The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-04-08


thing but turmoil and confusion can be expected
during the contest, and nothing but inglorious de-
feat will close it.
We confess that we are 20 vol pleased With Mr..
Fillmore that we do not desire any change II the
administration of the Government, ard In Ibis OPT
MON we are confident that we are sustained by
large majority Of the people Of this country.
From the GreenUiHe Is. CO. Southern Patriot.
The Folly OF Secession.
Col. Thomas G. Perrin, of Abbeville, distin-
guished lawyer and member Of the State con-
vention, mild and amiable gentleman, has pro-
nounced separate State action the greatest hum
bug Of the day" We heartily concur with the
colonel in calling 1t humbug, and also in de-
claring 1t to be emo remedy at ALL" It il very
much like the remedy of q man who has been in
| suited, and, in order to revenge himself, turns
round and dashes his brains out against q post
South Carolina, in common with all the southern
States, has been grossly nsulted, her rights dsre-
garded and her honor outraged. Tho remedy
proposed by the secessonists il for the State TO de-
stroy the Republic. separate from all her southern
friends, plunge her people into the horrors of
bloody civil war, and crush them to the earth with
taxation.
That secession will separate us from every south
ern State, well as from the northern States no
one can doubt. Georgia has taken her position of
acquiescence by majority Of thirty thousand
votes at the polls and by vote in her convention
oftwo hundred and thirty to twenty seven Flor
ida has refused by her Legislature, without di-
vision in one branch, to elect delegates to South
ern Congress. Alabama has not made. through
her constituted authorities, single move towards
co operation with South Carolina. One.half of
Tennessee-the Wing party-refused even to coun-
tenance the Nashville convention and the other
half-the Democratic party-rotirsd from that con-
vention with open and expressed indignation.
North Carolina, through her Legislature. has re-
pudiated the right of secession, and declared for
the Compromise The State Of Virginia has not
taken, and will not take, an onward step, whilst
things remain as they At present. Louisiana,
Maryland, Kentucky, Texas, and all the other
saveholding States not already mentioned, except
Mississippi, beyond the pale of hope 1t il said
that Mississippi will not elect single disunionist
to her convention next fall The Wing party are
all opposed to the movement and the Democratic
divided
Can, then, South Carolina stand up. and single
handed, fight her way out Of the Unioni That she
will have to force in notwithstanding her gov
eminent, is admitted, expected, and declared,
both by the State and tho Federal Government.
So says the Secretary of State, and 30 tho Presi-
dent has intimated. The Legislature of South
Carolina have made their calculations accordingly,
itary committee have intimated that our army
should be ten thousand men. Let W see what
this army will cost the State Every soldier in
the United States regular army costs tho Gov
eminent, including officers and all expenses, one
thousand dollars per annum. II 10 said militia
and volunteer corps cost still more. This army
OF ten thousand men, rather 4 small one, too, 70
contend against the whole United States, will cost
the State ten millions of dollars. We must have
navy, and to build this, humble it would
necessarily be, the State must expend, at very
moderate calculation. including its annual support,
five millions more! The necessary defence Of our
seacoast, which the Legislature have in contem-
plation, would cost five millions perhaps ten mil
lions more! Here we have already the enormous
sum of 800 00O, 900, to be paid and raised annually
by the State Of South Carolina, for perhaps five
years to come. The whole property of the State,
real and personal, may be worth $500 900, 900.
According to the last census Greenvillc was worth
about five millions, and Laurens district mill
lions. Tho latter may be fair average district,
which would make for the whole State two hum
dred millions. Then in ten years South Carolina,
by this revolution, will have consumed her lands
and negroes in supporting her army and navy.
But in the mean time her citizens will have fled,
with their property, from this intolernblo burden
Of taxation. We have already heard number of
her wealthy mon say that they would remove their
property the moment the State seeded, and that
they considered themselves as justifable in doing
30 they would be in removing from house
on fire when there was hope Of extinguishing
its flames. South Carolina would become in FIVE
years bloody wilderness: the prudent and timid
gone; the brave and patriotic dead, madly sacri-
feed on the field of battle not rose left to mark
where the garden once stood.
Let US suppose that secession is peaccable, and
that the Federal Government did not attempt to
cocrce the State, what then would be her condition?
Has she strength and resource enough TO maintain
her independence? Does any Sane man, with or
binary information as TO the expense and dangers
of an independent government, believe III There
are an army. navy, foreign ministers to support,
President and q Cabinet, and thousand civil Of
cers to maintain; seacoast to fortify our COM
merce to protect, military stations to be guarded
and wars to be apprehended Texas tried this state
of independence, and became bankrupt prey
to tho depredations of Indians and robbers. and
object of pity in the eyes of foreign nations. But
Texas il as large as a half dozen of South Caro-
lima.
friend remarked to US tho other week, at Lau.
rens court, that the people seemed astounded when
he reminded them that, in South Carolina
ceded, their children, living in Georgia and Ala
bama, would be foreigners, and could not inherit
their property and that if they moved to the West,
they could not carry their slaves, and would have
to be naturalzed there. before they could hold real
estate, or vote at election, fill an Office, civil
or military! But this Is not ALL every man going
out or coming into South Carolina must be stopped
and have his baggage examined, to sec II he is not
smuggling some goods into out Of the STATED
Every man who brings load Of bacon or load of
Irish potatoes from Tennessee North Carolina
must stop at the line and pay dutiesl
We have no confidence in weak, petty gov
eminent. Such governments have always been,
in all history, curse upon tho people. Look at
Germany, once so great and powerful, and now
powcrless and Insignificant by her petty divisions
and little principalitics. There is Italy united,
she composed the heart and strength of the Roman