The southern press., 1851-05-03

war as III Otner tnlngo Vo Will hShs--n6la
long; and, If necessary, trust, we VIII hgh
everlastingly, in defence of the sovereignty o
our State, and Of our dearest rights, liberties
and institutions. What can the Northern peo
pie, gain in such contest, but inevitable defea
and disaster? Give them all they can possibly
expect to accomplish. Suppose that they are
not embroiled with other nations, for lawlessly
nterrupting commerce as much theirs as ours
and that we are at last vanquished and subdued
will that preserve the Union? They may
have province held in subsection by military
force, but can they make US, against our will, q
State of the Union? Can they force US to elect
senators or representatives to Congress! By
our secession, the Union is dissolved, and will
stand dissolved by our mere non-action. But
if this policy Of coercion is pursued, Will dis
union be limited to South Carolina alone ! Does
any man believe that the general government
can carry on war against Southern State, for
exercising her right Of seeding from the Union,
in defence of her liberties and institutions, and
that no other Southern States will join her IN
the contest? The right of secession Is the right
of all Surrender it, and the States are no longer
sovereignties They are not parties to the con-
stitutional compact; but mere provinces OF one
vast consolidated empire, under the absolute
sway of the free States in the North, through
the majority in Congress.
The Southern States will have no defence,
either in the Union or out the Union, TO stay
the strong hand OF usurpation and abolition,
growing stronger every day; and IL they suffer
South Carolina to be subjugated by the sword,
her doom must soon be theirs, with the in
creased ferocity they will have inspired in our
successful foes | do not consider it to he a
matter Of doubt, that if the free States use the
general government to make war on South
Carolina and she fights as becomes her ancient
renown-a Southern confederacy is as sure to
come MS the succeeding year. The Northern
people, as well as the general government,
know that this will be the result, as well as we
do and therefore have no expectation that
any bill will ever pass Congress to coerce South
Carolina from going out Of the Union. No such
bill, am satisfied, could have passed the last
Senate of the United States. VIII Rhode Island,
the last State to enter the Union, or Delaware,
consent to be disrobed of their sovereignty
What are they in the Union without it, but aris-
tocratic fungusses on the body.politic, to be cut
off in the Senate by the equalizing sword of
Democracy. Could the Northwestern Demo-
Gratis, who so lately maintained that the right to
self government was so sacred in people that
the emigrants in California had.a right to set up
a government for themselves throughout that
whole magnificent region, although owning not
a foot Of the soil, deny to the people Of South
Carolina the right they thus accorded to the
people of California, and force on them gov
eminent they have repudated Could the
Northeastern Democrats, resting on the limta-
tatons Of the Constitution as their great leader,
(Mr. Woodbury. has so long and 80 faithfully
done, find any warrant in the Constitution to
fror fbal
South are prepared to try the strength of the
general government in coercing Southern
State to remain in the Union! There may be
two. and YOU will find it difficult to name them
Nv friends, am satisfied that if South Carolina
thinks proper to 90 out of the Union, she will
90 withouta single hostile gun being fired, or a
single tombstone being erected to tell tale OF
martyrdom. On expressing such conviction to
a distinguished officer of orr State, Immediately
on nv return from Washington, he exclaimed
a No fighting, well, that is the worst news have
heard for a long time How in the name of
heaven, are we to get the Southern confed-
eraey?" answered." By just government and
a superior liberty" No. You will have no fight
ing, and rejoice that the responsibility is not with
us. whether we shall have ii or not We will
have no fighting, not because you are loved, nor
from any principle which restrains from shedding
ycur blood. You are hated, no doubt, quite
enough to bring on you any calamity, which un-
scrupulous power, avarice, or fanaticism can in
Ai t. But there is policy in ayarice. here is
policy in fanaticsm; and all these perceive that
10 attempt 10 coerce South Carolina in any way,
Is to secure their own defeat, and our speedy de-
livcrence from their degrading thraldom. They
acquiesce only in the necessity Of things.
That this is the policy determined now in
Congress, may perhaps be strongly inferred from
two facis-the army bill, proposing consider
able increase Of the army, and the fertilization
bill, both failed in the House Of Representatives
nj the close Of the last session by large majori-
ties. The election in South Carolina to her con-
vention, had then distinctly indicated her future
course.
But have heard il said, the general govern
ment will not blockade US entirely. They will
only have floating custom house in their ships
Of war off our coast, or exact the duties under
the cannon of the forts in our harbor. / wish
TO meet all objections.
BY this scheme Of interfering with our CON-
merce, II is not, in the first place, easy 10 per
ceive, how duties can be collected on whole
cargo in the hold Of ship. To collect the du-
ties, the ship must be unloaded--the goods be
seen, to be appraised; or seized if falsely in
voiced, or not entered at all, 10 evade the duties.
All Of our custom house laws TO prevent SNUG
Cling and the evasion Of duties, are based on
the impossibility Of collecting duties on goods
in bulk in the hold Of a ship lit is the estab
lished law, that papers without the inspection
Of goods, or a captains statement of what bis
ship contains, are 10 be the only proof Of impor-
tations into Charleston, and the only criterion
Of the duties to be collected, the collection Of
dnties will soon become farce. Charleston
will practically be free port. Even ten per
cent duties will hardly be levied on our imports.
But the true answer to this mode Of interfering
with our commerce is, that il viii be war. In
seeding from the Union, South Carolina will
exercise a right, which she, at least, deems I'M
When she has dissolved her
Union with her co-States, she puts an end TO her
o-partnership with them--she puts an end TO
their common agent, the general government, so
far as she il concerned So long as the Union
between them lasts, their common agent, with
her consent, and by no other means, discharges
the duties which, by the compact Of the Consti-
tuition, she has agreed IL shall discharge.
But with our separation from the Union, goes
all our relations with the other States Of the