New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-21
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA,
THE REBELS WILL ATTACK FORT SUM
TER-A COUNTER REVOLUTION M
PENDING.

The rebels are going ahead just as though there
was no such thing as Southern C0nfedeIacy or
Montgomery Convention. Although the whole
subject relating to Fort Sumter and the relations
Of South Carolina (and the other seeded States)
with the Federal Government Rave been turned
over to Davis Stephens d Co., the rebels don't
mind it, but go right ashead as though they
knew nothing about it. They are going to pitch
into Fort Sumter uny way, whether 1t suits
President Davis or lot. The following, from
Tie Mercury of this morning lays down the line
of action, and l give it as something like an
official proclamation:
"What il the duty of the Governor, taking bis own
positisus Beyohd all question, 70 take Fort SdInter.
IL subject Of regret that lie Gil rot, II be wac pre-
pned 90 It before tie Constitution Of tie COuft Gerated
states was formed Il lis portion altered by tie Con-
sliiutiOn of the Coniedefacd States Not IN tue ltGst
Tie right Of State when actually invaded, Fefl
the invasion is not surreIdered. South CaIoua was
llyad. by the military occupation Of Fort Sumter
uostih,ies exist. The Invasion continues how. n
fortress within limits is equped preparations for
war are made, indicating sInIs,er detlg s. Hat
refusal is made 10 IeIemltoiy demand To dltcoiiEue
tle iiyas ~ and TO surrender oTt Sumter W hat re-
mains but for the ENecuve Of South Carolina 10 take
tie tort The autboIii,s Of the COnfeoeraiio have
nothing 10 do with II, unless the State IL nealaO>~
Two efforts to obtain peaceable possession of fot Sum
ter and submission for two months TO The itsolel
military domination III bay Of handful OF men, tie
honor Of the State requires that no iurter nteiNeh
lion from any quaItel should be tolerated, and that
this fort should be taken ard ken by South Carolina
alone BY any other cOuTfe, appears 10 ut, uness
all tie pusiiiuus tie Cove are tse, the state
must le disgIGced.'
The Washington correspondent of Tie Mercury
follows Up this after the following sharp fashion:
off, after this speech Iby Lincoln at Indianapolisl,
the Government OF the Southern Confederacy chooses
TO wait on Providence, with the icle expectation hat
Forts Sumter and PickeDs will surrender theIntelves
slortaneousv, and trust 10 rec their walls fall down,
like those OF icho, at The mere blowing II parcel
rams hOrns then an eNeeien tlsIt VIZ lave oteh
maCt-toNaId ultimate submission and the yeTrai
coptemIt Of the civilized void. Nations care noilit
for sentiment They adore courage. To obtain their
respect you must insi terror Vertum sap
rcpeat therefore, what 1 have before pre-
dicted, as most likely to hoppen, to Wit: Fort
Sumter viii be attacked with all the means they
| can command, by the armed multitude, in rpite
Of all the authorities can do whether at Charles
ton or Montgomery; and This they viii do before
the 4th of March. The armed mob, Of which l
have so often spoken, is about TO assert itself
1t is the highest authority and greatest power
within the circumference Of the Seeded States,
as you will soon see.
There is similar state of things concerning
the action Of the Montgomery Convention on toe
tariff and e-trade. The slave trade idea is the
vital one. 1t is the fundamental purpose; while the
military rage is temporary, and will not, like this,
endure, break out and over all stops and re-
s,raints, and even rcvOlutiOnze again. In this
connection will mention the letter, published in
The Mercury few days since, BY the Hon. l..
w. Spratt, o distinguished and very able men,
Der of the South Carolina Convention, aud Com
missioner on the part Of that State to expound
the objects Of Secession to Florida, addressed to
the Hon. Mr.. Perkins Of Louisiana. He pro-
claims at the outset that the object Of the Seces-
sion movement was to protect Slavery where it
existed, and to strengthen and expand the BY stem
by the revival Of the foreign slaye-trade. He
discusses at great length and with much ability
the philosophical aspects Of the question, and con-
tends that the number of slaves should at lea,t
equal the number of whites; and for that reason
he deprecstes the introduction of free mechanics
(maiDly from the North) into Charleston as
calamity threatening the worst of consequences.
South Carolina, he thinks, is nearer right than
any other State or community, where there is "no
appeal to the mass because there is no mass to
appeal to; there are no demagOgues, because
there is no popuace to need them" To secure
this happy state of things against the possibility Of
danger, the slave system must be strengthened
and extended by direct slave-trade, instead OF
suffering the introduction of free laborers, who,
says Mr.. Spratt,
"Will question the right of masters to employ
their slaves in any work that they may wish for they
will use the elective franchise TO that end they may
acquire the power to determine our municipal cleo
tiOns and they will inexoraby use it, and thus this
town OF Charleston at the very heart oil Slavery may
become tie fortress Of Democratic power against it,.
Beaten in their grand purpose by the Mont
gomery Convention, it is but natural that the
South CarolDians should declare that if the edict
should "be carried into the permanent Govern.
ment our uLole Increment is defeated" Says Mr..
Spratt:
1t will abolitionize the Border States will brand
our institution. Slavery cannot share Government
with Democracy; il cannot bear a brand upon IL;
thence another reOolutton. IL may be patnJgi, but ace
must make It, The Constitution cam OF be changed
without it. IL is doubtful # another Increment cuL
be 80 peaceful, but matter power but the Con-
yention can avert the necessity"
Again, Mr.. s. proclaims
"T7at Slavery, as sent forth by the Southern Con-
Tess, like the lhracian horne returning from the field
Of victory, still bears master bis back, and, hav
ing achieved one revolution 10 escape Democracy at
the Noitb a. must stH aehiere another 10 escape a at
Tie South"
This is the keynote, accepted and taken up
by the men who dared to become Rebels who
will insist on their Idea, and who, as Mr.. spratt
.ao,,.oo NJ. &c ballad will revolutiouiza aoain