The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-11

have seen and heard recently, if the con-
vention should act with less precipitation
than has been expected. They may, under
appeals which have been made, conclude to
delay final action until after the elections in
this State (which take place the oath inst.,)
and may be some other States and posi-
bly, uutil after the assembling of our Con.
vention the 7th January. But there is no
doubt whatever about their final action.
South Carolina will secede, and will in all
probability be soon followed by this State,
Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Texas
and probably Louisiana and Arkansas, and
eventually by Virginia, Tennessee, North
Carolina, Kentucky and Maryland, and
possibly Missouri. I think it probable,
however, that North Carolina, Virginia,
Tennessee, Kentucky, and Maryland will
remain in the Union for some time after
the secession of the other States, with the
hope of bringing about a compromise, and
bringing the seeding States back into the
Union.
/ had q conversation with an elector to-
day, and he expresses the conviction that
the only chance to preserve the Union is to
+ dissolve it, and reform it afterwards; Or
rather, that dissolution is inevitable before
such concessions as would satisfy the South
would be yielded by the North. liza disso-
luton takes place, powerful efforts will no
doubt be made to reconstruct it, but there
would be great difficulty to get majority
of the Southern States to 60 into Union
again with the New England States, es.
pecially Massachusetts, which has the credit
of being at the bottom of our present
troubles. While no one here seems to de-
sire partnership with New England, there
is a strong feeling in favor of union vah
the Northwestern States, or portion of them
at least; say Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa,
Wisconsin, Minnesota, &c. A confederacy
between these States and the South, would
soon become very powerful, and would
doubtless be as harmonious as any con.ed-
eracy would be likely to be.
The South and the West should be united.
The South wants the productions of the
West, while the West in turn, wants the
productions of the South. There is just
such diversity in climate and productions
as to ensure large and profitable commerce
between the two sections. And with a
confederacy of this kind, the West having
secured to it, not only the market of the
South for its breadstuffs, meat, &C., but for
its manufactures, would soon become a
large manufacturing country by the
advantages it would have by mo-
nopoly in great measure of the
Southern market, for the things now
supplied by the North and East. The West
o6x,ov tor tor nfoO tu
ing by the abundance and cheapness of food,
which would enable it to command any re
quired amount of cheap labor. AS to the
great mass of those who do the work in the
factories, get but little more than support,
they could do better at the West, and on
less wages than is paid in New England,
where provisions are so much dearer. In
this way large portion Of the industry and
skill of the Northern and Eastern States,
would be transferred to the West, where
large and prosperous manufacturing towns
and cities would spring up, and very soon
the Falls of st. Anthony might become
the rival and superior of Lowell The West
would possess this further advantage over
New England as manufacturing region.
1t could get supplies of the new material
cotton, more directly and at considerably
less cost for transportation. These advan-
tages, with moderate tariff, say fifteen or
twenty per cent. on coarse fabrics, and
something more on finer, would place it be-
You'd the reach of competition from with.
out, and ensure good market for all its
productions.
This, then, is my programme in case OF
dissolution of the present Union. Let US
have confederacy composed of the West
ern and Southern States. 1t would, think,
work for the better, and be more advan-
tageous to the States composing it, than
the present Union, which has become too
extended and diversified 10 get on harmo-
niously, even if the present difficulties could
be so far gotten over as to prevent dis
ruption. The West, besides the great ad-
vantages which would be secured to it in
the South by this arrangement, would re-
tain all the advantages it now enjoys, of the
markets of the rest of the world Tor its sur
plus productions. All that the South would
require, would be, to let ats niggers alon e,
which, of course, would not be hard for the
people of the West to do, it being under.
o'OOu SuoI hHOy nov Nv b OoV AouuuOoo AOA
the race any way. " m
Reflect on these matters and let me know
what you think about them. l have been
thinking on them good deal since came
to the conclusion that the dissolution of the
present Union is inevitable, and l have
stated the conclusions at which have ar
rived. No good can result from quarreling
or fighting, but great deal of injury to all
parties. We are prepared to expect good
deal of remonstrance and threatening from
the northern and eastern states, but hope
the West will do nothing to place obstacles
in the way of an arrangement, such as
have alluded to, between it and the South.
The idea of maintaining the Union by force,
is preposterous. 1t would, of course, be
possible to conquer the South, or to over.
run it by sufficient force. But what good
would be accomplished by that? The re-
suit would be ruin to both parties. If you
think with me, confer with some of your
sensible and influential men, and at the
proper moment, put the ball in motion.
The Western people say they can never
surrender the mouth of the Mississippi river.
Of course they cannot, but they can by the
III l. -