The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1851-06-13
From the S. C. Southern Patriot.
A Striking Parallel.

Bettceen the Public opinion of South Carolina.
and Of France during the Reign Of Terror .
In the "History of Europe" by Allison, it is
beautifully said, that Of the hundred thousand
persons who assembled in Paris to witness the
execution of Louis the sixteenth, there were NOT
one hundred who secretly and at heart desired his
death; and yet there was not one man, in all that
vast concourse of human beings, who had the
holiness TO avow his opposition in France du.
ring her "reign Of terror" But it was not pub
lie opinion. Public opinion was suppressed by
terror. This terror, too, was produced by a pow
erless power, If it had only been confronted with
boldness and defiance. The braves; spirits Of
the land were "scared into submission" by a
phantom; scared into horrible crimes by false
public opinion. This was strikingly illustrate
by the downfall of Robespierre in the zenith of
his terrible power.
In connection with the downfall Of this bloody
tyrant, we mention an incident told us many
years since by Mr.. Ponsett. He was in France
shortly after the "reign OF terror" and was intro
duced to Iallien. In the course OK their con-
versation, he alluded 70 TalIien's bo6ness in de-
nouncing and throttling Robespierre in the Cham
Der OF Deputies, when it was supposed he was
all powerful in France, and wagon loads of hu-
man beings were sent, by his order. every day
to the guiilotine, to have their heads cut off!
Tallien's reply to Mr.. Ponsett was, "Ihere was
no boldness in it, sir. Ii was an act of desper-
alton on my part. knew that an order had
been issued to carry me TO the guiotine the
next day. 1t was contest between Robsperre
and myself for exisience-for lfe?" As soon
as it was discovered that there was one man in
Paris who had struck blow at the head of their
0dof frih oba
the execrations of all France. lie had no pow
er except that given to him by false public opin-
ion!
So il is in South Carolina. at this time, in re-
gard to secession. We believe, as 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 acquiesced in what they sup
posed to be public opinion. They have seen
the Stale gliding on into bloody revolution
which they dreaded and abhorred, and yet they
have stood silently BY, or cheered her in her on.
ward course to destructionl Whilst two-thirds
of the people ''secretly and at heart" desire the
State to Stop and wait for the cooperation Of the
other Southern States, yet not one man in ten
has the boldness to say so!
few days since gentlemen in an adjoining
district said TO us, Il began 10 think and Tef1ecl
about the consequences of secession, and came
to the conclusion that it would not do. But
was afraid TO say so. After while, met a
neighbor, who expressed the same views, We
then talked freely to each other. In week OF
SO. one of our representatives from Columbia.
also concurred with us in opinion. Ithen began
to cypress my views publicly. Those with
whom conversed eagerly responded TO me, and
now, sir, majority Of the district are opposed
to secession" This is true in regard TO public
opinion in every district in the State. A man
is told, sees it published in the newspapers, and
never hears it doubted, that the whole State is
for secession, and he believes it to be his duty
to go with bis State. In this way false public
opinion is manufactured, and the most timid, and
time serving evince the most boldness and eager.
ness in following it, The brave. vrtuous and
patriotic acquesce, through what they suppose
to be necessity. They regret it. They think
they stand alone. In theif opinion, it would be
senseless to throw themselves into the breach;
when in fact. and 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 dis
grace.