Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-05-17
From the Southern IS. s. Patriot
A Striking Parallel
Bcterecn the Public Opinion Of South C"roAn

Betwecn the Public Opinion Of South taTotlna
and France during the "Reign Of Terror"
In the "IIistory of Europe" by Alison, 1t IS
beautifully said, that of the hundred houS0na
persons who assembled in Paris to witness the
execution of Louis AVlth, there were not one
hundred who secretly and at heart deSlEco HIS
death; and yet there was not one man, III al,
that vast concourse of human beings, who had
the bo]dness to ayow his opposition to TINS ex-
errable murder! Such was public opinion III
France during her "reign Of terror BUTT was
not public opinion. Public opinion was sup
pressed by terror. This terror, too, was pro-
duced by i power!ess power, II tlad on1y poe''
confronted with boldncss and defiance. Inc
bravest spirits of the land were scared mo
submission by . phantom: scared mo hotfl-
Bic crimes by 4 false public orlnion. 1 ms was
strikincly illustrated by the downfall OF no.
bcspiprre in the zenith Of his terrible power;
In connection with the d0"nfa!I OIL .fls
bloody tyrant, we mention an incident 1olo US
many wears since by Mr.. Poinsett. lie w's'i
France shortly after the "re'gn OF terror anu u
was introduced to Tallien. III fhe course u
| their conversation, he alluded to Talllen's uV"-
| ness in deuouncing and throttling RobespIerre
in the Chamber of Deputies, when 1t was
supposed he was alI-powertul in France and
wagon loads of human beings were sent, by his
order, every day, to the guilIotine, to have Their
heads cut off! Tallien's reply to Mr.. Polnsett
was, sThere was no boldness IN 1t, sir. IT
was an act Of desperation on my part. knew
that an order had been issued to carry me to
the guillotinc the next day. 1t was 4 contest
between Robespierre and myself for existence
for life" AS soon as it was discovered that
there was one man in Paris who had struck a
blow at the head of their bloody tribunal, no
| bcspierre fell powerless amidst the eXccratlons
of all France. He had no power except that
given to bin by false public opinion.
So it is in South Carolina at this time IN Ire
gard to secession. We believe, rs confidently
rs we do in our existence, that large majority
of the people Of South Carolina are opposed to
secession, but they have been afraid to express
their opposition, and have seemingly aciuies-
ced in What they supposed to be public OPT
Mon. They have seen the State gliding on
into Il bloody revolution, which they dreaded
and abhorred, and yet they have stood silently
by, or clcered her in her onward course to de-
struclion. Whilst two-thifds of the people,
>Sec1eNy, and al hevt," desire the State to stop
and wait Tor the cooperation OF the other
southern States, vet not one man IN tell has the
boldneSS to say so
A few days, >!ucc, a : entlemanin an adjoin-
ING district. said to Us, Il began to think and
reflect about the consequences OF secession, and
came to the conclusion that it would not do
2ut | was afraid to say so. After awhile, meta
ncigllhor, who expressed the same views. We
then talked freely to each other. lnaweek OF so,
one of our representatives returned from Co
lumbia, and concurred with US in opinion.
then began TO express my views publicly.
Those with whom | conversed eagerly respon-
ded to me, and now, SIT, a majority OF the dis
trict are opposed to secession" This is true
in regard to public opinion, in every district in
the State. 4 man is told, sees it published in
the newspapers, and never hearsit doubted, that
the whole State is for secession, and he believes
it to be his duty to 60 with his State. In Ills
way, a false public opinion is manufactured, and
the most tilnid and time-serslng eviace the
most bo'dness and cageraess in following it.
The brave, and y%irtuous, and patriotic, aequiesce
through what they suppose to be necessity.
They regret it. They think they stand alone.
In their opinion, it would be senseless to tllxpw
themselves into the breach when, in fact nd
in truth, if they would express their opinions,
they could soon discover that they were in the
majority, and could save their State and their
country from defeat, disaster and disgrace.