The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-12-30

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The South Carolina Senate has lately passed
resolution advising speedy separation of the
slave and free States, and inviting the former to
initiate such movement and many politicians,
both in and out of Congress, either advocate the
immediate dissolution of the UNION, or are prepared
to recommend such course in the event OF the
election to the Presidency of the candidate of the
Republican party. Some few of these disunonists
DESTROYS of re-opening the Save-Trade and
Others of providing for the extension of the system
of slavery as it at present exists, but all profess
to have one primary and common purpose, which
is to uphold the rights of the South and to
prevent any outside interference with its domestic
institutions. We are as much interested in this
latter object as the most extreme secessonist can
possibly be, for Maryland would be the first ifnot
the greatest, sufferer by the disruption of our con-
federacy. As border State she would have TO
make far more extraordinary efforts to place herself
IN position to repe aggression or insult than her
more Southern allies, and one of the smallest of
the States her burthens would be heaviest to bear
We cannot then, afford TO stand by in silence
while the Legislatures, representative of Misss-
sppi ar Carolina, are laboring to promote the dis
memberment of the Republic 1t is incumbent on us
to meet fairly and squarely the issues that have so
unnecessarily been raised 1t has been asserted that
the South can preserve its peculiar institutions
only by Withdrawing from all political connec-
ton with the North and the proposition to do so
forces US to ask ourselves the question whether the
measure thus suggested will be n remedial
or suicidal one. Considering the end that such q
movement is intended to secure and looking AT
the matter solely from that point of view, we cam
not but regard the line Of policy which we are in
vited TO pursue the ruinous that politicians
could devise. 1t is not worth while to waste time
in rOdomontades about the resources of the South
or the chvalry of its people, for no one can DENY
that II possesses in large measure these essential
elements Of power and that a union or consolida-
ton of the Slave States would constitute stronr
and valiant nation. But its position must be
tried by other tests. 1t is not so much by esti-
mating the men or money which 4 Government
can control that we form just conception of its
strength, but rather by consideration of its rea-
tive situation towards other countries, and by
comparison of its means and theirs 1t will not
do to suppress facts or ignore figures in dealing
with this momentous topic, nor should we permit
either our just indignation or our selfreliant
courage to obscure our judgments or stimulate us
to one rash conclusion.
Ii 1t is difficult now to prevent abotionists and
Others from orcibly or treacherousIy assailinp in
Maryland, Kentucky and Virginia a political system
which they have preposterously determined TO be
illegal or immoral, what precautions can be taken
to check their insurrectonary efforts when the
limits of these States shall adioin those of popu
lous and hostile confederacy? The South now
counts much upon the sympathies of our Northern
countrymen the legislation of Congress- and the
impartaliy Of the Federal authorities and even
though it may have received from these less coun-
tenance and support than it was entitled to ask,
how will its condition be bettered by repudiating
them altogether? Nothing short OF the most rigid
police surveillance throughout those States and
strict military guard along their frontiers couId
prevent them from becoming, in few years what
Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana are now. Mill
tary posts and custom-hOuses would be REQUIRED
within a mile or two Of each other, along the
whole line, from the Susquehanna to the Missis-
sppi; and these would be comparatively useless
unless occupied at all times by a force infinite
ly larger than the whole country has ever con-
tempated the necessity of maintaining It is an
easy thing to talk about patrolline our borders
which stretch away for nearly thousand miles
mountain RANGES ond th;nlp eot,lo1
for orators can summon up armies at their plea
sure, but 1t Will he found, when the crisis comes
that these are practical questions which the sort of
defamation we are most accustomed to will not
help US to decide ntelligently. The three last
mentioned free States contain by the last census an
aggregate population of over s. 600, OOOpeopl who
In comparatively brief period after the secession of
the South would be converted, first into Jealous
rivals, and then into bitter foes Tolerant of orr
institutions now, it would not be long before they
were avowedly hostile to them; and when they
offered near and certain refuge to fugitives
from Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky, and
stirred up sedtion within their limits, and as
saulted them directly and indirectly from with
out, it would appear we think, that the disunion
method of avoiding the further agitation of the
Al'Ntll IueSllOu WAS WOTSe lnan miserable
failure. If one section made common cause on
the one side, the other would form an equally
formidable alliance to oppose it, and the aspect
OF the case would then be doubly hopeless. But
Cotton" it is said, ''is King" and some dream
ers have supposed that its alI-powerful influence
will keep the world at peace with the South for
ever. They speak if the Gercer passions of
men had never triumphed over their lust for gold.
or their desire for mercantile and commercial sue
cess-they have forgotten the wars to which
civilized nations have continually sacrificed SUBJ
stantial interests, and the conflicts into which
they have entered, regardless of impending ruin.
1t is folly to think that human events are abso-
lutely controlled by the laws of trade. These
considerations which we have here so cursorilv
glanced at, must be duly and maturely studied in
detail before we can be prepared to take part in
such conventions as the Senate of South Carolina
would call together. 1t is with reluctance that
We permit ourselves to dwell upon the conse-
quences of disunion, and to speculate upon the
destinies of the shattered and separated portions
of the grandest Republic that has yet existed on
the globe. We believe the great mass of the peo-
pie everywhere are content to abide by the COM
safely and honorably remain members of the con-
federation. We prefer to do so, because we are
bound to it by every tie of love- patriotism and
duty; but if violent men will compel US to take
account OF our material interests in the Common
wealth, we cannot shut our eyes to the fact, that
lis disruption would result in irretrievable dis
asters to both sections and most especially to the
South
THE MoRMoNs.-The Mormons, according To tba;r
own census, are decreasing in Utah. In 1856 thev
numbered $4,000; in 1857 only 81 ,O22 and in 1858
only about 10000. They claim, however, that
they are increasing in the country at large and in
the world, and they ascribe the diminuti0n in Utah
that there are $4,000 in Great Britain and Ireland
and 1000 on the Continent of Europe, besides some
1000 in Canada, 1000 in California, and several
thousand in the Eastern States and South America
Altogether they number l26, 000 Utah is the only
place where they practice poygamy and carry ont
their theories of civil government as well as of re
gion, and it is the only place where thew do mot