American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-05-09

WILL SOUTH CAROLINA .sEcEDE FROM THE
AMERICAN UNION lit is said that the counsels
of Rhett prevail over those of Cheves and But
ler and that the spirit of secession is rife in
the Convention. Secession, then, is probable
declaratory secession. Now, what will be
it's consequences? A writer in the Charleston
Courier appears to comprehend this subject very
well, and he answers it as follows: t+.
secession will be opposed by the Federal
Government. The Federal Government will not
march troops into the State. This would be a
measure of violence inexpedient and unneces-
sary. 1t will not establish floating custom
house, rs has been supposed, because it would
be clumsy and inconvenient. To secure the
revenue it would merely abolish Charleston,
Georgetown, and Beaufort as ports of entry fol
the time being.
elbow will this proceeding operate ON the con
dition of the State and particularly of'the city
All foreign trade will cease, because yesse
attempting to enter a port other than port o.
entry is liable to forfeiture, vessel and cargo
Commerce being .annihilated, .onr merchants
must go elsewhere to do business. Capital,
which depends on trade for employment, must
go with them. Wharf property will be worth
nothing; there will be nothing to land or ship.
Dry docks; and ship-yards will be, yalueless
there will be no vessels to repair. The number
of vacant houses win be 50 large that house
rents will be greatly reduced. No new build
ings then would be erected, and mechanics mus
emigrate, with the merchants. . Factors mus
follow their customers, whose rice and cottoI
will be sent for sale to other States. Cotton
instead of coming down the railroad from Ham.
burg, will go up the road through Hamburg tc
Augusta and Savannah. That part of the road
between Branchville and Charleston will be un.
used, unless it be for bringing goods to the city
smuggled from other States. The coastwise
trade would be destroyed as well as the foreign
trade, as the State will tax northern produce
and it will 90 of course to places where it is not
taxed. From those places it will be smnggled
into South Carolna-it will be as easy to Snug
gle into the State as out of it, and everybody
admits that the last is very easy.
The causes that will depopulate Charles
ton will give an immense impulse to the growth
of other places. Savannah will double her bust
ness and population. She will receive the mer-
chants, the mechanics, the capital that we shall
have lost. At the very moment when we hay,
no employment for them, she will have doubl
employments for all. 1t will thus become tn
direct interest of our neighbors to keep us il
! the desolate condition to which we shall be re
duced They will wax fat on our misfortunes
If our planters and farmers are so patriotic a
not to send their cotton, rice, and other pro
duce to ports out of the State, there will be n
money circulating in the State. The bank
will be without business paper. There will b.
no dividends At the very time when our taxes
will be quadrupled there will be no money t.
pay them. We shall be checkmated-unable t
move.
"The people win very soon demand of tn,
secession leaders that some remedy for thi
condition Of ruin be pointed out to them
What viii that remedy be? There can be II,
fighting there will be nothing to fight. Their,
can be no appeal to foreign nations-they coulc
have no pretence for complaint IL any mar
thinks otherwise, let him reverse the case
Should England abolish Bristol, or France abol.
ish Havre, as ports of entry, could we complain
or object? Shall we send minister to Europe
to ask for help, every foreign state would
ignore the independent government of South
Carolina. Our condition would be at once help
less and ridiculous; we should suffer and com
mand no sympathy, because the evil win be
our own choosing both as to its beginning and
continuation -