The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-11-06
Shall South Carolina Escape :

upon the rebels. Under the caption a.
bove given, il has the following blazing
editorial
Although the loyal public is not per.
mitted TO know upon what part OF the
Southern coast the immense naval expe
di,ion now abou. sailing is to be preci pi.
tated, we think We do not mistake in say
ing that it is the almost universal wish Of
the people that Charleston, South Caro-
lima, if it receive not the present, NAV
not long await a similar blow. II the
Government would arouse the liveIiest
sympathy Of Unionis,s, in the South as
well as in the North, let it be seen that
a clear and distinct memory is kept Of
the origin Of this war, and a resou,e pur,
pose held, however the conflict may 9th.
erwise 60, and whensoever it may termi,
nate. not 10 fail administering q fearful
rebuke upon that sccursed city and State,
whose crime it is 10 have originated the
war.
South Carolina stands out pre:eminent
in the unhalowed work Of sedi,ion and
treason. II is South Carolina that invenr
ted the words qualification" and "seces.
sion," which have wrought such mischief,
unsettlng the minds Of men in regard to
the rights Of States under tho Federal
Union. Ii is South Ca olina that has for
thirty years been nalcontent in the
otherwise happy family Of States, aud an
industrious preacher Of disunion. Ii is
South Carolina that incessantly muttered
discomfort and threatened secession, until
the national mind became familiarized
with the crime and ceased TO regard il
with that horror which it's enormitv would
have inspired. Aud, finally, when the
poison OF thirty years stealthy and trea.
sonahle teachings had corrupted the South
and prepared it for an insurrection, it is
South Carolina that led the way in the
overt act Of disloyslty. Her Senators
ard Representatives were the first to VA.
cate their seats in the National Congress,
and thus 10 proclaim to the world 4 bro.
ken and discredited Union. II was one
Of these recreant men-a true representa-.
tive, however, Of South Carolina treason
that proclaimed the infamous sentiment
in public speech in the city Of Charles
ton, while the State Convention there was
sundering the popular allegiance from the
National Government: "Let US seize
the pillars Of this Federal Union, as Ssmp.
son did the pillars Of the temple, and
drag it down, though We likewise perish
in the ruins" Such was aud is the true
spirit Of secession. It is Internal aud de-.
structive; ready to invo've thirty millions
Of happy and prosperous people in strife,
rapine, bloodshed and woe, to satiate the
malice or subserve the ambition Of q nest
OF disappointed and dissffec:ed politicians
Of South Carolina.
And when South Cardinals desperate
treason found imitators, aud one after an
other State threw off its allegiance, ill
seven had gone, even then there was q
hope Of a peaceabe recovery Of our ma.
tional unity. The borde, slave States re-
sisted the fanaticism, and the seven sece.
ded States would have been crushed up.
der the odium OF their insurrection, IL the
evil had stopped with them. The wicked
plotters Of secession knew this, aud con.
hct OF arms was decreed, in order that
the How OF human blood might madden
and overturn what judgment was left in
the border slave States. 1t WAS found fit
that South Carolina soil should be the
scene OF this crowning outrage; and 10
Charleston harbor the ensign Of the Re.
public received it's frat wound, in being
lowered to armed ingrates-their coun,
try's psrricides. The seat of tresson's
birth was thus made the scene Of its gull
~ triumph.
Now. is il not desirable-is it not a
duty--is it not more than poetic justice
that South Carolina~so fsgrant in sin,
should be made to feel the earliest aud
heaviest penalties Of war ! If a Southern
city must fall. let Charleston be razsd TO
the ground and sal, sowed OIL it's ruins.
II Southern fields mu,t be desola,ed by
the Invasion Of Union armies, le, South
Cardinals cotton and rice plantations be
marked by The conquefing advance. II
slaveholding insolence and tyranny mus,
he fumbled TO dependence on the Con
sr,uiion and ,he laws, let South Csroli.
mas "ristocra's learn to lremble for their
seris in I'll. presence Of martial law.
There is no, only just rs,,ibution to be
rendered N visiting upon South Carolina
the heaviest blows Of this war, bot there
is excellent generalship to be manifested
III sr.king ~ that State. South Carroll.
ma is cordially hated in the South. No
Stale would have so little sympathy and
so little supper, from The other States -
In mierIess WAYS the fact has become
known in the progress Of the war. A
few DAYS aso. the pickets Of a Pennsy..
vania regiment bad friendly inie,yiew
with the pickets Of Virginia regiment,
on the upper Potomac. A discussion Of
the causes o: the war closed by an ex
preston Of regret on the part of the Vir.
g'nians that they had not a regiment of
South Carolinisns to shoot at in place Of
these PennsyIVanians. And this is be
llev"d TO be vide spread feeling among
The Confederate soldiers. Is il wise to
overlook such an advantage "a this in
planning offensive war movements . Let
Charleston be- assaiI.d aud =. r.aI;