The southern press., 1850-10-07
From the .Nsrbe,ry az: C.) Sentinel.


did on former OCCASION upon this momentu-
Gus subect-rendered still more important bv
recent transactions in Congress We deem Il
our DUTY TO refer to It again, that may assist
To the extent OF our humble Abilities in the for.
nation OF correct public opinion with respect
TO the fearful crisis that is now before the peo-
pie of the South with respect to the erievous
wrongs and aggressions that have been perpetra
ted upon their rights and their property and
the measure of resistance that should be adop-
ted
Ii will be remembered, we expressed the OPT
mon that the remedy, proposed by some of the
friends OF the South--social non-intercourse--
Is wholly inadequate to the purposes intended
TO be effected by it, and rendered impracticabe
by the mischevious folly of some of our own
people. We will consider one other plan, which
mas been sugges ed by some, of correcting the
popular sentiment and feelings of the North,
ana thereby securing proper observance of our
constitutional rights. We alude to CONNER ,
cial non-intercourse
How desirable soever it may be--and it is es-
pecially desirable in the present posture of af
tairs--to Tree ourselves from the commercial
shackes that feter our energies and cripple our
resources, and to teach the North That she is
mainly,lt not wholly, dependent upon the South
or all her commercial greatness, agricultural
prosperity and success in manufactures, Vet the
whole scheme cannot be wrought out nor made
.tiectual as measure of redress in a day Tt
is true we can make a beginning in this great
work OF dsenthulmcnt, and indeed we have al
ready made considerable progress towards it
But time alone can effect this desirable, this
mighty change in the commercial relations that
subslst between the two sections. 1t will re-
luire long Years of assduous toll and untiripr
energy to accomplish the end in view So few
comparatively are the facilities of trade possess
,ed by the metroI olitan cities Of the South, so
indirect is the commercial intercourse between
hem and the markets of Europe, so few and
eeble--t'lough worthy of all encouragement
are our infant manufactures, that our merchants
are, in some degree, compelled to repair to Phi.
ladelpla, New York and Boston for many of
their supplies. Besides, were the Southern
merchants to make their purchases exclusively
in Charleston, Savannah Mobile and New Or
eans there are so many Of the mercantile
houses in these cities that are mere branches Of
similar establishments in Northern cities, that
even in that event the North would obtain the
principal share OF the benefits of such trade
There Is still another objection to this scheme
| OF commercial non-intercourse If it were car
ried into full operation, it would have a reflex
influence upon the South. Were we to refuse,
in our present state Of unpreparedness, to pur-
chase the manufactures of the Northern people,
and to withhold from them their usual supplies
OF cotton, rice, sugar and tobacco, the injuries
resulting from the suspension or destruction of
such mutual interchange Of commodities would
not be confined TO them; these injuries would
recoi upon the South. And, if the present pa
lucaL relations continue to exist between the
two sections, we would soon be as ready as they
to renew the suspended commercial relations
The eXlgencles OF the times perhaps require that
our peovte should make such u sacrifice as that
| demanded by this scheme of non-intercourse
| And there can be no doubt too that they could
Withstand the shock consequent upon the COM
mercial revusion, much better than the people
OF the North for, upon the existence and con-
tinuance of the present commercial relations, the
whole social fabric Of the Northern States is
based. But the sacrifice would be followed by
injuries to ourselves, that would more than coun-
terbalanee the benefits.
The chief objection, however, is the one a.
luded to i'll the first part of this article What
we want is not only yau efectual means Of bring
ing the Northern people to their senses, and OF
securing our institutions from their aggressions,
but an Immediately eiectual means A remedy,
that depends upon the slow, though sure o ,era-
tons OF time, isnot the remedy that is dema .ded
| by the necessities Of our case--is not suited to
|
sudden, as well as complete, to be efficient in
accomplishing the salvation of the South from
the doom of deep degradation that now threatens
10 befall her.
We would by no means be understood as un-
derrating the Importance and expediency of So
cial and commercial non-ntercoursc. To touch
The pockets of the Northern people--to withhold
the millions of dollars that are wont annually to
flow into them from the South, is a very power
ful way of teaching them good manners,--of
teaching them their dependence upon u.s. and
would be efectual in securing our peculiar in
| stitutions, to some degree at least, from their
depredations, If it could be adopted and carried
our Immediately. But these remedies at best, are
mere expedients that can have no other effect than
TO postpone the final issue. Tha issue is secession
and independence on the one hand, orsubmission
and consequent political degradation ON the other
10 this complexion it must come at Lust. Sooner
or later, the slaveholding States of the South
will be forced to nuke choice Of one or the other
alternative. The alternatives are placed before
them now. But were they even to tamely nc
quesce in the degrading measures of spolaton
and outrage that have been already enacted by
"A reckless majority in Congress, even if the tide
of aggression should be stopped for while by
the means proposed, they will be finally driven
from their position Of non-resistance. Other
SCtlclUcS ONeTtilTOW cl u
| slavery will be devised and perpctrated; and,
unless by submitting now they should lose all
spirit of resistanee--which is greatly~to be APP
prehended-thcy will, as sure as time rolls on,
be driven to a separation from the North.
1t is not for us to say what course the South
crn States will pursue in the present emergency
But we cannot forbear to express the opinion
that secession is the only means Of redress and
security that is now left to them and we will in
dulge the hope that they will exercise this SOW
ereign right. Political non-intercourse will be
necessarily followed by social and commercial
non-intercourse, and whatever advantages would
result from the adoption of the two last mon
toned measures OF resistance, all of them and
more and far greater advantages would follow
the adoption Of the iirst--The Southern Con-
vention will again shortly meet together. we
have OF tire confidence in the prudence, wisdom,
patriotism and foresight of the men who VIII
compose that august assembage and that what