St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-01-17
South Carolina.

South Carolina.
The people of South Carolina have
, oiflcIally declared their independence
10 of the American Union. and assumed
It, an attitude which, in the opinion Of
her leaders and those who consider
- the existing Confederacy a mere rope
OF sand, makes her as separate and
distinct, politically, from the other
y States, as any foreign power. An
2. immense majority Of the American
e people, however, totally dissent from
this doctrine, and it is only within a
comparatively recent period that any
considerable number of politicians of
: standing or influence could have been
found willing to defend it, The gen
eral view of the subject is, that no
legal and constitutional right of seces-
sion exists, but that it is a purely
revolutionary measure. No matter
how earnestly the people of South
Carolina may desire to dissolve their
connection with our Government. or
in what form they may express their
wish and determination to retire from
the Confedcracy, it rests entirely with
the other States, and with future
events, to determine how far her
avowed wishes may be complied with
She can no more legally dissolve her
connection with the American Govern.
ment by any simple declaration, than
wife can divorce herself from her
husband by simply saying that she is
displcascd with him, and is therefore
determined to annul their matrimonial
bonds. Between such a declaration
and divorce a series Of protractcd
legal proceedings, close inycstiga-
tions, and full inquiries, must neccs-
sarily intervene, and the success of
her project would depend upon many
other things than the mere wish she |
formed in moment of excitement
and passion.
1t is peculiarly fortunate for South '
Carolina that she is unable to rid her
self of her right to enjoy the blessings
which the Union contcrs upon her, and c
to create throughout the civilized c
world the belief that this great Con- Il
federacy is tumbling to pieces There n
is, perhaps, no State less capable Of c
maintaining an independent existence
and of dispensing with the protection |
and assistance of the Federal Govern t
ment The speech of Chancellor Dun t
kin, delivered before her State Conven- S
ton, shows how kcenly her thought o
ful men are beginning to realize the t
predicamcnt into which they are drift t
ing. He says that the postollices of q
South Carolina, during the last quar- o
ter, cost the Government $4,000 q
while the receipts from them were S
less than $4,000. All parties real II
ize the Importance of prompt dis a
scmination Of intelligence, but few b
have considered the financial difficult Ii
ties involved in separate State sys- u
TEN, and the heavy burdens it would S
impose. The expenses Of transport v
ing the mails, and the compensation "
of postmastcrs in that State, have, for h
some years past, greatly exceeded, in, u
at least, the proportion of three to 8
one, the postoflico income. t'
According to the statement of Mr. 3
Dunkin, if there has been no mistake ST
in the telegraphic report, the post. "
office system Of South Carolina has o
cost at the rate of $500, 900 G.
per annum, and yielded but 100000 81
the deficiency Of $760,000 being u
more than the gross revenues of the "
whole State, which are ordinarily not d.
more than about 100000. l
Mr.. Dunkin made another impor- II
tant statement, viz that Secretary III
Cobb said that the revenue of South l
Carolina from the Custom House did IL
not near pay the expense Of customs" IL
The imports Of Charleston are very 81
small, while the force employed at p'
the collectors Office is, comparatively, c.
a very large one and appropriations o'
have been made by Congress, which
must amount now to about 50, 900, 900,
for the erection at Charleston of one Of
Of the most magnificent custom houses m
in the world. Thus the postoflice and IL
custom house connection of the Fede- II
raj Government with South Carolina, 10
has redCunded immeasurably to the e.
benefit of the latter, and if it should m
be dissolved she would be by far the +,
greatest sufferer. Il
But still more important point c,
was presented by Mr.. Dunkin for the "
consideration of the Convention. The c.
chief commercial business of Charles d
ton is based upon her large exporta- n
tions to fOrciyn countries of cotton Il