The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-04-01


The Flag of our Republic
Has still preserved her stars.
Amid domestic fcuds and broils
Az well a. foreign wars;
And Goo. trust, will keep them still.
A dazsiing galaxy,
Till time shall fade and wane away
Into eternity.
From ne Ge0getosOm (S c. Observer.
Letter frem the Hon. Joel n. Poinsett.
d. L. MCKAY, esq, Gcorgetown,S s., c.:
DxAl Sra: Twas much grati6ed to find. by the
notice you seut Of tho call Of public meeting
of the voters Of Georgetown TO consider the condi
ton Of our affairs in regard to the General Govern
mont. that The vigilance of portion of our fellow
citizens had at length boon aroused by tho extra
ordinary acts Of our Legislature. I should have
been glad TO have heard tho explanations of our
representatives. not only to tho object Of the con-
vention and their reasons for increasing our taxes,
but 70 learn whether they supposed that their
stituents, when they elected them TO make laws 10
promote the prosperity of the State, intended to
confer on them the dangerous power of initiating
revolutionary movement too likely 10 terminate
in it, ruin. Ihave every disposition to do justice
to representatives, and regret therefore my in.
ability to assist at the meeting. ! have suffered
lately from severe indisposition, and am still too
weak 70 leave my homo for any time; under other
circumstances, your kind invitation would have
been promptly accepted, and il would have given
me great pleasure to have taken Counsel with those
30 highly eatecm. $50 a.
studied the proceedings of our Legislature dur
ing s last session with earnest solictudc but failed
to find their reasons or explanations for what was
proposed TO be done. saw only the expression of
excited feelings, passionate defamation and FORE
gone conclusions, all tending to revolution ssccs.
sion, pcaceable forciblc in conjunction with other
States, alone; in short, fixed determination to
hurry the State into the fearful position IL
cupies. And what are the causes assigned for mca-
calculated TO alter the foundations of our Gov
ernmcnt and the dcstinies of our peoplc2 Not the
admission Of California, for that is sJat accom-
ph." California is become State, and no act of
ours can drive her out Of the Union. She is, how
ever, sovereign State, free to follow the dictates
of her own interests, and may introduce slaves 10
work her mines if she thinks proper 80 TO do. You
all must recolIect the history of the debate which
occurred in the Legislature of the State of ILL
noisimmedately after its admission into the Union.
1t was free State under the Compromise; but an
act was paAsed by both Houses TO introduce slaves
and would have become = law but for the interven-
does any one suppose II The otiEens Of Illinois had
nnaturer reflection, decided it to be for their flu
ture Interest that slavery should be introduced into
d the
and will be forever and everywhere, purely ques-
ton OF interest Slavery viii be introduced wher-
ever slave labor can b Proftably employed, whe-
and will be extinguished where slaves become a
burden, was the case in the northern States be-
fore they were ernancipated there. sa
Nor can the arrangement entered int o between
Texas and the General Government be regarded ash
affordipg any color for these mcasNes. Texas,
the party most concerned. accepted The offers of
xI,of
on that account We have no longer any cause of
complaint. The suppression of the, slave market
in Washington furnishes no excuse for violence.
1t was purely municipal regulation. not uncalled
for by the circumstances. Arc We then about to
commence revolutionary. movement because we
apPrehend aggression This would certainly be
revolution is oontsmpisted. south Carolina. in
conjunction with other slave States, alone, mere
ly intends peaceably TO secede from the Union. M
have looked in vain Tor any sanction of this
right by the early exponndcrs Of our Constitution.
1t was advocated, indeed advanced, by none, and
expressly ePudiated by the wisest and best Of the
statesman OF that epoch. Such doctrine would
have defeated tho end and aim Of the Constitution,
which was to form = moro perfect and permanent
Union than existed under the old confederation.
II seems to me prepostcrous to suppose single
State TO possess q constitutional right to scccde
from the Union whenever it may think proper to
do 90. without regard to the injury such an act
might infiict upon the other states. The old and
wellconsidered maxim of common law applies to
States well as to individuals F" Sic utere t,io ut
altman kRdas' Make use of what il your
own In such manner as not TO njure another.
As well might it be commended that q man has a
right to set FIRE to his house, because he is dis
satisfied with IL. II he were 30 i'll advised, how
ever az to exercise this abstract right over his own
property in the midst Of city, he would be re-
garded as violator Of the law, and be consigned
to punishment for the crime of arson !; and what
comparison 10 there, in the degree of crime, bc-
tween the conagration Of the most opulent city in
the universe and the overthrow of this great Re-
public the seat Of freedom, the hope of the world
the foundation Of our strength and safety?
But our Legislators evidently did not regard &C.
cession ms likely to be acquiesced in by the other
States, or as . perfectly pcaccable measure; the
contrary, they appropriated half million OF dol
lars in order TO overcome the opposition they OK
pected TO encounter, and with rare caution COM
menccd to raise the taxes in manner not 10 alarm
our fears before the fatal step ia taken, and the
State engaged in war. They are too intelligent
for 1851 will be required in 1882 should the war
like and revolutionary measures contemplated be
carried into effect.
As the people generally may not be acquainted
with the subject, and ought not to be ignorant to
what amount the taxes must be increased in order
TO carry out the engagement which will probably
be entered into in their name by their representa-
tives, will state very briefly the cost Of the
mics, naviess Notifications and armamcnts of tho
United Statcs. The cost OF the regular forces is
$500 man per annum; that of volunteers about
three times that amount.
will say nothing here of the differences in the
efficiency of these two descriptions Of force, of
the disparity in their mortality.
The cost Of an armed vessel may be stated at
$7,l60 gun, the lowest cost it's wear and tear is
estimated at 81 per cent. per annum. This calcu-
Iation docs not include the expenses OF the to
sail and fight her. The building and equipment of
war steamers is much moro costly. They carry
fewer and much heavier guns First-rate steam
ers cost about $50 900 gun, exclusive of the ex-
penscs OF the crew II would be frighful error To
suppose that the be built for the drecl
trade with Europe would prove, If armed, capable
OF contending with the war steamers OF the United
States. IN.
The cost Of Notifications cannot be stated with
precision, 30 much depends upon local circumstan-
ces, but may be estimated, including armament, al
$4,000 gun, exclusive Of the expenses Of the gar
rison and cost of repairs. FL
With these data you will find the cost of main
tanning the minimum force, necessary to present
show OF resistance, will exceed 5000 900 the frs