The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-12-19
The Secession Prospect,

upon by South Carolina for the holding O
her Secession State Convention. Although
we do not yet know what action has beer
taken, it is pretty generally anticipated tha
the Convention has PISSED an ordinance
separating the State from The Union ono
sbsolving its citizens from all allegiance tC
the Constitution and laws OF the United
States. The next step will be to form ant
establish an independent government fol-
the new Palmetto Republic. In doing thic
the United States Courts must be broken
UP; the authority of the Judges and Mar.
shals disowned; the Post Offices and Post
Routes established by the Federal Govern
meDt discontinued, and submission refused
to the Federal collectors OF revenue ant
the Port officers. How the South Carroll.
mans will relish this great change, remains
to be tested when they.shall have tasted its
fruits.
The great question in which we are all
deeply interested is, whether this action on
the part Of the people Of South Carolina, in
convention assembled, will necessarily in.
volve the country in civil war! Probably it
would not, if we had a Jackson ct the head
Of the nation; but having Buchanan in that
place, such result is very likely 10 follow.
The one would nip the secession treason In
the bud; the latter will be Gpt to let it grow
until 1t becomes too great end too strong to
be easily subdued.
The point in which the General Govern.
ment and the seeding States will come
most in contact, will be in the collection o!
revenue and in the clearance of vessels
The Federal Courts may be suspended for n
season without serious injury to any but the
Citz,ns Of the State, for in such time o.
civil commotion, it would be difficult 10 ex
ecute the process Of Judicial tribunals. AL
the Post Offices in South Carolina moy be
discontinued if there can be no ore founc
TO discharge the duties, and the expense o
the mail service in that State be saved to
the Union, provided it be competent for the
Department to discontinue it. 1t would,
undoubtedly, be great Inconvenience and
loss to the people of the State, till they have
established system of their own; but this
OF course is their own look cut. There ere,
however, the laws Of the Union respecting
the collection of revenue and the clearance
of vessels, which the Federal Governmen,
must enforce or stand convicted before the
American people and before the world of 9
plain direliction Of duty, as we'll as direct
violation Of the most solemn official oathe.
Mr.. Buchanan assured the country in his
message that be would continue to collect
the revenue in South Carolina, although, in
the same breath, he argued that there was
no power in the Executive or Congress to
coerce seeding State into obedience to
the Constitution and the laws of the Union.
His position seems to be we'll understood by
the seceders Of South Carolina; and it has
been recently stated on good authority that
the President had received assurances th4t
no resistance would be made 10 that State
10 the collection Of duties or to the posses
zion of the forts guarding Charleston har.
Dor, until after the 4th Of March next, when
Mr. Buchanan retires from cffice and gives
place to Mr.. Lincoln. II would seem that
the secession treason is In the mesntime to
be fully ripened; but that no overt act OF
resistance to the 1uthority OF the United
States, which would necessarily result in
conflict of arms and bloodshed, is to be at.
tempted until after Mr.. Buchanan is freed
from the cares OF State.
Though prompt measures seem to be de.
manded on the part of the Federal au,hori
ties, in case any resistance is offered to the
execution of the laws of the Union, yet it is
possible, though we fear the worst, that good
may result from the delay. We fervently |
hope the shedding OF blood mOy be avoided.
1t is possible that If South Carolina should
postpone her resistance to the revenue laws
until after the Alb Of March, the conservative
sentiment msy in the meantime become SO
developed in the North and react in the
South, that way may be opened for the
settlement Of the pending sectional contro.
versy. Let US all earnestly labor and hope
for the best.
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