New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-11-21
LETTER TO A SOUTHRON.


My VALUED FRIEND: What is all this fuss about IN
your Statel One would think that the North was so-
ing visit her with thunder and bludgeons and fire
and branstone and tar and feathers-indeed, that we
about to retaate upon the Palmetto State all the
insults, and injuries, and abuse and wrongs which we
have endured from Ler for the last fifteen years On
the contrary, all here is as placid a. Summer lake.
The people know very little of wha, il going on in
South Carolina, and care lsss
Our boys here have been in the habit, on gala
days. of marching about the streets with cockades in
their hats; but il is amusemep did not know men
resorted to until the account from your State
few men parading the street with blue cockades must
present truly imposing and sanguinary aspect. Why
did not our Wde-Awakes think of the cockadel
NV most honorable friend, you theaten Secession"
What fort can't discover the cause, the mode or
the benefit. You say it is because have elected
Lincoln for President. Well Isuppose we hadas good
right TO elect Lincoln You had TO vote for Breckin-
ridge. believe we have infringed no law right.
His election therefore, furnish just OF Of
tense. And how do you propose to do it Wearing
cockades il harmless matter-somewlat eccentric, 10
be sure but quite harmless / would suggest, also,
the three-corDered hats of Revolutionary notorety
This would make grand show.
Your State proposes to levy an army Of 10000 men.
This is moderate indeed; for if you determined
upon an internecine war, all that will be needed to
take care of your two-is,ed cattle, aye, and many
more 80 400 900 of hostile race, strong determined,
and having no restraint of conscience when reused,
must be formidable element in your society OF
smaller number. You propose to raise 81 900 900 to
carry out your pans offer Just State bonds
to your synpathzing Union-lovers in Wall street.
Perhaps YOU can sell them III should will thank
YOU to send note OF it, and tell me how mucn pre-
MUM il paid for them. Perhaps, though, you expect
to cell them to your non-paying banks. Ii 80,
recommend that you employ Mr. j. Quincy, IT., to
draw up a short account Of the Continental currency
for circulation in your State After all you may need
more than single million. 1t costs MS $SOOOOVOo per
annum to carry on our Government IN time OF peace.
am afraid your resgning Federal officers will hardly
be content with their pick at 81 OOO0 OO No, we at
the North understand these things better and we must
advise you to add thirty forty millions TO your rst
lew would not be faitbless nor undervalle the
acity of your pucky little State but 1t is not possible,
barely possible, that your revenues may fail? tax
OF $50 or $50 each slave would bear hard upon thai
species of property and then to revenue from i'm
ports revenue cutter or twO-I admit 1t would not
lie cordially friendly in the Black Repnblicans-bu
revenue cutter two in the ofng of Charleston would
have ugly aspect, and then the first drop OF
blood she'd by the Black Republicans would set all cot
tondom on fire. Why my friend, we don't shed blood;
we leave all the pleasurtle sport of hanging and burn
ing with you Lincoln is peaceable man, and Though
say it privately, am not in his coniidence) ven-
ture the opinion that starving You ont would be the
worst ard certainly the easiest and most natural re-
source. Ii you don't want Judges and Marshals, and
Postmasters, and imports, why we can't and won't
force them upon you.
But rec that Toombs threatens to levy 5000 SOL
diers in Georgia and march North, and when he again
crosses Mason and DxOns line it will be, he says,
with a sword in his hand. His enmity is against the
Constitution, for letting old Abe Lincoln be elected.
He may ust we'll then tear ont the leaves OF an old
statute book and make them the target, at home, for
biz soldiers to shoot and avenge himself upon the
Constitution. Or, it may be he means to light down
public sentiment; for that, however, blank cartridges
4 9. IL, blt, hall Rtt
if be marches upon Washington and attempts to exc
cute his REASONABLE projects he and his ten thousand
will find it cannot be done without the friendly aid of
| more tombs than one.
After the 4h of March next we shall not be governed
| by the Democracy and shall make note of all bully
| ing brow beating, and bludgeoning. The North are
/ slow, and mean to be about right and when they
| know they are right, they will go ahead
For thirty years the whole country has been kept in
an uproar and eversh excitement by the threats Of
| secession" and notification in South Carolina.
She has been dissatisfied, superciliOus dOmlneering
impudent, ard abusive carrying her point by bully
! Raging and not by reason; and by her refractory
courses, she has brought dshonor upon the good name
! OF the whole country
Friend Chestnut have read your stirring speech at
Charleston with uncommon gu-to. Ii IL truly charae-
terstic. The sentiments are Carolinan, and full Of
gsuch as naturally sprout up in the dry and driving
sands Which compose your soil II will do good de-
! pend upon II. Do you remember what Pope says
about "Vice" &c. So your speech "needs but to be
seen" to have the same excellent effect.
But my dear friend have you read treatise on
Constitutional law, and especially on the law of Sc
oession," published in 1880, by one Andrew Jackson
l.. l.. ID. IL it possible you have not read it Then
let recommend it TO your earnest perusal. 1t is
worthy OF the closest study for it penned by a
doctor OF the common civil and canon law, and though
you not familiar with it's contents have heard
tLat no work on law, was ever read with 80 much in
eree ard advantage by the fathers OF the secessonsts
III South Carolina, and great omission 1t was that
tie did not ordan it school book for the benefit of
tier hOt-boOded offspring
But you certain that 5000 men Will do up the
work. We have intention of fighting you; but If
you up and fight u.s. that is another matter then
il is quite possible that an army OF over 10000 may
be Ieedtd.
Perhaps you rely upon the aid of Governor Wise, for
he too promises to raise and equip 10000 for
Northern expedition Nay with this pussan force, he
prom ees to oveIrun the Free States conquer Canada
and shake the fast anchored isle his thunder.
II had not had fOreaste of bis prowess i'll the Os
awatonie war; might hope, as II If, we do trembe
god deal iii autic alton Of his formidable rrupon.
We, however hardly believe that he accomplish
Ill the ieats he promises, even with the gallant chiv
airy Of Virginia, without the aid OF the horned and
coven-ooed fellow, who carried like war on
liz OVID account: STILL in our distress, we remember
Hat even he got wOIsted.
But friend Chestnut YOU have doubtless read the
Creek elassics and among the rest Xenophan. His
r., cunt OF the wonderful retreat the 1000 you will
rem Ell err has been famous, In all time. But II your
Sout Carolina 10000 AID Gen. T0ombs's 10000, and
Coy. Nses 10 900, al come down upon us, the cOnse-
queuce will lie awful the glory of that retreat OF the
II, coo Greeks will be squelched out eclpsed, and
utterly forgotten in the more nimble retirement, OF
the 10 coo under the solemn TOOmbs the discreet Wise
al the puissant Carolina chief.
lave heard it said that You have 100 900 head of
bnanOus cattle, which, few months ago. were worth
g. 600 yer head. We don't know much about this
kind OF sO1k up here, but of the papers say the
eneuIe Your State, has reduced their value TO 800
each equal 10 30 900, 600 Now nv valued friend,
II - Ill; inn tha of