New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-01-18
THE NEW DECLINE AND FALL.

Most well regulated Hlnu3 entertain Pioi"uuu
pity for the drunkord who reels crafty along
the street. It is clear that he is on the high
way to destruction. If in his derium he runs
violently against some sober wayfarer, the col
sion is suffered to pass without being resented
IL is known that the offender is laborlDg under
deluson strong enough to make him in some
degree an unaccountable being. Hence pity and
forbearance become spontaneous impulses For
kindred reasons We look upon the delrious IN
fatuaton of South Carolina with equal pity and
thus far with merciiul forbearance. She, too,
has drank Of poison which has taken away her
reason, and being thus dcmented, she Is Keeling,
like The unhappy drunkard, to her certain
destruction. Looking at her as she now stands,
without counting the insane lengths to which she
may yet be driven, the ultimate consequences of
her reasonable infatuation cannot be doubted.
The lcayen of her ruin is already permcating the
whole social and monetary system.
All know that il is population which gives value
to land II is known, moreover, that the average
assessed value Of all the land in South Carolina
is only - per acre. which IL lower than IN any
other state Yet we base certain evidence that
her population is rapidly diminishing under the
terrorism Of her rebellion. Nen are flying from
this terrorism wherever they erc able to escape,
taking with them such moyables az they can,
and seeking in more peaceful regions place OF
safety which can no longer be found within her
borders Though her journals may GEEK TO sup
press the fact, yet Il cannot be concealed. 1t
stares at ms in the advertisements Of property
liz. ,t.b tba;r colin
Private correspondence reveals it as exist
ing even in the very focus of the rebellion.
II was Just so in the half hedged rebellion Of
1892. Men sold what they then could, submit
ting 10 any sacrifice, thankful at being able to
escape with something. This depoPulaiOn kept
the price Of land stationary, ii it did not actually
deprecate.
But the exodus Of 1861 cannot be compared
with that of l-:;2 If tho Nullificason OF the
after year unsettled aud drove away 50 many,
the Rebellion Of thi. must end in general de-
population. Men viii not live where war is
either constantly threatened or only occasionally
occurring, especially in country from which
tlcy can fly 20 readily. IL Is tins fear which
has driven so many thousands from Europe to
all has been safety. As they seek TO escape
from Onc despotiFm, 40 the rejecting Caroinians
will unquestionably ny from the other. But, to
aggrayote the fOlly which 10 thus destroying
South Carolina, she is not content with ostra'
CLING her native population only. Thousands of
Northern men. good and profitable citizens with
capital and skiil, are driven of, lyncbed in their
IN hai zach
ono a living warning that she closes her doors
against even thc most desirable form of mmigra-
ton. Where other States invite, she repcs.
Under combination of measures 50 hostile 10
all national prosperity, il not TO national exist
eDce itself, the end must BE- clearly visible. IA
.depopulation goes on, 80 taxation VIII become
burdensome beyond endurance. Those who
choose TO remain viii at last he forced 10 Ny
from that which they cannot fail 10 see will soon
dcyour them. Ii was just so in Pennsylvania
when on Der farms were subject to her State
mortgage of $i0,0o0,OO0, the interest o! which
at one time compelled the State TO suspend pay
meut, and required tlNati0n so enormous rs to
drive OF thousands to the West. In her ease,
those who remained knew that this onerous tax
must in a few years diminish under the vast
resources of the state, and the event has JUST
fed their foresight; taxation there is now not
only cndurabc, but is annually diminishing.
But the position of South Carolina il essentially
different. Though owing heavy debt which she
is now increasing at fearful rate, yet her al
ways feeble resources are rapidly diminishing.
Every Kind of property is sinking in value, and
she has no recuperative future. This deprecated
property is now b,cc.ed to forced loans which
prove the existence of terrific dcspotism.
Worse yet, there is no prospect Of their not being
continually repeated. The banks have contributed
large sums to the state, but they have only com.
menced o process whose end is certain if not
close at hand. Her population numbers only
1900 white males over twenty years old, upon
whom most Of this increasing burden of taxation
must eventually fall. The low condition of lile
aud business is apparent in the Federal Govern
ment carrying her mails at an annual loss OF
$4,000, while in Pennsy lyania the annual profit
is So, eco. Her population, always sparse, with
no diversified industry, has increased but slowly
even when political diSiocations were not present
Her leading minds have been devoted to petty
and local Objects their highest ambition being
reasonable; and they have so fomented their
pcstilent heresios as to inoculate the masses with
a chronic aptitude for rebellion. Everything has
been done to make quiet men uncomfortable, aud
to drive honest ones away. This catalogue OF
folly and crime can have but one result. Let the
present rebellion terminate as it may, it must be
r a 1T. hot 4ha