New-York daily tribune., 1861-02-18
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
rICKENs AND HIS CoUNsELoRs.

The rebels have for seme time suspected that
there We're spies of the Government in their
midst reporting every material fact and making
known their plans and intentions in minute detail
to Gen. Scott and Secretary Holt. This has led
To the adoption of measures for their detection,
and the result has been that q number of per.
sons have been sent out of town on the slightest
suspicion. stranger is certain to be watched
by a detective constantly on his track. A large
corps are thus employed. No name is entered
on the hotel registers without undergoing their
inspection. Inquiry is Immediately set on foot
in order to ascertain every mans business and
all about him. If he should think Charleston
has attractions enough to ju'tiy the stay OF few
DAYS he stands in danger of receiving an lDtlma-
tion that his longer presence is not agreeable.
If he is not ARRESTED outright, and forciby sent
out Of town, he has reason TO congratulate him.
self. peron with known Republican sentl-
mcuts and anteccdents, especially should be so
declare himself, could hardly expect to escape
without violence, if with his life even. There
are rumors afOat that recently two men from
New Jersey were lynched, otherwise murdered,
in this immediate neighbOThOod, with nothing
more against them than that they voted for the
next President. In this city there is greater Sc
curty than iu the country, for here we have az
perfect despOtIsm as ever prevailed III any
country. There is however, neither tribunal nor
law 10 protect n person against whom suspicion,
Justly or uriusty, has been directed. While we
have less of the mob here than elsewhere We
have an irresponsible despotsm dealing quite as
summarly and with as little reason. real or
faucied necessity Oyerrules law and precedent,
and is made TO justify any proceeding, however
outrageous. Neither life property is safe when
set up against the prev ihng revolutionary spirit.
Instead OF judicial tribunals administering justice
10 such as are so unfortunate rs to become OBJ
jpcts of suspicion, We have drum-head courts
melting ont vengeance. On the slightest suspicion,
residents have been expelled from the city, their
business and families, i'll two hours nohce, and
they dare not return.
When you 90 twenty miles beyond the city into
the country they are even Icss leDlent.- Lynch
iug is passtne with the lauess bands Of Ngl.
lauce Committees who watch for the unhappy
stranger who on bushes or pleasures finds himself
deed is il for such one if he gets away alive.
lie is quite CERTAIN TO receive coat of tar and
have his head shaved. Hanging men, without
Judge or jury, on the nearest tree, is high type
Of South Carolina civilization in the year of our
Lord eighteen hundred and sixty one. Lately
two young men from the N rth-mere boys in
fact-came South, aud in short time found them
H., mt nt mn
near Columbia Although they had committed
no unlawful act, they were seized, the
hair shaved from one sde OF their heads,
stripped naked, and whipped with thongs TIL they
were senseless and nearly llieless. As soon as
they were nbe to move they were hurried out Of
town for Charleston, where they were brought
beors the Mayor-a very Macbetb--wbO, al
thoueh there was 10 accusation against the boys
except that they were strangers, decided TO
thow them into prison unless they lett the state
within few hours. Moueyless triendless lac
Grated. aud bl. eding FROM head TO foot this was
oute impOssibe. 1t was lucky for them that
her cases came TO the knOwle ledge Of the Captain
of a vessel bound for a Northern port and who
at tis own great risk gave them passage. One
OF the young men is the son Of leading citizen
OF Buffalo, aud the other respectfully connected
in NeN-York City. This Is but sample OF many
others not less shocking in their general features
Everything rey,lves around the Governor and
bis counselOrs. They are the beginning aud the
end of the law--the center aud embodiment OF
the despotism that is over all. 1t would be Diff.
cult 10 imagine band Of men with better rel
ish for The exercise Of dcspOtc power. Brave
and tyrannical over deienseless strangers, they
ought TO be made to feel that they are but reb
els aud traitors against Government that has
laws suited to their cases. The master-sprlt ol
this despotism is ex-Jndge Magrath, who, htber
to moderate and conservative, has become the most
despotic and revepgrful, and probably needs but
the occasion to show bimself Robespierre With
mind subtle and stored with all legal tecbn-
callties. cool in council, and courageous In se-
curty he doubtless would revel amid reyolatloD
if be did not wrto bis name conspicuousy on Its
most san9uInary pager.
The other cOuDselOrs of Gov. Piekens are
with one exception believe, military men-geL-
erals of the militia, petty de'pots in epaulets-
traitors all; every one Of whom, if he lived In
Jarksons time, would swing On galows for
their treason.
These are the men before whom it 10 main
tanned by some of the extreme compromise scheol
Fedederai authority must succumb, and the na-
ton keep silence, even though Government 60 down
forever. There are the men who cove the Gov
with the CRY of coercion, ard claim ex.
,far fna
true of State sovereignty.