The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-08 00:00:00

THE UNITED STATES.

(From the New York Correspondent of the Times.)
NEW YORK, DEC. 25, 1860.

Christmas clay of the year 1860 is anything but a
merry Christmas to the people of the United States.
Instead of the peace and goodwill which two months
since reigned throughout the land we have dissension
and dismemberment, threatening anarchy and civil
war,unless arrested. The powers of the Government,
so far as they are used at all, are used for its own de-
struction ; and, by a fatality which promises to be
irresistible, the precipitate action of one State, dis-
contented with the results of an election, threatens
to entangle the relations of all the other slave States,
and create a public opinion within their borders that
will carry them also in the same course, unless the
victorious North shall concede everything that it
has won in the recent election. That which would
be called treason in the latitude of New York is
patriotism in the latitude of South Carolina, and
support of the Union at Washington means n.
countenance of the Disunionists by yielding to
them all they wish. Since the date of my last
letter South Carolina has completed the formal act
of withdrawal from the Union. This important
document, which may be a turning-point in
American history, was passed unanimously, and
reads as follows:
"AN ORDINANCE TO DISSOLVE TEE UNION BETWEEN THE
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND OTHER STATES
UNITED WITH HER UNDER THE COMPACT ENTITLED
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AME-

RICA.
" We, the people of the State of South Carolina,
in Convention assembled, do declare and ordain,
and it is hereby declared and ordained, that the
ordinance adopted by us in Convention, on the 23d
day of May, in the year of our Lord 1788, whereby
the Constitution of the United States of America
was ratified, and also all acts and parts of acts of
the General Assembly of this State ratifying amend-
ments of the said Constitution, are hereby repealed,
and that the union now subsisting between South
Carolina and other States, under the name of the
United States of America, is hereby dissolved."
One hundred and sixty-nine gentlemen of South
Carolina voted for it, and subscribed their names to
it, in the presence, as I judge from the newspapers,
of a large multitude of sympathisers, who loudly
cheered every prominent leader as he crossed the
platform to seat himself at the table for signing.
The same body has under consideration, and will
doubtless soon act upon, a public declaration to the
world of the grievances which have forced South
Carolina, in the mild language of the South, to re-
sume the powers delegated to the Federal Govern-
ment. This address was prepared by a committee,
of which Mr. Bainwell Rhett is chairman. The
following resume of it comes to us by telegraph:—
" The State of South Carolina, having deter-
mined to resume a separate and equal rank among
nations, deems it due to herself and the remaining
United States of America, and the nations of the
world, that she should declare the causes which led
to the act. In 1765 that portion of the British Em-
pire embracing Great Britain undertook to make
laws for the Government of the American colonies. A
struggle for the right of. self-government ensued,
which resulted on the 4th of July, 1776, in
a declaration by the colonies that they
are, and of right ought to be free, and
independent States, and that as free and
independent States they have full power to levy
war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish
commerce, and to do such things as independent
States have the right to do. They further solemnly
declared that whenever any form of Government
becomes destructive of these ends, it is the
established right of the people to alter and abolish
it, and institute a new Government. Deeming that
the Government of Great Britain had become de-
structive of these ends, they declared the colonies
free and absolved from allegiance to the British
Crown, and the political connexion between then
and Great Britain was totally dissolved.
" The committee say the right of a State to govern
itself, and the right of the people to abolish a Go-
vernment when it becomes destructive of the ends
for which it was instituted, were expressed when
the colonies separated from the mother country,
and became free and independent States. The par-
ties amending the Constitution on the 17th of Sep-
tember, 1187, were the several Sovereign States.
" On the 23d of May, 1788, South Carolina, by a
Convention of her people, assented to the amended
Constitution of the United States. The failure of
one of the contracting parties to maintain constitu-
tional obligations released the other. Fifteen of
the Northern States have deliberately refused for
years to fulfil their constitutional obligations. We
would refer to those States for a proof of this.
When the fourth article of the Constitution was
adopted the greater number of the contracting
parties held slaves. The hostility of the Northern
States to the institution of slavery had led them to
disregard their constitutional obligations. The laws
of the general Government have ceased to effect the
objects of the Constitution. Maine, New Hamp-
shire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode
Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana,
Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and lowa have enacted
laws either nullifying the Constitution or rendering
useless all attempts to execute the acts of Congress.
In many of these States fugitives held to service and
to labour have been claimed, but in none of them
has the State Government complied with the stipu-
lation on this subject made in the Constitution.
" In the formation of the Federal Government
each State was recognised as an equal; the right of
property in slaves was recognised by giving all
free persons distinct political rights ; by giving
them the right to represent, and burdening them
with direct taxes for three-fifths of their slaves ;
by authorising the importation of slaves for 20
years, and by stipulating for the rendition of fugi-
tives from labour. The ends for which this Govern-
ment was instituted have been defeated, and the
Government itself made destructive by the action
of the non-slaveholding States. Those States as-
sumed the right of deciding upon the propriety of
our domestic institutions. They denied the rights
of property established in 15 States and recognised
by the constitution. They have denounced as sin-
ful the institution of slavery; have permitted ithe
open establishment of societies whose avowal and
object are to disturb the peace and prosperity of
the citizens of other States ; they have encouraged
and assisted thousands of our slaves to leave their
homes, and those who remain have been incited by
emissaries, by books and pictures, to servile insur-
rection. 26 years this agitation has been steadily
increasing, until they have secured the power of the
common Government. Observing the forms of
the constitution, a sectional party has found
within that article establishing an executive de-
partment means of subverting the constitution
itself. A geographical line has been drawn
across the Union, and all States north of that
line have united in the elevation of a man to the
high office of President of the United States whose
opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery. He
is to be intrusted with the administration of the
common Government, because it is declared that a
Government cannot endure peiinanently half slave
and half free, and that the public mind must rest
in the belief that slavery is in the course of
ultimate extinction. The sectional combination
for the subversion of the Constitution has been
aided in the States by elevating to citizenship
persons who, by the supreme law of the land, are
incapable of becoming citizens, and their votes have
been used to inaugurate the new policy hostile to
the South and destructive to its peace and safety.
On the 4th of March next this party will take
possession of the Government. It has been an-
nounced that the South shall be excluded from the
common territory; that the judicial tribudals will
be made sectional ; that war must be waged against
slavery until it shall cease throughout the Unite
end
States. The guarantees of the Constitution wi 1111
be
no longer exist—equal rights of the St?,
tenet ion, and
lost—the siaveholding States will
the power of self-government or self-pro,
tneir enemy.
the Federal Government have become
deepen the
Sectional interests and animosity will
irritation, and all hope of remedy tesgwer have
is rendered vain
no
by the fact that the public
opinion of the North
has invested the political error with the
sanction of
more erroneous religious belief.
" We, therefore, the people of South Carolina,
by our delegates, in Convention assembled, appeal-
ing to the Supreme judge of the world for the

rectitude of our intentions, have solemly declared
the Union heretofore existing between this State
and the: other States of ;North America dis-
solved, and that the State of South Carolina has re-
sumed her position among the nations of the world
as a free, sovereign, and independent State, with
fall power to levy war, conclude peace, contract
alliances, establish commerce, and do all other acts
and things which independent :States may of right
do ; and for the support of this declaration, with a
firm reliance for protection on Divine Providence,
we mutually pledge each other our lives, oar for-
tunes, and our sacred honour."

There is something very sad, were it not for the
magnitude of the interests at stake—the existence
of a great and free nation, it might be called ludi-
crously so, in the debate which took place immedi-
ately on the passage of the ordinance. Judge Ma-
grath, late Judge of the Federal Court for the State,
saw at once the logical force of the act. " To my un-
derstanding," he says, " there is no collector of the
post or postmaster now within the limits of South
Carolina. What you have done to-day has extin-
guished the authority of every man in Carolina
deriving authority from the General. Government."
The next speaker reiterates the position. " All the
laws of Congress fall instantly to the ground on
the act of secession." Mr. Miles, the member of
Congress from the Charleston district, replies,
" We have to deal with facts and stern realities.
We must prevent confusion, anarchy, and the de-
rangement of our Government affairs. Things for
the present must remain in statu quo, or confusion
will arise." Mr. Chestnut says, " Two questions
are involved, power and duty. We must preserve
our people not only from inconvenience, but chaotic
condition. We must revivify such laws as will
best preserve us from calamities. As to duty, will
you turn the ship of State adrift ? What will be-
come of the officers ?" Mr. Calhoun says—and
who, whether friend or foe, will not sympathise in
the remark ?—" We have pulled a temple down
that has been built three quarters of a century.
We must clear the rubbish away to construct an-
other. We are now houseless and homeless, and
must secure ourselves against the storm." Mr.
Dunkin takes a less sweeping view of the effect of
the ordinance. "We must keep the wheels of go-
vernment going. The constitution of the United
States is not entirely abrogated by the ordinance.
What is legal tender in the payment of debts ? Is
it not gold and silver of the United States ? In the
case of clearing and entry of vessels we are very
liable to have the same confiscated." But this
view of the case was not to the mind of the leaders
of the move. Mr. Gregg " desires no compromise.
Is it necessary to maintain the 15 to 40 per cent.
duties imposed by the Congress of the United
States ? Should these duties continue to be levied
our people will suffer a terrible calamity; For car-
rying the mails let the present contracts be assumed
by South Carolina instead of the United States."
And Mr. Barnwell says again—" We have seceded
from the United States and established our inde-
pendence. We cannot allow the United States to
exercise authority over us any more. Let postal
convenience be sacrificed if necessary. There never
was anything purchased worth having unless it cost
a sacrifice." Since this remarkable discussion the
Convention have been twice in session, and have had
under consideration, with closed doors, the relations
with the Federal Government. They have also
appointed three commissioners to Proceed to Wash-
ington to negotiate with the Federal Government
for the surrender of the forts, and the distribution
of the national debt. The gentlemen named for
this duty, Mr. Barnwell, Mr. Adams, and Mr. Orr,
are all of them known beyond the limits of their
State. Mr. Orr was the Speaker of the last House,
at that time a Union man, as Union men go in
Carolina, and made an acceptable presiding officer
at Washington. Mr. Adams has been Governor of
South Carolina, and has been long known as a Se-
cessionist. He is a relative of the late Mr. Brooks,
who committed the assault on Mr. Sumner, and
very much of his style of thinking and acting. It
is understood that these gentlemen will be 'infor-
mally received by the President, and by him re-
ferred to Congress. Meanwhile the act of a Charles-
ton mob may at any moment precipitate violence
and bloodshed. I believe from such information as

I can gather that it is difficult now to restrain the
mob and prevent it attacking the forts in the har-
bour ; and unless the President makes up his mind
to give South Carolina all she wants—which, judg-
ing from his course hitherto, seems most likely—
the forts will be attacked, Mr. Miles, of South
Carolina, in a speech before the Convention gives
an !account of a remarkable interview that took
place between himself and the President :
" My colleagues and myself considered it desir-
able that we should confer with the members from
the other Southern States that we might have full
information upon all that concerns the interests and
domestic affairs' of the South. We went there, not
as spies, but as vigilant sentinels, and to procure
all information which we could conceive of as
valuable for our people. The remarks of my hon-
oured friend appear to me calculated to give a very
wrong impression on the minds of the people of
this state. I have not the remotest idea that the
President of the United States will send any rein-
forcement to the forts in our harbour. I would say
now frankly, for I desire no concealment, and I do
not think there should be at this time anything of
the hind among the members of this great body,
but with perfect frankness I will state here that I
and some of my colleagues, in a conversation with
the Pre lident of the United States, and subse-
quently in a written communication addressed to
him at his request, we did say this, after speaking
of the great excitement about the forts and prepa-
rations and rumours, ' Mr. President, it is our
solemn conviction, if you attempt to send a solitary
soldier down to those forts, the instant the intelli-
gence reaches our people—and we shall take care
that it does reach them—the forts will certainly be
taken. We would urge them to do it, and would
go home to help in the work, because that would be
a matter of self-defence. It would be suicidal folly
to allow Fort Sumter or the others to be manned.'
We further said, ' It is our conviction that the
people of South Carolina would not touch those
forts or do anything to molest its garrison prior to
the meeting of the Convention' We were perfectly
sure of that. We also hoped and believed that
nothing would be done after that until we had had
a formal adjustment with the Federal Government,
or until those forts were demanded by the State.
That was the substance of our communication. And
I say again that there is not an intention to rein-
force the forts. What do we now see at Wash-
ington? We see the Premier—the right-hand man
of the Administration—a near and dear personal
friend of the President—retiring from the Cabinet
on that precise issue. Gen. Cass urged vehemently
that the forts should be reinforced. The President
has resisted, and allowed a Cabinet officer to with-
draw rather than to yield to the proposition. Now
is it natural after such an act that the President
should vacillate and concede to other infineine:
that which he so strongly and promptly refusf,a
it. I cannot think he would be so weak,
said, that
'therelating, so uncertain. I therefore feel,
reasonas
:roe afor an lo
wo f
bt
eh the
considered
r troops." ops.
to expect
re,
is not the slightest earthy the garrison •
a personal friend in the Cabinet ? I cannotobveloiceivie.
that the Administration will reinforce
and if he should do it, it is utterly impossible that he
could do it 'without our getting ample and timely
gtht
out of the Union, so far es her own declarations can
make her so. State Conventions are to Le held next
month in the cotton States as follows Florida
on the 3d, in Alabama on the 7th, in Mississippi on
notice,
South a and
Carolina
anticipating pmaat
yi
the 7th, in Texas on the Bth, in Georgia on the oth,
and in Louisiana on the 23d. It is not easy to get
accurate information here as to these bodies. I
believe however that there will be a majority in
each of them in favour of immediate and separate
secession. The act of South Carolina has changed

the face of things in the contested States, like
Georgia, and I think you may look before the end
of January for news of the secession of all the plant-
ing Statrs. But I do not gather from my advices
that the secession party pare and simple has been
gaining ground in these States; on the contrary,
it grows weaker as the mighty consequences to
flow from the disintegration of this GoTernment

of the Unitei. States shall be amended so as to pro-
tect property - =laves in the territories. The boader
States are also rapidly moving towards secession.
One would think that, in the event of.dismember-
ment of the present federation, their interests would
be with the Northern States, who would then give
them complete protection to their slave property
without offending public sentiment. On the con-
trary, the disunion sentiment is spreading rapidly.
Not actual present secession, like South Carolina,
but a temporary separation for the sake of forming
a more perfect union hereafter, excluding New
England unless she gives the new guarant,,,..es with
a good will.
Now, if you ask me what will be the result of all

these complications, I frankly say I do not know,
nor do I believe that there is any one here wise
enough to calculate the chances and foresee the end.
Governor Seward made a speech at the New Eng-
land dinner on Saturday, in which he prophesies
peace and harmony at no distant aay. On the
other hand, a well-informed Southern friend writes

from Washington
"While I hear all men from the border States
express the strongest disapprobation of the course
of the cotton States, I find none who believe or
even hope that the border States can be saved.
The tone of the speeches and conversations of the
leading Northern men shows a determination to
resist with force the secession if South Carolina and
others, and this will be the signal for the border
States to move. They will be moved to this course
not alone by a feeling of sympathy for South
Carolina, but because the struggle will be one of
life or death to themselves, as the means employed
to subdue. South Carolina would be degtructive to
every Slave-State. Ido not doubt, therefore, but -
that the first gun will unite the Slave States, and •
from present appearandes that gun will be fired."
Iu the midst of so much conflicting testimony and
opinion it is not easy to make up one's mind, but I
adhere to my original opinion that a way will bs
found to reconcile the differences of the two parts of
the country and bring back into the Ua'ion all who
secede, except the States that leave from a desire
to set up for themselves. These it may take more
time to win back, I found my opinion ortly upon
the wish of 31 out of 33 States to continue the part-
nership, if the present difficulties can be peaceably
adjusted, and partly upon the fact known. in well-
informed circles here that many of the most
influential Republicans in the middle Sts.tes are
urging concession in private, and only wait a
decided expression of public opinion in this part of
the country to urge it in public. It is true that
Mr. Crittenden's resolutions of conciliation, which
I sent you last week, but a copy of which I again
enclose, were voted down in the Senate Committee ;
but I apprehend that they will, nevertheless, be
made the basis of the coming compromise. .Par
parenthese, I beg to say that my opinions are predi-
cated upon the continuance of a state of peace. If
you read carefully Governor Seward's speech:at the
New England dinner, you will see that he commits
himself to two propositions :-1, That the time has
come for some amendment of the constitution of the
United States ; and 2, That the new compromise
must be one on which Pennsylvania, New York,
and New England can stand. A month since 110
Republican leader would have talked about com-
promises and concessions. Motives of humanity,
too, call for a hastening of the adjustment. There
is a tract of land, 200 miles in width, in the centre
of the Slave States, entirely destitute of food. They
are almost suffering starvation, and yet, in the
deranged state of trade, it is impossible to get food
to them. The Senate Committee made a beginning
yesterday, by adopting one proposition, that " no
amendment shall be made to the Constitution which
will authorise or give to Congress any power to
abolish or interfere in any State with the domestic
institutions thereof, including that of persons held
to service or labour by the laws of such State," but
refused to adopt a proposition that the ". fugitive
slave law of 1850 shall be so amended as to secure
to the alleged fugitive a trial by jury ;" and a third
proposition that "it be respectfully recommended
to the several State Legislatures to review all of
their laws affecting the rights of persons recently
resident in other States, and to modify or repeal all
such as shall contravene the provisions of the con-
stitution of the United States, or of any of the laws
made in pursuance thereof." The two rejected.
propositions received only the support of the
Republican members of the committee.
An interview lately took place at Springfield
between the President elect and Mr. Thurlow
Weed, of the Albany Evening Journal—an influen-
tial Republican leader, pledged to concessions.
Many accounts of what was supposed to have taken
place at that interview having been published, Mr.
Weed has made public the following statement :
" Since the newspapers have made our recent
visit to Springfield the occasion of remark, it may
not be improper to say that an interview with Mr.
Lincoln has confirmed and strengthened our confi-
dence in his fitness for the high position he is
to occupy; of his eminent qualifications for the great
trust reposed in him ; of his enlightened apprecia-
tion of the difficulties and dangers that surround
us; of his desire that the Free States, if in any-
thing delinquent, shall fulfil their constitutional
duties ; of his determination to require from all the
States an enforcement of the laws and obedience to
the Constitution ; and, finally, of his earnest and
inflexible devotion to the principles and sympathies
of Republicanism."
The Republican party is rapidly dividing into
those who will make concessions to the seceders
and those who wish to enforce the laws "of the
country. The Republican members of Congress
mainly are of the latter class.
A gigantic fraud has taken place in the depart-
ment of the interior discreditable to the Government,
and compromising at least one Cabinet officer, the
Secretary at War. The Indian fund was mainly
invested in State bonds payable to bearer, which
were left in a safe in the department of the interior,
in charge of a disunionist clerk. It appears that at
least 800,000 dols. of these bonds have been ab-

stracted and sold for the benefit of the contractors

for the army of Utah, and that the acceptances of
the Secretary at War have been issued to a corre-
sponding amount. The Secretary at War denies
all knowledge of the transaction, and the defaulting
clerk confirms the denial. Congress have taken the
matter in hand, and appointed an investigating
committee.
The Bank statement for the week is ea follows
Loans
Specie
Net deposits ......... 86,876,876

SEVERE FROST of 1789.—The recently pub-
lished correspondence of the first Lord Auckland (Lend. 2
vols. 8vo.) contains a letter from M. Huber to Lord Auckland
(then Mr. Eden),
----
dated Jan. 16,1789, and written at Paris,
in which there is the following passage. It should be added
that Mr. Ede,„ was at this time resident at Madrid as British
Islinister :---" I must not forget to tell you that the sea on the
French and English coasts is frozen, they say, two leagues
out ; the harbour at Calais is one piece of ice, and the ves-
sels fast. We have now a serious thaw, but the ther-
mometer has been 17i deg. below ice. The winter has been
uncommon, and so have also the acts of benevolence in this
town; the French are a good people, we must own:it."
(Vol. ii. p. 276.) M. Huber, the writer of this letter, is
stated to have been a Genevese, resident at Paris, who was
intimate with M. Necker (ib. p. 247.) The severity of the
weather, both in England and on the Continent, in Jan.,
1789, is mentioned in the Annual Register for that year,
Chron. p.p. 193-6. ' It is stated that the Seine was entirely
frozen over; that the RWne was frozen over at Cologne,
and that in many places loaded waggons and carriages
passed over it ; and that the Thames and the Shannon were
similarly frozen. But nothing is said of the sea being
frozen on the English and French coasts. Is this fact re-
c,irded in any meteorological register of the winter of
1788.9, and can it be relied upon as authentic ? Is the
free zing of the sea upon the coast of France or England
mentioned in any other year ?—Notes and Queries.
[ADvErrisEmENT.] Pills and medicine invariably Rg.
gravate and perpetuate diseases; their annoyance, dis-
appointment, and expense may be avoided by persons
in indifferent health sending only their address to E.
S. Barry, Esq., 77, Regent-street, W., London, and they
will receive gratis and free by post the "INVALIDS' OwN
Color," or Natural Restorer, without medicine or ex-
p nise, of perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, and
refreshing. sleep, to the most enfeebled, insuring the removal
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cough, asthma, consumption, dropsy, flatulency, diarrhea,
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noises in the ears. rheumatism, gout, impurities, eruPttrt
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