Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-06-10


Of tho.Statcs, in opposition to the encroachments
Of the General Government, and the rights of tho
different Departments of the Government in op-
position to the usurpations of the Congress. In
a word, the. principles of that party, embody the
great doctrines, in political economy, low taxes,
low duties, State-rights, and conservatism for
which the South has contended, from her birth,
and for the defence Of which her sons have poured
out their blood like watcr. The party erred, with
out doubt in Withdrawing itself, or in permitting
itself to bedotached from itsnatursl allies, in tho
late conflict between North and South. Had they
stood%frm upon their platform, resisted the blan-
dishments of power, and presented an unbroken
front 20 the enemy, there would have been no war,
no bloodshed, no destruction of property, and no
disruption of the Union. All our grievances
would have been compromised, after days
wrangle, or weeks debate. By pouring little
oil on the troubled waters, the party lines would
have become restored, and the onward march Of
the country, to greatness and glory, would not
have been disturbed for an hour.
But we have experienced terrible shock, from
the detection of our friends; tho bones of the bra
vest and best have been scattered from Psnnsyl-
vania to the uttermost confines of Texas Our
cities have been pillaged, our dwellings have been
consumed, our people have been bankrupted, and
our fair land has been almost rendered q barren
waste and relapsed from its past beauty and gran
deur, again to become the hiding place of wild
beasts and theden of fprowling wolves. Yet We must
not be cast down and depressed. There is q bet
ter day coming. Good principles can never die.
spaiDcontended for her freedom, for three centu-
ries, and won it.
",Truth crushed to earth viii rise again,
The eternal years of Gods are hers;
Whilst error wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies amid her worshippers."
The past mustsupply Us a lesson and Wholeaome
instruction for the future. Whilst We will adhere,
in good faith, to our party, vsare admonishsd, by
bitter experience, to place implicit reliance upon
no man, or set of men, whose. sectional interests
may differ essentially, from ours.
We will therefore, in regard to the freedmen,
and on all other questions, without surrendcring
ourselves, body and soul to sparty, adopt prac-
tical line of conduct.
Of what avail is the cry of "This is white
mans government" when we see, it is q black
m ms government, pro te,npore, and will remain
30, until we can change it by winning votes to our
party, from the ranks of the black men them.
selves And what skill is there in saying to a
black man, "I want your vote, but am utterly
opposed to your voting at ALL" Let us rather
make it tina, louh it to be white mans gov
ernment
If the white men of the State will only do their
duty in this emergency, have no fears as to
whose government this will be in the course Of q
dozen years. Neither do fear fo- the glorious
principles for which we contended in the late ter
rible struggle with the North. The seeds of that
gigantic controversy were sown by Jefferson and
Madison, and Horny, and if we be true to our
selves, to liberty and country, ne have only wit
messed tho beginning of the end. The cause is
brave South to say so. The time will come, when
in the language of the Apostle of the Gentiles, We
shall exclaim, 1T is sown in corruption, it is
raised in interruption it is sown in dishonor, ii
is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is
raised in-power" Yes, the day will come, the
proud, avenging day, when the South shall again
rouse herself like . strong man, and buckling on
the armor of faith, and unsheathing the sword in
defense of the Constitution of our fathers, shall
put to shame, to rout and confusion, all the COM
bined adversaries of her God and her liberties
The blood of her children has not been shed in
vain at ChancellorsviIle, at Malvern Hill, at Fred.
ricksburg, on the Chickahomany, at Gettysburg,
at Antetam, at Shiloh, around Petersburg and
Richmond, and in the thousand battleaelds, all
oyer the land, made rich by its crimson tide. In
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