The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-03 00:00:00

THE UIVI7ED STATES.

(From the Correspondent of the Times.)
NEW YORK, DEC. 19, 1860.
I do not see how secession is now to be avoided.
In making this statement, however, it is important
to define what secession is. It is easier to say what
it is not than what it is. It is not order and good
government. It is not submission to the law, and
accepting a President elected in the manner pro-
vided by the Constitution and the laws. It is not a
regard for the right of others. It is nothing, in
fact, which law-abiding Englishmen are taught to
respect and observe. Oa the other hand, the first
step of secession, the paper separation, which is all
that is yet meant by the word, it is not necessarily
a dissolution of the Federal Government. The
National Constitution and the traditions and forms
of the National Government may yet remain for
the States which are willing to submit to law and
observe its forms. For these Mr. Lincoln will still
remain the President, chosen in the regular con-
stitutional way. Nor does it even imply neces-
sarily a dissolution of the Federal Union, as, after
the seceding States have voted themselves out of
the Union, they may be brought back in two ways
—either by negotiation or by force, provided in the
first case, the negotiators are willing to concede all
the rebellious States demand ; or, in the other
alternative, that the remaining States are strong
enough and sufficiently united to authorise a resort
to force. With the exception of four, or, at most six
of the cotton States, there is, in my opinion, no
preference in the South for disunion ; and if the
other Southern States temporarily secede—which
from my information I am inclined to think will be
the case—it will be because they are forced into
it, and because they hope to induce negotiations
which, prolonged, may result in re-establishing the
Union.. That several of the cotton States will secede
in the course of the next month I have little doubt.
They believe that they can force the border States
to follow them ; and it is the general opinion at
Washington, among those best able to judge,
that unless immediate concessions are made by
the North, the border States will be forced 'to
follow, and that the reconstruction of the
Federation on a modified basis will be thus assured.
Thus, in the eyes of such politicians, the union of
the entire slave States in the movement, so far from
implying an ultimate dissolution of the Union, will
ensure-its speedy reunion, with such guarantees as
will ensure its continuance. Some politicians aim at
the absolute expulsion, in any event, of contuma-
cious anti-slavery New England ; but those who
are now counterjancing a united co-operative
Southern action look to an early reconstruction of
the Union in some form. They forget that it is
easier to destroy than to create, and they are will-
ing to hazard the destruction of a noble Confedera-
tion, under which the nation has prospered beyond
example in history, the rule of which has been a
gentle one, almost unfelt at home, and the flag of
which is respected abroad to the most remote corner
of the globe—they are willing to hazard this, and
plunge the country possibly in a civil war, for the
chance of uniting the Slave States, and gaining a
further political advantage for property in slaves.
In the present excited state of the public mind it is
absolutely impossible to predict even the immediate
future. It is subject at any moment to be directed
into the course of violence by the will of passionate
men, or by the chances of an accident. And although
I have decided views as to the probabilities of the
success of disunion, I feel that, instead of occupying
your columns with six culations that any unforeseen
accident may falsify, I shall do better by giving
you, as before, a scissors and paste letter, made up
of extracts from private letters and other matters.
thus enabling you to form your own judgment from
the materials we have to form ours. And first, as
the State of South Carolina leads in this matter,
and has already her Convention in session, and may
perhaps, before the Asia sails, have seceded, I will
give you an extract from a letter from a gentleman
who is a member of the Convention :

" I think you make a great mistake in attribut.
ing the present state of things to the politicians,
instead of to the pecple. It is a great sponta-
neous uprising of the people, irrespective of and
regardless of the politicians. It is the universal
sentiment of the whole Southern people that they
can no longer remain in the present Union in peace,
honour, and safety ; and they have, after long re-
flection, resolved to separate and form a separate
Union of their own ; and nothing can prevent it.
Ido not want to thrust my opinions on you. Ido
not want you to attach any undue importance to
what I now say, but leave it to time and the course
of events to speak their own results; but I would,
with due deference, suggest to you to predicate no
business calculations or business arrangements upon
any adjustment of the difficulty between the North
and South. The people so far, in my humble
opinion, show no disposition for compromise, but
desire to withdraw peaceably and quietly from the
present Union, and it seems to me that it will be
worse than useless for the general Government, or
the Black itepublican party, to attempt to prevent
it by force. On the contrary, it were better for
both parties to come to an amicable sopa-
ra,'lon, and go on and trade together quietly and
pea,leably. If coercion is attempted, however, war
will come, and in the deadliest form. I leave to-
night for Columbus. I go to preserve peace and
induce the Convention to act with deliberation and
wisdom and with due regard to the interests, rights,
and feelings of all parties concerned, so far as my
judgment and efforts are available. I shall oppose
all violence, or rashness, or precipitanc but will
advocate South Carolina seceding fromthe Union."
My next extract shall be from the letter
goton,
t' a
Southern Union gentleman, now at Washi
He says :
who can see little hope in the fut ure.
The President thinks thalt,,,hings don'tcotton
k_ook badlynowSwtahtaest
will go out of the Union,. but
he expects from such action.
eakto -day, and it is said he
here. Wade is to speak
4e States. He is a firm, bold
-will go for coercing
push this ant-slavery sentiments too
man, and may
far. T.hePresident regrets
is rep
of the South,
not so gloomy as is represented. I:do not
but it is
think the views of the European press will have
any effect South Carolina. Georgia is the State
in which the Union party have the best chance.
Tombs is said to have a ritt en a letter which speaks
of giving time to the North to act if disposed
to do so. The time is passing away, and I see no
signs of movements at the North that eairstrengthen
the Union men at the South. The great effort must
be now to have the separation without bloodshed
that the parties may have time to cool off, and,
setting aside the politicians, the people may re-
unite. Will England send back our stacks, or will
she send money to buy up what we seem disposed
to throw away ?"
I leave the answer to the last pertinent and sug-
gestive question in my friend's letter to be made
from the other aide of the Atlantic.