Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-08-23
AN APPEAL TO HIsToRY.-No. II.

remembered, we expressed some surprise that, in
The discussions upon the practical effect of the pro-
posed secession of one or more States from the
Union, SO little light had been drawn from history
to show what had been in past ages the conse-
quence to the severed half or parts of any nation
thus torn from the body to which it belonged.
Since committing that remark to the press we have
read, in the " Southern Standard" Letter from a
citizen of South Carolina (the Hon. J. TowNsEND)
to committee of the inhabitants of Charleston, in
reply TO an invitation to Public Meeting of those
who prefer Southern Confederacy to separate
State secession. Though intended only to dissuade
its readers against favoring the separate secession
Of the State of South Carolina, and advising in
preference joint secession of the disafeced South
ern States-alternatves between which we see little
difference in principle, or in consequence, SO far
as the Union is concerned-yet in that Letter. show
ing very clearly the danger to herself Of precptae
separate Revolutionary action by the single State Of
South Carolina the writer has resorted to the very
pages of history to which we had recourse in our
preceding number, citing the case Of the pre-
sent condition Of the discovered Italian States and
their consequent subsection and depression, as
warnings to any State States in this country dis
posed TO place themselves in like unenvable pre-
dicament. The part of Mr.. Townsend's Letter
embracing this historical illustration contains so
plain demonstration of the actual intention of the
Carolina Disunionists, and SO entirely concurs in
the view which we have taken of its impractical
bility, that, for the information of such of our
readers in different States as imagine TO themselves
Co. IL TL,.o = 80
cannot do better than transcribe the entire pas
sage, as follows
TO erect South Carolina into separate Independent
nation, ,oih her Presdent' Secretaries Foreign Mn
isters &c-his the aim the ruling spirits and of the
great body of that party this time. For this they argue
and decam, and seek to make converts It is with view
to reconcile the people that form Of national existence
that separate State secession is practically discussed in all
its aspects and copies of the pamphlet scattered broadcast
the State. is to in duce to take that step that
our resources military financial and territorial, for
parate National Government inevitably (but most fall
aciousy) arrayed before U.S. and the example Of every
petty State in Europe held up to limitation.
Let it not then, be denied that separate Independent
nationality, with all its hazards and disadvantages the
real object of that party and let the people begno
look the question fully in the face and decide whether this
is what they desire, whether they intend TO reach after
something else which BETTER and can, by patience and
proper exerions, be obtained If they desire live
ed from natural ales-ou sister States Of the South
never fear to be again fratenay united to them, and
placed in the attitude of alien and foreign nation to
them, they have only to leave the straight road which the
Legislature has laid out for us, and which sanctioned by
the west and puest Of statesmen and off at the
road which the separate secession party, the Con-
vention, have taken, and they will find themselves
beyond Jordan, in the condition, fear, Of
But they des ire the better condition Of
political existence, in the form Of Southern Confderacy
their first duty prevent the Stale from being pre-
cpad into separate secession, which will render the other
unaanable, and forever settle fate among the ranks of
the miserable little princpaties which held up
mitation-such Genoa, Venice, San Marine, &C.
1t must be admitted that the frankness and good
sense Of his arguments against precpate action of
any kind, seeing the selfish purposes sought to
be accomplished by it, could not fail to have weight
in his own State were his fellow citizens in con-
dton of mind to listen to the promptngs Of reason
from any quarter.
But with regard to the question which is moot
ed by Mr.. Townsend 6etweeq single or confsde-
rated secession, we may at once avow that we con-
slider The difference between them to be of little i'm
portance, so far as consequences are concerned.
In either case, all existing conditions of things
be more or less changed, and new combinations,
with new and untried conditions and consequences,
brought into action. TO South. Carolina, as in for
mer essays on this subject we have shown, any
change from her present relation to the Union must
be, if not ruinous, degrading. Separate, she could
only exist as State by permission and tolerance;
condition far more CALLING than any present evils
or Inconvenience from which she desires to es-
cape. As member of new combination, or con-
federacy, her condition will be, in no conceivable
particular, better than it now is. Allied to stronger
Powers, could the People Of that State expect TO
control the Confederacy! Or, allowing, in the face
of all probability, that the more powerful members
of the Confederacy should constitute the State of
South Carolina its Dictator, does the idea of a
Southern Confederacy promise an Eysian age !!
Does not all History abound with facts to contra
dict SO fond delusion! Would human passions
be annihilated, or the ambitious promptings which
led to the Revolution quelled, by such change as
this from bad to worse? On the contrary, con-
vinced are, that if the People of South Caro-
lima to make the experiment of seeding alone,
the fruits of that secession would be as gall and
NORWOOD, we are quite as profoundly convinced
that, ruinous as such " secession would be, there
ia not an evil follow in Ito tran hut oud he an