The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1861-01-09 00:00:00

appointed to prepare an address to the Southern
States.

The argument put forth in favour of the seces-
sion of South Carolina is made to rest mainly on
two points, namely—first, on the original separa-
tion and equal position of that individual State,
as one of the nations of the world ; and secondly,
the right of the people of such a State to alter
and abolish any form of government, and to
institute a new One whenever; in their opinion,
that system beconaes destructive of their supposed
original freedom and indePerideilee in. all thiligs:
These two propositions are meant to be illtiStrittea
and proved by reference to the fact of separation
from the mother country, and to the consequent
declaration of independence. That separation and
that declaration are with studious care and mani-
fest purpose represented as the simultaneous acts
of so many sovereign States, each acting as it were
apart from the others and for itself alone, That
these so-called " Sevcreign States," immediately
contiguous to each oilibil sliobitl haVe acted,
together under one impulse, towards 66 end;
and that their labours should have resulted id
their complete union under one federal system is
either altogether ignored, or meant to be looked
upon as a trivial and accidental 'circumstance
scarcely worthy of notice. Indeed, it seems difficult
to ascertain from this n declaration of causes" for
what cause a Union 1%'6,:s effected tit all: We are
asked to believethat each State stillreservedtb itself
such a high degree of positive independence that
we are driven to entertain the idea that federal
laws were never meant to be binding upon any-
body who chose to defy them. Or we are to
consider that if any positive benefit was ever
anticipated as likely to accrue to any of the
" Sovereign States" from this almost mythical
"Union," it seem; io htiVb been only that of
protection to the Southern Slave=liolding States
against the agitations and aggressions of NortlAiii
Abolitionists. If there is anything more thad
another particularly deserving of our notice in
perusing this declaration by South Carolina State,
it is the assumption that the "institution" of slavery
constituted the one and only indispensable bond of
the Union—of that nation which has ad vainly►
boasted itself the freest in Creation, Because the
aggressing Slave-owing States have been defeated
in the election of a President, forsooth, the ihiiii
of the general government have ceased to effect
the objects of the constitution. Not to recognise
the rights of slave-owners even in free States—
not to permit them by any means to aggravate
and extend the evils of their abominable "do-
mestic institution," as they call the mortal sin
of enslaving their fellow man, is, according to
South Carolina, to nullify the constitution and
render Congress an unsufferable nuisance. Now,
it is mere nonsense to talk of South Carolina
as resuming her former sovereign independence.
She, along with the other States in our North
American colonies, were permitted to cast off our
authority over them, and they simultaneously
declared themselves justifiable in having done so,
and also entitled to form a new government ;
, which they did. But it needs small discrimina-
tion to detect that the act of separation now
attempted by South Carolina—just like the
former act of separation from Great Britain—is
simply and purely an act of rebellion and an
attempt at revolution. If there be any
material difference between these two • distant
events, the latest certainly seems the more inex-
cusable and reprehensible.

What have been the specific criminal acts of
the northern free States which are now pleaded
by the southern slave States in justification of
this open rebellion against their voluntarily con-
stituted authorities ? The north has carried
ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S election ; but then he does
not come into power until the Ist of March next.
Oh, but we are told, in many of the States, fugi-
tives "held to service and to labour" have been
claimed, but in none of them has the State
Government complied with the stipulation on
this subject made in the constitution ; but how
does the supposed dereliction of individual States
governments implicate the federal government
of the Union? Whatever may have been the
views and course of policy pursued by particular
States, the Government at Washington has never
yet pronounced and acted against slavery. Even
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, the President-elect, is not
prepared to deny the rights of the south. More-
over, there is still a Congressional majority in
favour of southern views even in their extremest
entirety. In truth it is not even pretended that
any overt act has been perpetrated which has
necessitated the separation of the slave
States ; but it is equally clear that the
slave-owners have become convinced that the
truth has prevailed against them, and they only

anticipate the practical consequences of their
moral defect; and, taking time by the forelock,
they have resolved, under the protection of Mr.
BUCHANAN'S policy, to take immediate steps to
strengthen themselves for resistance to the legi-
timate authority of the approaching regime of
Mr. LINcoLN.

What will it (nit' in ? Who will undertake to
foretell ? One thing, at least, is certain. The
present President will do nothing to check the
separationists. As to the late act of South
Carolina, it is nothing novel. She has done some-
thing very similar before now, and has, after all,

been defeated. Politically, she has little influence.
It remains to be seen how many of the Slave States
will join her. Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Texas, Georgia, and Louisiana may one or other,
or even all of them, to some extent sympathise with
isnliaavaen
sdtTaetensnr_essneoer,--
ytehto seevreena ecnatroi
her. But it does not appear that the legislatures
borderal
North
of Virg
lina, are likely to proceed to the utmost extremi-
ties. Two months have yet to elapse before the
point can possibly be brought to a definitive issue
as between the Federal Government and such
States as may choose to follow the example of
wicked South Carolina. This fact is, of itself,
significant. So long as the Southern rebellion
develops itself only in words and declarations, we
shall continue to hope that nothing more ig
meant than a last appeal to the fears of the
Northern Republicans, grounded on the inevita-
ble evils of a separation, and in the hope of
extracting a temporary compromise. If it has
really been determined otherwise, we sce little
occasion for regret, beyond the immediate,
but only passing, disturbance to peace
and prosperous commerce. Indeed, if we
might be permitted to set these latter considera-
tions aside, we could almost wish, in the interest
of the poor slaves, that the Southern States might
proceed to extremities, and fairly
challenge the
undoubted might of ABRAHAM LINCOLN and the
Free States. The doom of slavery were then
certainly and speedily accomplished. In any
view we have perfect confidence as to the ulti-
mate result. Man shall no longer be held in
servile bondage to his equal. The stain which
has hitherto blurred the escutcheon of our trans-
atlantic kinsmen shall be finally swept away.
We hail the latest news as the most hopeful
symptoms which have yet been developed in the
" the
irrepressible conflict."
pfogress of what we believe to be really

ANOTHER FEAE.FUL SCENE ON THE NORTHUMBER-
LAND COAST.—On Saturday there was another fearful
scene on the Northumberland coast. The fishing village&
of Cullercoats, Newbiggin, and .Alnmouth were thrown.
into the greatest state of consternation in consequence
of a sudden squall of wind having nearly overwhelmed
30 fishing cobbles, from Cullercoats, 20 Newbiggin, and
7 from Alnmouth. The three life-boats of the National
Life-boat Institution on those stations were immediately
launched, and proceeded off to the scene of danger, in
readiness for any contingency that might arise. The
appearance of the life-boats amongst the fishing boats
apiiored to give the men fresh courage, and fortunately
boats, though there were many. hairbreadth
ese'apesl te-ucceeded in reaching the harbour in safety.

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