Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-10-30
From the Charleston News.
THE CONDITION OF THE SOUTH.
VIEWS OF AN OLD-TIME STATESMAN.

THE CONDITION OF THE SOUTH.
VIEWS OF AN OLD-T1ME STATESMAN.
Able Letter from ex-senator Bedford
Brown. OF North Carolina.
The following letter from Hon. Bedford
Brown, of North Carolina, written on the
occasion of the recent visit of Mr.. Adams
to our State and now for the first time CIV
en- to the public, will be read with inter
est:
ROSE HILL, N. c., October 10, 1868.
Messrs. Wade Hampton, Jos. d. Pope and
others, Central C2aanaiAee Democratic Par
hy, Columbia, S. G.
GENTLEMEN-ln my brief answer to your
polite note, inviting me to be present at a
barbecue, to be given in Columbia on the
9th inst, [ did not give expression to my
views so fully, in regard to the present
eventual crisis, as I could have wished, and
hope you will pardon me for doing SO at a
more leisure moment.
My regret at not being present is in
creased because of being denied the pleas
ure of uniting in paying a just homage to
the noble, virtuous and patriotic motives
which, I am quite sure, induced the visit
of your distinguished guest, Hon. John
Quincy Adams-a name llluStrlous IN
American annals, and of which he is the
worthy inheritor. Rising above sectional
prejudices, and ignoring the passions of
the hour, regard this gentleman as stan
ding above modern degeneracy, and as the
fit representative of Warren, Hancock and
the elder Adams, whose lofty souls took in
the good of the whole people, and whose
teachings, speaking as it were from the
tomb, rebuke the unholy faction under
whose narrow sectionalism and iron rule
the energies of great nation are crippled
ard constitutional liberty is perishing.
The visit of this true patriot brings up
historic recollections of a most Interesting
character, when the Hancocks, Adamses,
and Otises of Massachusetts,, and the Ru'
lodges, Laurenses and Pinckneys Of South
Carolina, were in council.
The country is now in a condition which
requires all tho wisdom and patriotism of
both sections to eXtricate it. Candor re-
quires me to say, without intending the
least censure to either of the former par
ties concerned, that my most unremitting
exertions were directed to prevent the late
unfortunate collision which took place be-
tween the two sections. After all the sur
rounding States had passed their ordinan
ces, North Carolina, forced from her Union
moorings by circumstances, yielded to the
general current, though most of her citi-
zens-myself among the rest-earnestly
desired restoration of harmony and uni
on. It was, however, in the order of Pro-
vidence, that the sword should become the
arbiter, and after conflict which exhibit
ed on both sides a prowess sand military
| skill which astonished even Europe, the
south as the weaker party had to succumb,
and, with Francis, at the battle of Pavla,
could exclaim, that all was lost but her
honor.
It is useless now to discuss the question
as to which section the blame should be
attributed. It would be better answered
! by referring to the title of book then OF
much note, written by the celebrated Ma
thew Carey, of Philadelphia, en-
both Sides," which appeared during the
war of 1912 with Great Britain, giving a
history of the policy of the Democratic
party of that day, and of the acts and pol
icy of the Federal party; the Federalists
being opposed to the war and most Of the
foreign policy which led to it, and the
| Democrats in favor of it, with Madison at
their head. It was conclusively shown that
both were in fault and SO in the late un-
fortunate difficulties, an impartial review
would show that both sections were In
fault. Does not, therefore, charity, for
bearance and patriotism all point. to set
tlement of those difficulties on a basis of
Justice and moderation The genius of
our government interposes free institu-
tions, instead of the stern and unrelenting
rule of monarchical Or imperial power
Radicalism is insensible to such noble SEN
timents, and, feeling power, forgets right.
The Federal government was formed in
a spirit of Cancellation and compromise. -
This is its vital principle, otherwise 1t
would cease to be q federal government and
would run into consolidation, which sim
ply means military despotism for that
alone can uphold revolution, destroying
the reserved rights of the States. Politl-
cal extremists of the North, IN agltatlng on
the slave question during its existence, de-
rived their inspirationgfrom Great Britain.
That power we'll knowing it was the weak
point in our system, used its tools here to
| divide the Union. Its emissaries, British
and American, used all their arts in the
New England States, during the war with
England in 1912, to detach her from the
Federal Union, slavery being the fibre and
used by them. The same spirit actuates
those now agitating the question in it's new
form of freedom-their objects being gain
and office with the destruction of the
Southern States. That accomplished, free
government would go down, the repuDll
can experiment would have failed, and tie
privileged orders of Europe would rejoice
The Southern States were peculiarly the
advocates of war with Great Britain III con
sequence of her outrages on our flag and
having instigated Indian hostilities on oul
northwestern and southwestern frontier,
and her intrigues in New England to effect
a separation of the Union. MIR. Madison
then being President, Henry Clay and
John G. Calhoun were prominently the
champions of the cause, then members OF
+ the House of Representatives, against a
powerful array of Federal talent. In this
connection, will here repeat an interest
: inc. s,olikiaa1 ixosEdonE IN xazaxd To the da,