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

SECESSION OF SOUrll CAROLINA.

The long-threatened dissolution of the Union
took place on the 20th ult., when the Southern
Convention, assembled at Charleston, by a unani-
mous vote of 169 members, adopted the following
ordinance :

"An Ordinance to Dissolve the Union between
the State of South Carolina and other States united
with her under the Compact entitled, ' the Consti-
tution of the United States of America.'—We, the
people of the State of South Carolina, in Conven-
tion assembled, do declare and ordain, and it is
hereby declared and ordained, that the or-
dinance adopted by us in Convention on the 22d
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 Ants of the General Assembly of
this State ratifying amendments of the said Con-
stitution, are hereby repealed, and that the union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.
After the appointment of ra committee of 13,
empowered to draw up a form of Constitution,
the Convention proceeded to discuss the subject
of the financial arrangements with the Federal
Government. The following is a summary of the
discussion :

" Mr. Magrath—l think the special matter of
the ordinance should be immediately considered.
To my understanding there is no collector of the
port nor postmaster now within the limits of
South Carolina, What you have done to-day has
extinguished the authority of every man in Caro-
lina deriving authority fiom the General Govern-
ment,. I am .in favour of this body making such
provisional arrangements as may be necessary in
the interval which may exist between this mo-
ment and the time when the Legislature may
act. lam not, however, to be implicated as
sanctioning the idea that there is no lawful
authority within the limits of the State except
the General Government.

" Mr. Gregg—After South Carolina abrogated
the Constitution of the United States, are its
laws still in farce? I think not. All the laws
of Congress fall instantly to the ground on the
act of secession.
" Mr. Chevcs—As an immense chasm will be
made in the law, and as it is necessary to avoid incon-
venience to the people, we must make some tem-
porary arrangements to carry on the Government.
" Mr. Gregg—There is no law on the subject of
the collection of the duties in South Carolina now.
We have now accomplished the work after forty
years.
"Mr. Haynes—The Congress of the United States
is no longer our Government. It will be for our
Legislature to say what laws of the United States
shall be continued, and what not. The simple act
of secession does not abrogate all the laws. We
have a great many laws on our statute•books which
were passed by the Governor and the Privy Council.
" Mr. Gregg—The Congregational laws for the
collection of revenue are for the support of the
Federal Government at Washington, and all our
Post-office laws fall on our dissolution with that
Government.
" Mr. Miles—We have to deal with facts and
stern realities. We must prevent confusion,
anarchy, and the derangement of our Government
affairs. Things must for the present :remain in
statu quo, or confusion will arise.
_ _

"Mr. Haynes—Sudden action is injurious.
" Mr. Chestnut—Two questions are involved,
power and duty. We must preserve our people,
not only from inconveniences, 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 become of the
dicers ?

" Mr. Maseyck—There is no duty for the collec-
tor of the port to do. The Post-office has been
swept off, My opinion is that the present system
of postal arrangements is a nuisance. • The public
can be better served by private parties between
cities like Philadelphia and New York at one cent
instead of three, and between less important cities
10 or more cents.

" Mr. Calhoun—We have pulled a temple down
that has been built three quarters of century. We
must clear the rubbish away to reconstruct another.
We are now houseless and homeless, and we must
secure ourselves against storms.

"Mr. Durkin—lf that ordinance be passed,
things will go on in the Custom-house and Post.
office exactly as now, until other arrangements can
be made by this Convention. There is nothing in
the ordinance to affect theldignity, honour, and wel-
fare of the State of South Carolina. We must keep
the wheeli of the Government going. The Consti-
tution of the United States is not entirely abrogated
by the ordinance. What is legal tender in the pay-
ment 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 con-
fiscated.

"Mr. Carroll—The present revenue would be
continued till an Act of the Legislature authorized
otherwise.

" Mr. Brown—There is no longer communication
with the Government from which we are just sepa-
rated.

" Mr. Dunkin—The spirit of the ordinance must
be temporarily sustained till we treat with the
General Government.

" Mr. Gregg—The President of the United States
has thrown down the gauntlet in his Message. He
has said it was his duty to collect the revenue, and
that he would do it. On one side the Federal
Government‘cisims the right, and declares its in-
tention to execute the power of collecting revenue
in our ports; on the other side, we have declared
that we are •free. I desire no compromise. Is it
necessary to maintain the 15 to 30 per cent. duties
imposed by Congress of the United States ? Should
these duties continue to be levied, our people will
suffer a terrible calamity. For carrying the mails,
let the present contracts be assumed by South
Carolina instead of the United States.

" Mr. Rhett—This great revolution must go on
with as little danger as possible to the country.
By making the Federal agents ours the machinery
will move on. The Federal laws of taxation must
not exist over us. I trust that the present system
of taxation has fallen for ever.

Mr. Barnwell—We have seceded from the
United States and established our independence.
We can't allow the United States to exercise autho-
rity over us any more. Let postal convenience be
sacrificed if necessary. There never was anything
purchased worth having unless it cost a sacrifice,
" Mr. Maseycl said, in regard to the mail, all
restrictions must be removed. Let us appoint oar
own officers. Let the collector of the port battle
with the difficulties as they come.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives
laid before the members on the 24th the following
letter of farewell from the South Carolina repre-
sentatives:—

" Sir,—We avail ourselves of the earliest oppor-
tunity since the official communication of the intelli-
gence of making known to your hon. body that the
people of the State of South Carolina, in their
sovereign capacity, have resumed the powers hereto.
fore delegated by them to the Federal Government
of the United States, and have thereby dissolved
our connexion with the House of Representatives.
In taking leave of those with whom we have been
associated in a common agency, we, as well as the
people of our Commonwealth, desire to do so with
a feeling of mutual regard and respect for the rights
of each other—cherishing the hope that in our future
relations we may better enjoy that peace and har-
mony essential to the happiness of a free and en-
lightened people.

" JOHN M`QUEEN,
M. L. BoNHAM,
W. W. BOYCE,

• J. D. ASHMORE.
"To the Speaker of the House of Representatives."

METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL, DEVONSHIRE-
S CITJ ARE, CITY.—The aggregate number of patiel 'a relieved
during the week ending Jan. 5, was—medical, 913; surgi-
cal, 383; total, 1,296, of which 410 were new cases,