The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1851-07-16

WIN sucn hlSh anthOrlty against me, II IS
not improbable that may be mistaken in
my conjecture, but it is always wiser to be
prepared than to be surprised. l do not
mean 10 say that the Government will call
their measure IL BLOCKADE" They will mere
ly term it enforcing the revenue laws-col-
lecting the customs; but by whatever name
it may be called, the attempt must very soon
result in nothing more nor less than actual
blockade. 1t will soon become an interccp.
ton Of all communication, commercial or
otherwise, between us and all other States
and nations, maintained by bcsieging force
sufficiently powerful to render any inter
course with lis dangerous to third parties,
and'expose them to seizure. To render their
coercion effectual, their measure must come
to this: 1t may commences in ovcrhauling
vessels at u distance from shore, and Inspect
ing their manifests, or in attempting to erect
floating custom houses, but itsmust end,
repeat, in what, through respect TO the rights
of foreign nations, must be justified MS block
ade. But blockade is belligerent measure,
and must be made public. SO that neutrals
may have notice of it andSact accordingly.
War, then, public war, must be declared
against South Carolina, and Congress must
be called on, for Congress only has power to
levy war.
think, therefore, that the question of CO.
ercion must be referred to that body. The
Administration will be compelled to do so.
But when the question comes, then no hu-
man sagacity can predict what course things
will take. The Presidential question will
then be in full discussion. Much will de-
pend upon the bearing which the issue of
coercion will have upon that question, for it
is the mighty whirlpool which draws within
its greedy vortex all other subjects.
Whist the Administra Ion will be in the
hands of the Wings, the Democratic party
will be largely in the asceudancy in the next
Congress. If it is found that the South Car
olna question can be made political capital
of it will be used for that purpose. Al
though the Compromise has patched up
hollow truce between the old party leaders,
yet there is no love between them. There
can be none whatever. They are as far apart
as ever, and when the Presidential race be
gins, the cry will be 'oceupat postremuns
sco6ies, =" the dell take the hindmost"
This was clearly. shown to be the state of
feeling at the last Congress, when an attempt
was made to get qpa great Union party uu-
der "a written compromise pledge. This
pledge rccc;:ssa :hc signature. oe ;;::.aay dig
tinguished Wings; but, if my memory serves
me, of only two prominent Southern Dem
ocrats, {Messrs. Cobb and Foote.)
The cohesive power Of the Compromise is
fast giving way between party leaders, and
they will soon be found in hostile array.
But should the appeal to Congress by the
Administration result in the passage of some
Force Bill, or other measure of coercion, then
We will be called upon to defend ourselves
with all the resources we possess, and feel
the utmost confidence that in such contest
the South will never stand neutral Let the
sword be put into the hands of the Execu-
tive, after long and angry debate in Con-
gress, for the purpose of hewing down sov-
ereign State, whose only sin has been her
impatience to defend our common insti.u-
tions, but who can appeal to the Judge of the
World for the purity of her purposes, and
the justice of her cause, and That sword
must be dyed deep in Southern blood before
it is returned to its .scabbard. In such q
struggle, whoever shall triumph, the Union
will fall.
But it is said by some of our friends that
we will have no direct issue of force, but
that a war of custom houses and of. COM
mercial restrictions will be waged against us,
in other words, that we will be destroyed BY
famine, aud not BY the sword. Now, + think
this objection is only the blockade-idea in
another form, and may as,well be classed
under that head. Icannot see how our COM
merce can be effectually restricted, except,
by such measures as must ultimately result
10 a practical blockade of our ports, and I
refer to what have already said on that
head. But if something less than this is
meant-if sort Of ,peaceable coercion is in
tended-then l ask if its hazards or exircn-
tiles are too great to be encountered in de-
fence of a cause which is worthy of resist
ance e.at every hazard and to- the last ex-
tremity." But think that with ten or;fif.
teen millions of the richest products of the
earth for sale, it would be difficult to destroy
our commerce by any measure Of practical
coercion. If we will be content to, realize
moderate profits and to offer a cheap
to the world, I venture to assert that it can
not DO closed by a war Of custom houses
But these are but speculations At best, and
If we wait to ascertain the exact,cost of ev
cry hazard in dollars and cents, we win never
resist either separately or co,joinAy.
Surprising, however, that coercion in no
form whatever is attempted, and that South
Carolina is permitted PeaceabIy to secede,
still our friends contend that she cannot main
tain a separate existence. Now this objec-
ton seems to me to amount to onothipg more
or less than this That If Soptl, Carolina