The Van Buren press., 1861-02-08
The New Conf,sderacy.


The New Confsderacy.
The Augusta (Ga.) .Sentinel evidently
does not regard the proposed new Southern
Confederacy with favor free from all sus-
picion. Discussing in its issue of the 17th
the internal organization Of such Confcd-
eracy, the Sentinel says:
:" We presume that the form of govern
ment will not be changed to any material
extent. Our present form is dear to the
people, and they are not yet prepared to &C
cept a monarchy
The sole defect Of our present Constitu-
ton exists, it thinks, in the want Of adc
quate provisions for the rcconciemcnt OF
conflicting sectional interests, a necessity
which it insists shall be amply provided for
in the new Confederacy. We quote
at must be wcll-kno~n now, that the
interests of the slaveholding States are not
altogether alike. and very few years may
make them much more dissimilar than they
are at present And, first Of all, we desiIs
it distinctly settled at the beginning, NOM
mated in the bond, 50 that there can never
any controversy arise concerning it, that
each State may rightfully withdraw from
the Contederacy, at her own pleasure, with
out hindrance, or even argument, from her
coniedcrates. 10 prevent alter-claps, we
want this right of secession plainly writ
ten in the organic law"
The re-opening of the African slave
trade is point upon which the interests of
certain members of the new Coniederacy
would come, the Sentinel asserts, into i'm
mediate and irreconcilable conflict. It's
views upon this subject are thus set forth
We believe that the interests OF the
new Confelcracy, and the fraternity between
its different members, which at last must be
the great bond Of Union, require provis
ion in the Constitution prohibiting, forever
to Congress, or to the States, tho authority
to legaliZe the slave trade, except by the
consent of threc-fourths of the States.
When the new Confcderacy goes into exist
encc, (even now, among the seeding
States the old Constitution remaining OF
force, there is no law TO preveI the import
alton Of African savaSes ; and this, there
| fore, must bc a question of the first and
greatest Importance. Even with consti-
tutional provision, prohibiting Congress
and the States from ever lcgalzing the
traffic, 1t might still go on, there being no
lar to punish those who 5ht engage in
1t 4; and, therefore. it would well become tn,
first Congress of the new Confederacy to
enact law, making the otfensc punishable
With such fine as would cfectually pu. u
stop to it,
Upon the veXatious AMI troublesome
questions Of collecting revenue for the sup
port Of the new government, the Sentinel
expresses preference for the imposition of
tax upon imports, and perhaps exports !;
and the prohibition OF direct taxation cx-
cept in cases of invasion or instruction.
Soma eminently practical considerations
connected with the setting up OF new
government are thus discussed by the Sen
tinei:
4" Georgia pays comparatively very little
per cent. on property, direct taxes for
State, county anu poor school purposes
from six and half to eight cents on the
hundred dollars tor the State, and not more
perhaps than eighty per cent. on that tor al
other purposes, outside of the cities Still
the State raises 800, 900 annually in this
way.
What would she have to raise, as her
part, if the new Contederacy determine on
free trade and direct taxation? The total
revenue of the General Government would
not be less than forty, and might rise to
sixty millions Of dollars annually, even in
time OF profound peace. For the first
few years it might reach eighty millions
and If war ensuc, of which there can scarce
ly be doubt. the necessities OF the Cow
eminent would exec ID one hun lred millions.
If there be eight States in the new Conted =
eracy, Georgia would be required to raise at
least six millions of dollars in addition to
what she pays now for the State. The man
that now pays, in the country, fifty dollars
will be required to pay eiyh huadrel. Ii
the Confederacy consist of fifteen States.
still the Georgia planter will have to pay
five or six hundred dollars, where lie now
pays fifty. How can he pay it ?
" The Georgia planter, now owning fifty
negroes, thirty of whom are field hands.
eight thousand dollars worth Of lands, and
eight thousand dollars worth of mules,
cattle, provisions, DC, makes on run of
ten years, SO, 900 worth of cotton per an
mum. and pays taxes direct to the amount
of say $40. Under the new regime he will
have tc pay from eight to eleven hundred
dollars. Everybody knows that he could
never pay it without selling negro or two
every Year Import more Africans, rcducc
the price of field hands to $500. and cotton
to hue cents. make his income 1900. anl
4 he would destroy any government ON earth
rather Than bear such burdens as these. He
could not bear them. and it would be folly
to talk to him.
Now let the Georgia Convention bear all
these in mind, when they appoint delegates
to the Southern Convention at Montgomery.
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