Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-09-02
From the Boston Post.
Mr. Pendleton's Speech.

In his mastery and stntesmanlike speech
at Bangor, which for breadth Of view, and in
tclligent appreciation of public affairs. and ;
philosopbic understanding Of the character
and working Of our Government has no su
peror amcng The purely POLITICAL efforts o
the time, .dr. Pendleton remarked, with sol
emn truth, ttet this is "rhe supreme hour o.
our fate" as nation. We are. engaged
he said, {" in 70 scramble for office. We are
stimulated by NO lust for power. This strug-
gle touches the life of our confederated sys
tenn, twill decide in the far.off future the
destiny CT our country. If our opponents
succeed, We shall have, first, unity mot union, J
then despuiisni, then revolt, then separation,
and .hen-whatever Gud, in his wrath, may
inaict. II they fail, we shall have the Con.
stilution .bcyed the Union maintained, lib
crly enjoyed, prosperity abeunding, peace
career will be but as the early bud comRar-
ed with the blooming beauties of the fuH-
blown flower"
Tie solemn. significance Of this contest has
not been overstaled What we have to meet.
in the form Of usur patton, consolidation and
tyranny, we already. have chance te under.
8. and. The problem has lost its mystery. We
see the yawning gulf into which all that is
dear is threatened to be thrown. The road
on which we have set out, that is The. very
one WHICH we are asked to follow and, OK.
perieHce te,tifes that it leads stragh.. to de
srruction. Look at the long list Of Radical
measures, pretcxts, schemes and legislative
inventions, by which liberty aud money are
both silatched from the Possession Of the peo-
pie. Why these Colnmi. sions, Bureaus, Ml.
itary Courts and Governments, Amendments
tu the Constitution, Reconstruction laws out.
side the Constitution, and plans for arming
the negroes against the whites? For moth
ing bur TO perpetuste Radicsl power. Moth
ing of the sort is required for the proper ad-
ministration of the Federal Government in
the South. Nothing Of the kiud is demanded
for the paciHcation Of the people, the restora-
ton Of iraiernal feeling, or the renewal Of
constitutional relations. These things are so
many devices, conceived and framed in the
interest of Radical supremacy. That party
simply seeks to keep the negroes uppermost
politically; becauseit believes it can control
their Votes. And for such reason the peo-.
pie of the North are taxed certainly two han
,dred million, year more Than they ought to,
be, and will in all likelihood continue 10 be
so taxed as long as there is anything left from
the results Of labor to be sweated into the.
service Of this usuiping party.
Why are prices still SO high, takias one
hundred MILLIONS year freIm the industry of
the laboring people of the country? Why
are there not full crops of cotton, RICE, tobac-
co and sugar. from The productive Southern
Seates7 Why is there so slow home mar
fket for the products Of the West, and no com.
lnerce for tic merchants and shipowners Of
the East? Why to this general stagnation
and balf-palsy is added system ofhigh taxes,
the practical diniiution OF wages by. tie en-
hancement Of pricet,iaud a gruoral cost Of
country ss;I0aTs -WIat Is Tue hcceSs1Iy dI
wringirg from the people nearly sixteen hun
drcd millions Of dollars in three years, when
so meagre j. share Of il has been devoted to
the reduction Of the debt? The same party
that IS responsible for such a state Of things,
stands arraigred for lis efforts to corrupt and
destroy our republican system ofgoveTnment.
If it is entrusted with a longer lease Of power,
we shall soon have neither property or liber-
ty. II is leech that has fastened upon the
yitals of the Republic, and will destroy its
life, unless lis ownis destroyed Grst. When
s1ch crisis has arrived for nation, tits in.
"a d the hour Of its fate.