The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-02


that their merchants, with the aid of brisk
smuggling trade along the South Carolina from
tier, will do a better business than ever.
Twenty per CENT" he says, twill not stop
goods on an imaginary frontier. Ii gives i'm
mense activity to bales and boxes, as well as
to mems wits. Ii will not destroy our mer
chants. 1t will make our trade pretty nearly
as free in going out as in entering our State.
: This is certainly the opinion of the merchants
in our northern cities. They therefore look
upon the secession of South Carolina from
the Union with alarm and terror, anticipating
the loss of the whole import trade, which is
occasioned by southern productions"
So Mr.. RHETT counsels his brethren to be-
come traitors that they may enrich themselves
by turning smugglers. Heightened morals
these! Mr.. RHErT is evidently gentleman,
every inch Of him.
The question of BLOCKADE" next comes up
Blockade" MIR. RHErT says, sis humbug. 1t
would probably be better for us if it should
turn out reality; but, as things are, am
compelled to say, from regard to truth, that
| believe it to be an unmitigated humbug
Blockade is war. II we secede from the
Union, we will secede during the sitting Of
the next Congress. Congress alone can de-
clare war. Congress must vote the supplies,
and authorize the use Of the army and navy
against us. One of two alternatives Con-
gress must choose; let us go peaceably ont Of
8 the Union, OF fight US. believe every body
gives us the very common credit Of not being
very great laggards at fighting. If war is
made upon US we will fight. On land or sea,
eve will fight; and il any one supposes that
war in any form can be made on South
Carolina without fighting, he is not worth
reasoning with. Where there is will there
is way, in war as in other things. We will
fght-fght long and. if necessary, trust
we will fight everlastingly in defence of the
sovereignty Of our State, and of our dearest
rights, liberties, and institutions.
But then Mr.. RHErT thinks that no fighting
will como of it. ''My friends" he says, 81 am
satisfied that, if South Carolina thinks proper
to go out Of the Union, she will go without a
single hostile gun being fired, or asingle tomb
stone being erected to tell tale of martyr
dom. On expressing such conviction to dis
| tinguished officer Of our State, Immediately
on my return from Washington, he exclaimed:
''No fighting; well, that is the worst news |
'have heard for long time! How in the name of
heaven are we to get the southern confedera-
'cy2' | answered: by just government and
superior liberty No; you will have no
fighting, and rejoice that the responsibility
is not with us whethor we shall have it or
not. We will have no fighting, not because
you are loved, nor from any principle which
restraints from shedding your blood. You are
hated, no doubt, quite enough to bring on you
any calamity which INSCRIPTIONS power,
savarce, or fanaticsm can infict. But there
is policy in power. There is policy in ava
rice. There is policy in fanaticism. And all
Carolina in any way is to secure their own
defeat, and our speedy deliverance from their
degrading thraldom. They acquiesce only
in the necessity of things"
After running on in this strain through three
or four columns, Mr.. RHErr winds up with the
following peroraton
eff South Carolina seocdes from the Union, and
southern confederacy must be the result, the
South will have enforced those guarantees which
will give her that safety. liberty. and equality to
which she is entitled. have been battling in
this cause for twenty. five years, and have now
but few more years TO give to your service.
Il long to sec it settled As citizen of South
Carolina, demand that che makes me free.
Let her determine, now and forever. the fate
Of her sons. My counsel is, secedc from the
Union Of these United States at every hazard,
and to the last extremity secedc. III was now
about to draw my last breath, with that breath
would exhort you to secede. And, above all,
my friends, let be united in secession. Our
disunion will alone tempt an effort at coercion.
Our disunion can alone bring defeat Let us
be charitable to each other and hold every man
TO be brother who agrees with Va as to the wrongs
we have endured, and is intent on rcdressing
them. When the State convention shall deter.
mine on the mode of redress-when it withdraws
this State from the Union-al these will be with
U.S. and in their generous rivalry for the mainte-
nance of the honor and liberty Of South Carolina,
they will perhaps surpass us all in patriotic
orgy and usefulness. Unite, and unite in seces-
sion and, with Gods blessing, redemption is at
hand for and ours
Mr.. RHETT, by his own confession, has been
working away at these reasonable projects of
his for five and twenty years and yet report
says that he is about the very last man who
would be pleased at losing his seat in the SEN
ate of the United States. Perhaps he may yet
find some way Of reconciling his speeches and
conduct in South Carolina with his oath to sup
port the Constitution.
The Massachusetts Coalition.
We cannot tell how far the Union is serious