force, and from foreign
nation. But then lie was a profoundly
wise and virtuous man, and the heart
If England was with him. AS gene
raj rule, when liberty is once over
thrown, public virtue sinks, and the ma IA
ton becomes prostituted and demoral
lied, so that there is no heroic patriot
ism and disinterested devotion to th'
country left, to build hopes upon, by
which you. may be able to reinvigorat'
and regenerate the great principles o
liberty. Perhaps may be mistaken Il
this country. l hope | may be, anc
that there may be enough Of sturdy en-
durance and firm determination In tn
Anglo-Saxon nature amongst us, to save
yet many Of the fundamental prlnclple
of conservative freedom.
Mr.. Adams also advises US not t
suffer ourselves to be absorbed in eithe
of the great parties North. In this,
entirely concur. We ought always +
act with and assist if we can, the part.
that stands nearest to the Constitution
1 further think it probable, if Gen
Grant should be elected, that he ma.
fall into the councils of the old arm.
officers, and if so, they have been ia
more conscientious than the extrem
Radical politicians. We have felt tn
) most odious measures instigated by.th
ultra fanaticism of political Radicals
But Gen. Grant will have wiser counsel
than such men can give. He will nee
J and require q firm and steady Govern
mcnt, if his policy should be to diver
the public mind from the contemplate
nnd nyciteme emf, of OH. internal division