The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-05-05
NEWS by THE MAILS.



Quar- Charleston Correspondence.
CHARLESTON, April %, 1851.
's1sech cf Mr.. Raf-1he approaching Convention
The Difference beficsea this and the Regularly
Elected Stafs COarsmsaoa-P Probable 1ctioa of the
Fwa; and The Contingencies schich rA shape oa
the Actson of ne Latter. Dscissec If Union or Dis
rnson, r..
The city papers Of this morning, contain at large
the speech of Mr.. Rhett (of the U. ). Senate,) at
a meeting Of the Charleston Southern Rights Asso-
citation. on the 7th inst. There be no misun-
Outstanding the drift, the arguments, and tho ten
denotes Of that speech. l. is for secession, and for
the separate state action of South Carolina, with
out waiting any longer to dilly- daly for the sup
port ofthe other Southern States. He givesihem
up. and pleads the duty, the necessity, the great
advantages to South Carolina, Of separate State
iction exactly in accordance with the views which
re have already furnished you those of the most
.ctive Of the leading politicians Of the State.
As the time for the meeting Of the Convention of
he Southern Rights Assoc alton approaches how
yer, We are Satisfied that We perceive some CLEANS
of daylight breaking through the surrounding
gloom. Here and there, some man, recoiling from
the dread alternative Of disunon, ventures to ex-
press his doubts Of the expediency of immediate Sc
cession, in the Charleston Courier, and il is
thing Of an improvement upon the late unanimous
sentiment Of indig nation 1t the bare idea of
SUBMISSION, tElt u cltlISn OF IlarleSl0n, III
a Charleston newspaper, under an anonymous sig
nature. can venture to confront the general feeling
Tor secessio with arguments against It The C01er
Is Tor the Unop and sanSt SECESSION, but the poll
cy-the business policy OF the paper-has Kept IL
silent on the subject OF secession IL publishes the
speech OF MIR. khett without a word Of comment;
and you may take that fact pretty significant OF
public sentiment in Charleston aud when re-
peat that this speech Of Mr.. Rhett was received
with some such enthusiasm that of the wings
of New York in receiving Henry Clay, the most
sAeptcal Aoltherner must allow that III all this there
IS something more than smoke and empty gascon
AIDE.
But still, the convention approaches. there are
some glimmerngs of daylight. Here and there
voice comes out opposed to immediate secession
and the merchants of Charleston, land mer:hants
every where are >agacious -.d iUte gent men, APP
pear 10 be generally satisfied that this convention
will not recommend immaculate separate State ac-
ton; and II sturher believed that II action post
poned, there will be n way OF escape opened to the
State 50 a to save her separation and her domes-
tic Institutions, without going out Of the Union ut
all. The mercantile interest of Charleston-espe-
ca!y those directly interested i'll Northern houses
believe, or affect to believe. this, aad that good
coUnsels and the "sooer secord thought will,
when The trial comes, be FREEDOM naat and tri-
umphsnt.
Tho forthcoming convention will DO mach to d.
te,mine the future policy TO be adopted 1t has no
authority to act. 1t d mere iuo!a assembling
OF the Southern Rights Associations of the state, IN
meeting in this city, by invitation of the
city association, for the purpose OF consulting to-
gether. celebrating upon the two questions of
direct and separate Secession, or delay, with the
view OF securing the cooperation Of one OF more of
the other cotton states III the movement. We Sus-
tfcct bat the proceedings Of this .rormal conEcn
ti"n y IL BE- in fact, virtually conclusive of the po-
lCs OF the State.
The state Convention, elected under legislative
adj isement to az: authoritatiye'y upon tina great
question, may not meet till next spring, and Il not
likely to meet till after the meeting Of the Lcgisa-
ture and Of Congress-uuleSs, pursuant to recon-
mendations Of the forthcoming mass meeting OF the
State politicians, the Governor should be induced
u cal special session Vi the Leg sla.uge upon the
subject
IN the meantime, should the approaching mass
meeting pass RESOLUTIONS p iyot OF delay. it will
depend upon the North aG4 Lgon the admnistra-
tlon to very Important ext 1t, whether this delay
shall result in a combined cement of the cotton
states to protect themselves III the Union. in the
separate action of South Carolina - 90 out Of the
ul02
The informal convention, shortly to meet in this
city. hollis the question of dissolution substantially
in lis power. The proceeding, We suspect will be
IL virtual decision one way or the other. There
some gmmerings of light; bat the gloom Of that
heavy cloud foreseen by Col. Clemens, still over
shadows The State. w.
r.S.--Do not send down from tie Empire city
any mercantile committee Of peace, yet awhile, to
has lection. The natives laugh at the idea. and
say that ii Is al cotton send seward, it anybody.
They bclieyc him TO be the true exponent OF the
popular sentiment of the state on the negro ques-
t4ou.