Litchfield enquirer., 1861-02-14
2 A DIALOGUE ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

l z The following dialogue (says the N. Y. T. '' bxne,) actually took place on Monday of las , week. in the back parlor of a broker in Wa Q street. The person to whom we have given th z name of Old Sensible is one of the richest an : were one of our State Senators and Soutf { street merchant. ~ ! MERcHANT-No, Sir. Rely upon it, every [ thing is going to the devil if this thing is nc stopped. : such year of prosperity as this would hay
 been, had foolish South Carolina kept quiet. A it is, if things are managed right, it will all com :, out right in the end.
 ;; SENAToR-All this thing could be settled, the Southern states would return the Fedora property they have so unlawfully seized. OLD SENs1BLE-That is not necessary. Ther are other questions. If we are to get rid of th
 Southern states, it is useless to vex ourselve , about the forts and arsenals. Let them go. Nov
 the south, in consequence of this negro business are now more alienated from the North thai ever we were, when colonies, from Great Britain So, the best thing to be done is to let them go , The seeding states will soen find their level il
 the world, and if no blood is shed to keep them
 in less than two years the Southern states vii
 come begging back, one by one, glad to get into the Union again upon any terms.
 SENAroR-But, MT. Sensible, we can never
 allow them to hold the mouth of the Mississippi Never, Sir.
 SENsIBLE-You talk like fool instead of g
 New York Senator. Let them block up the
 mouth of the Mississippi and be hanged to them It all benefits New York. It will double the
 amount of produce that comes to our city. Close the Mississippi, or let war rule there for six
 months, and it will add millions to the value ot New York. The work has begun now.
 SENAToR-If we allow the Southern states tc secede, Philadelphia and New York will have antagonistic interests. Both will be anxious fol southern trade. They will separate. Have they a right?
 sESsIBLE-Very likely they will. As for right power makes right. States will do as they please and it is all right if they have the power to do it. We of the North can coerce the South We have the power to it. But sit policy to do it. If we coerce, there must be war, and where will it end ? Commerce and trade will be killed for years The general prosperity will be at an end. It is d-d hard to look on and see those southern fools pitch in, and not give them a quietus but will it be best to do SO? Decided ly not The first question is this If we con- cede, compromise, do all they ask to get them back into the Union, and they are willing to come now, would it be wise to do it? No, de- cidedy not. IVe do not acant Mose States back ,ohile Mey adhere like idoldters to tue iastitation of African Slare,y. Our two systems are an- tagonistic. His Liberty against Sza0e'y. They can neue1' hve togetzer under Me same political systen,. It is useless to try it. Eternal warfare and bitter hatred will be the fruit of such trial Let the Southern States go. Let them have their Notifications if they will The expen- sive and costly fabrics will only ruin the South the sooner.
 MERcEAxr-What will become of commerce and trade? Will not the Southern republic pass prohibitory laws against the Nor.h-against manufactures-against our coasting trade? SENsIBLE-Very likely. They will have the right to do it. But it will result in distress to themselves. They cannot change the laws of trade, if they are allowed to go out peaceably. trade. But in spite of any law, men will buy where they can buy cheapest. New York will be the spot. It will be the hea7t, if there are fifty Southern republics. <i
 sENAToR-But do you suppose the South can go out peaceably?
 SENs1BLE-D The Northern states can meet in a Conventlon and agree to it., and the thing is all settled. Men will make up their minds to this. It is the true policy. It will very likely be the policy of Mir. Lincoln
 SENAToR-But ought not the Southern ports tO De DlOckaded! H
 SESsIBLE-What is that but war, civil war, horrible war-a war in which no honor is to be gained-a war which will lead to disaster and sorrows for the next half century, and what for? What good will come. None. Every man North ought to go on his knees and thank Almighty God, that we have a chance now tos get rid of the Southern states from our political system. They are dangerous to it's permanency Let them try Southern republic, based upon slavery. See how they will get along. See the adherence with which they or the "United States South" will be regarded in Europe South erners once separated from us, will nc longer be received as they have been.
 MERcHANT-If the South secede peaceably, will it not go into shipping, manufacturing, and the like? =
 SENs1BLE-Never. She will be more depend ent upon the North for her supplies than ever before. The South is agricultural, and can never be anything else. She can never have any navy. She has no employment that develops and makes sailors. She. will never need navy, if she in l treducas free trade. No, not even a revenue cutter. If she is st peace with us, our ships and steamers will do her foreign as well as domestic carrying trade. Her taxes will be tremendous, and she will resort to direct taxation. She can never be manufacturing country to any extent. Her simplest attempts thus far, with everything favorable, at Augusta, Ga. at Granville and at Charleston, s. O., and other points, have all been miserable failures. They will be forever. If we seperate now peaceably, reunion will come, when our Southern fire eating brethren are hu-
 initiated by poverty, anarchy, loss ofself-respect, slave revolt and are perfectly willing to agree to an amendment of the Constitution, by which Slavery shall cease to be recognized in any shape, manner, or way, and be allowed to die out of itself.
 SENAToK--I am of the opinion that your view is the correct one. It will end the business oi I the legislature. tzs, ..:5- erz4ere5ia1s MERCHANT agree with you, also, MT. Sens ble, that if we can have peaeeable secession trade will be as brisk as it ever was. SENsIBLE-Ten times more profitable, too
 The Southern merchants will beg to do business
 here. They will do it more honestly, too. They
 will pay better-lnore promptly. Trade will in 'l crease, and never leave the old channels. Wa
 will change it all. If we gained anything by Igetting the internal Hettentots back, it would |, be different. We do not. Let us leave tht Rattlesnake, now out in the cold. Why should we try to bring him back to the fire to be stuns ) to death by his venomous poison? Our true poll ! cy nowis Constitutional Convention peace } able secession-a riddance of political Uniol with our Southern neighbors, and vigorou [ support of the Northern United States ], SENAroR-I will advocate it. satssfi d AERcHANr-I will make my business arrange lments accordingly, aa la CoLDs.--f a man begins to cough, as the re l suit of common cold, it is the effort of natur 7l barco1f to and she will effect