The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-07-23
IN @. @. J. 8; s. .

III the nands OF the fhf6S5ft ftne Dem-
ocratic party will be largely in the
,ascendancy in the next Congress.
If tits found that the South Carolina
question can be made political capi.
tai Of, it will be used for that pur-
pose. Although the compromise has
patched up a hollow truce between
the old party leaders, yet there is no
love between them. There can be
none whatever. They. are as far
apart as ever, and when the Presi.
dental race begins the cry will be
'occupat postren,ataa scnbies'--'the
dell take the hindmost.' This was
clearly shown to be the state of feel
ing at The last Congress, when an at
tempt was made to get up a great
Union party under a written compro.
mise pledge. This pledge received
the signatures ofmany distinguished
Wings; but, if my memory serves mo,
of only two prominent Southern
Democrats, (Messrs. Cobb and
Footc.)
The cohesive power of the compro-
mise is fast giving way between
party leaders, and they will soon be
found in hostile array. .,s
But should the appeal 20 Congress
by the Administration result in the
passage Of some force bill, or other
measure of coercion, tlen ne will be
called upon to defend ourselves with
all the resources we possess, and Z
feel the utmost confidence that in
such contest the South will never
stand neutral. Let the sword be put
into the hands of the Executive, af.
ter long and angry debate in Con
gress, for the purpose of hewing
down a sovereign State, whose only
sin has been her impatience to defend
our common institutions. but who can
|'appeal to the judge of the world for
the purity Of her purposes, and the
justice Of her cause. and that sword
must be dyed deep in Sonthefniblood
before it is returned toits scabbard.
In such struggle, whoever shall
triumph, the Union will fall
BUTT is said by some oTsour
friends that We viii have no direct
issue of force, but that war Of Gus
tom houses and Of commercial restric-
tons will be waged against us; in
other words, that we will be destroy
cd by famine, and no. by the sword.
Now | think this objection is only the
blockade idea in another form, and
may as we'll be classed under that
head. cannot see how our, com.
mercc can be efiectually restricted,
except by such measures as must ul-
timatcly result in practical blockade
of our ports, and refer to what T
have already said on that head.---
But if something less than this is
meant; il a sort of peaceable coercion
is intended then / ask if its hazards
or eStremities are too great to be en-
countered in defence of cause
which is worthy of resistance sat eve.
ry hazard and to the last cxtremitY?'
But think that with ten or fifteen
millions of the richest products of
the earth for sale, it would be diff
cult to destroy our commerce by any
measure of practical coercion. If
we will be content to realize modeT-
atc profits and to offer a cheap mark
ct to the world. | venture to assert
that ii cannot be closed by war Of
custom houses. But these are but
speculations at best, and if we wait
TO ascertain the exact cost Of every
hazard in dollars and cents, we VIII
never resist either separately or CON
jointly.
Supposing, however, that coercion
in no form whatever is attempted,
and that South Carolina is permitted
pcaceably to secede, still our friends
contend THAI she cannot maintain o.
separate existence. Now this OBJ
jection seems to me to amount to
nothing more or less than this
That if South Carolina should re-
sume those powers which she has
delegated to the general government,
and become, what we have always
contenaed she was, when she came
into this Union, q free, sovereign
and independent State, then that
moment she perishes. ] must be-
permitted to say, with due respeest to
those who urge this argument, thatit.
proves too much, and gives up every
thing IN dispute. Its n fatal con-
cession to tho oonsolidationists, and
will be regarded by them as q conn
pleta surrender. They have always
contended that the sovereignty Of The
States is an abstraction, a mere thing
of words; that it has no practical val
ae,% %and cannot protect tha citizen,
who, therefore, owes itno allegiance.
They say that this Is iot q cenfeder-
acy ofsovereign States, but a gov,