The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-05-29
The Result of secession.

The Result of Secession.
The persistence Of the secession leaders in
South Carolina, in urging on extreme measures,
has had the natural effect of bringing forth at
least the conservative influence of those who
would save the commonwealth from the eonse-
quences Of threatened precipitancy. We eregard
1t as good omen, that such considerations are
put forward IN the subjoined extract should ap-
pear in leading journal, the Courier, in the
city of Charleston The writer is forming a
probable hypothesis Of the course which the
general government would pursue in the event
that South Carolina as a state should resolve
herself out of the Union:
The federal government viii not march troops
into the state. This would be measure of
violence inexpedient and unnecessary. 1t viii
not establish floating custom house, as has
been supposed, because it would be clumsy and
inconyenient. To secure the revenue, ii would
merely abolish Charleston, Georgetown and
Beaufort, as ports Of entry for the time being.
The power of the federal government, under
the constitution, 10 declare what ports shall be
ports Of entry, is beyond all doubt. The act Of
1893 determines the number of those ports in
South Carolina and elsewhere From time TO
time congress has changed them or abolished
them, as for example, the port Of Currituck, in
North Carolina, in IS41. South Carolina viii
collected within her limits. The federal govern
ment viii be driven then TO abolish her ports
as ports Of entry, so long as the duties are not
permitted TO be collected.
| How viii this proceeding operate on the con-
dition of the state and particularly of the city
| All foreign trade viii cease, because vessels
attempting to enter port other than port Of
entry, is liable 10 forfeiture, vessel and cargo.
I Commerce being annihiIated, our merchants
must go elsewhere to do business. Capital,
which depends on trade or employment, must
60 with them Wharf property viii be worth
nothing; there viii be nothing to land OF ship.
{ Dry docks and ship-yards viii be vaIuless; there
viii be no vessels TO repair The number of
vacant houses viii be so large, that house rents
VIII be greatly reduced No new buildings
then would be erected, and mechanics must en-
+ igrate with the merchants Factories must fol-
/ low their customers, whose rice and cotton viii
I be sent for sale TO other states Cotton instead
T of coming down the railroad from Hamburger.
=
/ gusta and Savannah That part of the said
road between Branehville and Charleston will
be unused, 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 viii tax northern
produce, and it viii 90 of course 10 places
where it is not taxed
From those places it will be smuggled into
| South Carolina-it will be as easy to smuggle
it into the state out of it, and everybody ad-
mits that the last is very easy. The same eau
ses that VIII depopuIate Charleston viii give an
immense impulse TO the growth of other places
/ Savannah viii double her business and popula-
! ton She viii receive the merchants, the me-
chanics, the capital that we shall have lost At
| the very moment when we have no employment
for them, she wiz have double employments for
all 1t viii thus become the direct interest of
/ our neighbors TO keep US in the desolate eondi-
( ton 10 which we shall be reduced. They will
wax fat on our misfortunes- If our planters
and farmers are patriotic as not to send their
cotton, rice and other produce to ports out of
| the state, there viii be no money circulating in
the state The banks VIII be without business
paper. There VIII be no dividends. At the
very time when our taxes viii be quadrupled
! there viii be no money to pay them. We shall
be checkmated-unable to move
The people viii very soon demand of the Sc
eession leaders that some remedy for this con-
dltion OF ruin be pointed out to them. What
VIII that remedy be, There can be no fighting
there VIII be nothing TO fight There can be
no appeal to foreign nations-they could have
10 pFetenee for complaint. If any man thinks
Otherwise, let him reverse the case. Should
England abolish Bristol, or France abolish
ha'te' as ports Of entry, could We complain or