Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1851-06-26
The Battle in South Carolina.

/ We use the word battle, with reference
to the politics Of the Palmetto State, on
account of the military bearing assumed
/ by the secessionists. The last Legislature
unwisely appropriated $4,000 for the
purchase Of arms. sc Taxes have been
increased. and their whole attitude is de
cidedly warlike but as neither the Gen
eral Government or other States will fight
with them, they are somewhat nonplussed
and the re action now commences within
their borders The men Of property be
gin TO ask, What can South Carolina gain
( 10y this revolutionary movement Moth
ing but ruin Is the manifest result. The
rich men Of Charleston finding the pros
perity Of their city paralyzcd, are determ-
Ined TO make a stand against these agita-
tors who want to live By engaging their
State in civil war. ] is therefore evi-
dent that if South Carolina should attempt
secession, the city Of Charleston would
resist it, aud We think with success. not
merely In q military point Of view. but
also III those calm appeals to the reason.
which must always be the real bullets in
our country. 1t is the greatest difficulty
toobtain fair popular expression in South
/ Carolina on account Of the rotton borough
system which prevails there to the extent
it did in England previous to the Reform
Bill The Greenville Patriot gives the
following conclusive facts, 10 prove the
. gross inequality IL Legislative representa-
/ tion
The basis Of representation is radically
wrong in South Carolina It is neither
I founded on property or population in the
Senate. Thirty or forty voters in one Of
the parishes have as muciinfuence as four
or five thousand voters in PendletOn Dist
rict Is this just2 Is il equality in the
State2 Is it republican, and we NAV
ask, IS it not the cause Of our constant ex-
citement2 II it we'll known that the par
ishes have always been hottest and fore
most in all of our squabbles with the
General Government. OurreyoIutlonary
/ fathers fought for equality and liberty and
a fair and just and republican representa-
/ ton in making laws and levying taxes
They did not dream Of thirty or forty men
living in the swanps Of the lower country
having as much power and influence in
one branch of the Legislature, as four or
/ fyo thousand men living in the mountains
! When this basis Of representation was
agreed on. the parishes were thickly sett-
/ led, and the upper country sParsely. 1t
may have been equal then. bat it Is not
now The upper country has grown IN
wealth aud population, and the parishes
have fallen off until they are now but lit
/ tie better than the rotten borough system
of England Shall this system be contin-
ued 1t is neither just to Charleston.
which has grown in commercial wealth
and population. nor to the upper districts
Charleston has but two Senators and
St. Peters one The wealth and taxation
of Charleston and her population entitle
her to eighteen representatives, The
wealth and taxation and population Of St
Peters give that parish but one repre-
sentative, and yet IN the Senate, it has
half the influence and power of Charles
ton -
South Carolina Is ruled BY an aristoc-
racy of negro-b -barons with as much des-
potism in their sway as an aristocracy In
( Europe We therefore now think, as We
have long thought. that the PEOPLE Of
South Carolina are loyal and true to the
Union-and they will make short work Of
4 the traitors, when they attempt to carry
/ out their secession treason.