The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-12-18

The North by the prostra,ion Of the SOW
ereignty Of tteir States, has been consoli
dated by force and delusion. The South is
united by common danger, and the free
spirit Of the people, adherng to their SOW
ereignty, and resolved on independence.
A military despctism is necessary to tho
power of the one; but this is contrary 10
the habits of the people, and may crum'
! ble under its own weight, and has,y con-
struction. The necessity Of their silua.
ton, the character Of their institutions,
and the true loyalt Of the Southern peo
pie, will maintain their organization.
The insolence aud ferceness o: the
usurper, must be met by the steadfsst
resolution OF freemeu. The Government
at Washington is sternly logical in pur-
suit Of it's false assumptions and un.
relenting in the exercise Of It's usurped
sovereignty. The South should be at
least as consistent in pushing their true
principles to ultimate consequences. The
Confederate Government, as the represen.
tative of rightful sovereiguties. in its
sphere, and the States, in theirs, raas;,and
will be supported by the Southern peo.
pie, with greater earnestness than a usur-
patton can hope to be. IF the South fail
in this, we have no right to expect tri.
umph against our enemy. II we persist
in this, regardless Of consequences, which
no human foresight can discern, we may
confde in the protection Of the jus. and
Omnipotent God.
Let US glance at recent events, and
examine their lessons. Has not the South.
so far, given moral strength to the usurr
patton at Washington, by practical rec.
ognition Of it, as righ,ful government
while at the same time, it's enemy has
treated the Southern people, as if they
we're in rebellion, against acknowledged
sovereignty II SO, can any one cacu.
late the evil consequences Of concession
of principles
Fort Sumter was occupied by an Off
Ger Of the army Of the United States,
with troops enlisted under the Flag of all
the sovereign States. When South Caro-
lima resumed her sovereignty, and order
ed that officer and the troops under his
80 md 10
they not guilty Of treason, in resisting
with arms, one Of the sovereigntes under
whom they had enlisted ! What sigh,
had that officer or his soldiers, or any of
ticer or soldier Of the army, Of which he
and they were detachment, to question
and resist the authority Of any one of the
sovereign States of the Union, within her
own domain, after that domain had been
Withdrawn from the Union B.? He and
they were traitors, according to every de.
finition Of the term and any hesitation
in the answer, implies concession O! the
cardinal principle OF State sovereignty.
At that period Of the contest, the issue
was then so understood. Nothing but
this conviction could account for the des.
perate resistance Of that garrison 4; when,
under the rules OF war, a hopeless de
fence would have justified their being put
to the sword. Strict justice, and the dig,
nifty Of sovereign State required that
every man Of that garrison should have
been forced to surrender at discretion :;
have been tried and convicted as traitors
and sentenced to felonious death. The
circumstances Of the case might have
warranted executive clemency !; and their
just doom have been suspended, as ten,
or to others, who bore similar relations
to the sovereign States, which were threat.
ened by usurping Government. The
officer' and soldiers OF the old army OF
the United States would have then real.
lied the sacred obligations of honour; and
would have perceived that, if they wished
the protection Of sovereign flag, they
must not fight against any Of the sover
eign States, under whom they had sw orn
to serve. II our principles had been log
ically maintained, necessity may have
forced Others to understood what we
meant by their assertion. The generosity
Of our course was ascribed 10 weakness,
and fear OF consequences and to what
has it led Usurpation has been EN-
boldeaed, and loyalty to sovereignty, pre-,
viously acknowledged by its functions.
res, has been stigma,zed as rebellion
The officers and soldiers Of our army, and
the seainen and marines Of our Navy,
have adhered to the usurpation and
when taken prisoners iu battle, have been
treated as the subjects Of a power, equal
10 dignity to the sacred sovereignties un.
der which we war.
Yet, further still, the arrogant assump.