Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-02-15

attempt at revolution by the Convention thus cho-
sen is as certain as the arrival of the ldes of
December next. correspondent Of the Charleston
Mercury unfolds the whole programme for our in
formation:
81 was in Columbia" says he, when the Con-
vention bill passed, and know tha, Convention
and Secession were generally considered synony-
nous terms. 1t was agreed by the Overwhelming
majority who voted for the Convention that we
should wait until the State was armed that we
should wait until all reasonable hope of co-opera-
ton by the other States should be exhausted and
that then South Carolina, faithful to the great duty
of protection which she owed to her own people,
should take the decisive step. In one year it is
probable that all these preliminary conditions will
be fulfilled. Our next Legislature, in December,
will fix the day for the assembling of the Conven-
tion, most probably in the following February and
then, Vhilst Congress is In session, SOUTH CARO-
LIMA WILL MAKE THE FINAL ISSUE WITH THE GEN
ERAL GOVERNMENT"
We have not, in any remarks heretofore made
this subject, addressed ourselves TO the people
of South Carolina: nor shall we do SO now. But,
if their arguments have failed to convince us, we
must not whilst we lament their faulty, suffer the
tempest Of their passion to deter us from plainly
pointing out for the benefit Of such of our readers
in other States, if there be any such, as may be
disposed to follow their example, the probable con-
sequences of their doing so.
In what we have to say on this head, we wish
it to be explicitly understood that we speak for
ourselves only, drawing our conclusions from what
we understand to be the doctrine of tie Consttu-
ton and the well-settled Law under it.
1t is certain, that if the authority If the Con-
stitution is to be yet entitled to any respect on
the part of those who are sworn to administer it,
there can be no acquiesceacs by the Federal
Government in the secession of any State from the
Union, or in resistance, in any other form, by any
State it the Union, to the constitutional acts Of
the Government In the event of any attempts at such
secession or resistance the laws of the United States
would be executed. The Judicial power would
probably be extended, as it may be extended to
give effect to any law for the suppression of insur-
rection and forcible opposition to the laws Of the
Union. We believe that, in such case, the Judi
cial power Of the Union would only .follow the
civH officer, and that no more force would be used
than might be necessary to carry into effect the
process of the Court.
Should there be resistance to such process by an
armed force that would be Treason within the def
nition of the Constitution and it would be sup
pressed. The experiment is, to be sure, yet to be
made but we presume that no single State would
be aHoUed by the remaining thirty States to with
draw itself from the Union, at least not without
their appreciation and express consent.
But waving all consideration Of that question, as
one which ought hardly to be question until
it rear its horrid front in the midst Of this great
and prosperous Confederation, we proceed to the
main object Of this article, by nstitutng brief in
quiry, upon the supposition--a supposition which
would be, except for the sake of argument, merely
absurd-that the withdrawal of any State from the
Union should be effected, what would be the posi-
ton of State SO seeding. We will suppose, for
the purpose of illustration, the case Of South Caro-
lima, arrived at the full fruiton Of the ongcherished
hope of entire isolation from the Union. We Sc
lect this State, because the case is more immedi-
ately before US, and not because its position would
differ very essentially from that Of any other State
seeding under similar circumstances from the
Union.
CAROLINA, sECEDED'
And, in the first place, Whm Oould South
Carolina GAIN by secession2
She would gain the privilege Of having an Army,
Navy, and Civil List of her own, with the
privilege of paying for them. These will be found
indispensable. A nation that is not able and ready
to maintain by force its territorial as well as mari
time rights can only exist by sufrance; sort
Of existence which the pride of South Carolina will
never endure. The amount Of military force which
the State would require, for protection of all sorts,
may be stated, in round numbers, at FIVE thousand
men, at cost of two millions Of dollars year. not
including forts and their ornaments, arsenals, &c.
all which the present Government of the State fully
comprehends, having already established Board of
Ordnance, and placed at the head of its military
preparations an ex-oficer of the army OF the United
States. Her navy will cost, for frigate fully
equipped, abou. ten thousand dollars gun, for
steam-frgate about fifty thousand dollars gun say
ing nothing about navyyards, dock yards, and sea-
men. This, also, South Carolina already compre-
hends, having authorized contracts with builders
OF steamships SO to construct them that they may
be easily converted into yar steamers.
The whole revenue of the United States from i'm
ports is (for the year ls5O) s39, ,ees0Oo. Suppos-
ing, what is scarcely possible, that seeding State
can by her imports an equal portion per capita