Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-03-27
From tho United States Economist.
,rbe difficulties of the Government.

The Difficulties OF the Government.
The real troubles attendant On secession
arc now forcing themselves upon the Govern
IN mt and thoughtful men begin To orerceirc
tat, 50 far from cur being on the eve of 4
settlement Of the national quarrel, we are
ONLY just ut the beginning ul Il series of ap-
p,!lirg difficulties. 1t j. !uuEd ,!a; 80 csseli-
tally associated with the w...u'c l:lnn : ever;
par, ui il, that the severance O. ALL State or
States inevitably convuises '.:e hole coanlty
tint, III lac, ~ vial is tic ASSOCIATIONS between
tie .,arcnt country and the seeding States,
that secession without war becomes atm;'sl
IN impossLility. Whilst dcprccating CIR
selves such an issue Ur all grounds "i Interest,
aud humanity, yet We must confess l"a crow
inr conviction that sooner Or later that must
lie the result of present complications. There
j. no conceivable policy that is not !'c c; with
almost insuprrabc practical obstacles. j.
the {. rernment to pursue an absolutely m-
cifc course, declining to.collcet rtTeauc oil
the seeded ports, surrendcrlng Fort Sumter.
meeting the demand uf tue sccessioni-tS lot
tie vacation of all United States property
within their States, and recognising their IN
dependent nationality, anything short OF
all of which acts would tic Leemeu hy the
srcedcrs tantslilount 70 y declaration oi war
Then in that event, aid after having done
all this, they have to settle with :!!c new
power which tLcy have established, ali the
vexaliuns vcslinns On which secession las
bci II based The partition q! the national
territory has to be elected; and who shall
say that the republican ma iority of the North
wuuld submit TO distribution oi ti!G>c v:Lal
domains such rs would he imperativcly de-
mandel br the South Tie mutua! claims
Of the two nations upon each other, Gil account
Of property, loans, debts, purchase money,
&c, would have 10 be adjusted and who Is
sanguine enough to hope that, with the en-
i>tiny lcalou>cs between the two sections:
and the exaggerated views cacs! w"!d have "l
its own rights. and Tic dcirccalur; estimate
ur the rights of the otic:--;hc$c 'lrl:c"t,
Questions couIi he srtiird wit.."ut either The
arii.ralnrht ui arms ~ HE inlrlvcntn "l 8
freisa luw er ?-lhc latter oi wlic;i ;.ltcrl;a-
YES would ncy,r bc accepted hy' the nitr'i
State; Il, vrrnmcnt. Even admitting that
li.c,c difficulties in the way Of a peaceful
settlement NAV hc s"rtnuultcd. wat have VT
rs the result \ Jealous amd qualrrlS ni'
nrisbvr. y power bent upon lis :.sGran'.i>c-
lncut hy the acquisition al territory which II
las always be II Tie wish II the Northern
States should lie allowed 10 remain sepa-
rate and independent. anti wilicli i, w"'Il''
bc the J., licy OF ll.e United States 10 rerccl
friendly by the onaciMcni ut commcrciai
treaties, mutually advantageous to item and
to ourselves. We should, moreover, have III
the ncw nationality, we had helpcd to create
an active commercial rival; u country, which.
protitils by our own high tariff iallaclcS,
would ii:augurate u system nearly approach
ir- to absolute free trade. ther by attracting
trade from our own ports, and inducing 4
system of wholesale and irrcWessib'c Snug,
CLING along the whole frontier line Sepiraiiae
the two countries.
These are few Of the difficulties attendant
on uacilic puicy. Nor would tie aol.iioii
OF ;. iiyme, bearing by the Administration b,
attended with fewer obstacles. 10 a'tcni':
much longer to hold Fort Sumter ", u:d CT
1aulv provoke Gn elliott 10 takr ii. To eli
force the collection OF rrvcnnc nti, the South
crn PORTS, or to relc:,l the ac:S constituting
them places Of entry would tc alike certain
to result in collision and il fact 10 iargura:r
Il general war between the Orion AMI the
seeded States, whilst it would probably lost
to the North Tie alliaucc of the border States.
An unyicldng policy cannot he taken up by
the Government without the Certain result 81
civil war. For that the country is not pre-
pared. \ loan uf $4,000. 600 would be re
uuircd forthwith, To lie followed very shortly
hr further amount ot 500, ,0Ou.u0U nmrc
al where arc the capitalists that would fur
nish any such amounts? Certainly not III
New York for war policy has no approval
among tie lnonicd men vi this city. Not II.
the East for the small amount "f the last
l.,"" ',t"n there shows that they have no;li-
ing To spare for national purposes, and e>pe-
cially when the amount is 30 large as III the
case supposed The West could do nothing ;
f,r although the disposition might exist u
subscribe literally, yet the whercwith would
be wanting.
If, therefore, the Government decided OF.
1ha alternative of war. it has not and cnul'!
not have the means of adequately supporting
It's measures a neutral policy is 4 lnacllcs'
impos,;biltv. The relation now existing be-
Tween the Government and the seeded State:
is such that questions must hencc'orlll be
turning up daily which will ncccssita'c ae-
ton. ana action prclicate1 on either Il pcac$;
or a war basis There is no conrSc then pos
sible for the Administration that Is not beSrl
with the urarest dangers, In such 4 cnndl
ton Of affairs it is surely incumbent on every
citizen that he shonld avoid whatever would
add 10 the perpexities Of those to whom The
helm Ui affairs is entrusted