, 1862-07-11
REBEL PLOTS TEN YEARS AGO,
Using the Dcmncraff" Party to Bre. Il
up the Union.

@-"
Using the Democrat1" Party to Bre. 4
up the Union.
An officer in the Union army lately visited
Barnwc1l's Island, formerly in the sovereignty
Of South Carolina, now rcpossessed by the
Uritcd States, and ut the house OF William q.
TreEcott, Esq, well known diplonati5t,
scholar, and defender Of "Southern Riyhts,''
picked up an Interesting collection Of letters,
some Of which throw light upon the ear1y his
tory Of the secession movement. One Of the
publication, and is as follows:
VA. CONVENTION, May 3. 1851.
Mr DEAR SIR: You misunderstood my last let
ter, II you supposed that I intended to visit
South Carolina this spring. lam exceedingly
obliged to you for Jour Kind invitations, and
it would afford me the highest pleasure TO in-
terchange in person sentiments with friend
whose manner Of thinking SO closely agrees
with my own. But my engagements here
such qualification.
would be especially glad to be in Charles
ton next week, and witness the proceedings
OF your convention Of delegates from the
Southern Rights Associations. The condi-
tion Of things in your State deeply interests
dence hare placed her, as the head OF the
South, to whom alone true-hearted men can
look with any hope OF pleasure. Momentous
are the consequences which depend upon
your action. Which party Will preyail-the
immediate secessionsts, OF those who are op-
For my part, forbear to form wish. Were
I Caro1iniaD, it would be very different; but
when 7 consider the serious effects the deci-
sion may have on your future veal or woe,
feel that citizen Of State which has acted
as Virginia has no right to interfere even BY
peaeeably and freely to secede, neither Tir-
ginia nor any other Southern State would, in
my opinion, follow you at present But what
would be the effect upon South Carolina
Some Of our best friends here supposed that
it would cut of Charleston from the great
and would retard very greatly the prog
ress Of your State. I confess that +
think differently. believe thoroughly in our
own theories, and that, even if Charleston did
not grow quite so fast in her trade with other
States, yet the relief from federal taxation
SO, the prestige Of the Union would be de-
stroyed, and you would be the nucleus for q
Southern confederacy at no distant day. But
I Go not doubt, from all I have been able to
learn. that the Federal government would use
force, beginning with the form most embar-
to excite sympathy, I mean naval
blockade. In that event could YOU
stand the reaction feeling, which the suffering
commerce Of Charleston would probably man
ncst? Would you not lose that in which your
strength consists, the union Of your people
do lot mean to imply an opinion, only ask
the question If you could force this block
ade and bring the government to direct force,
the feeling in Virginia would be very great.
| trust in God it would bring her to your aid.
But it would be wrong In me to deceive you
BY speaking certainly. I cannot express the
deep modification I have felt at her course
this winter. But do not believe that the
course Of the legislature is fir expression oi
popular feeling. In The east, at least, the
great majority believes in the right OF seces.
sion, and feels the deepest sympathy with
Carolina in her opposition to measures, which
they regard as she does. But the west, West
ern Virginia. there is the rub only G0,00{
slaves to 49,, ,0G0 whites! When I conside,
this fact, and the kind Of argument which has
been heard in this body, cannot but reearG
with the greatest fear the question whether
Virginia would assist Carolina in such az
issue.
must acknowledge my dear sir, that Iool
to the future with almost as much apprehen
sion as hope. You Will object to the tern
Democrat Democracy ir its original philoso
phical sense is indeed incompatible will
slavery and the whole system Of Southern
society. Yet, if you look back, what change
will you find made in ang Of our State consti
tutions, or in legislation, that is in its genera
course, for the last fifty years, which was mo-
in the direction Of this Democracy? Do uo
its principles and theories become daily mort
fixed in our practice? Il had almost said II
the opinions Of our people, did not remem
her with pleasure the great improvement o
opinion IN regard to the abstract question O
slavcry.) And 1t such is the case, what art
We to hope in the future? I do not hesitate
to say that if the question is raised between
Carolina and the Federal Government, aud tht
latter prevails, the last hope Of Republican
government, and, fear, Of Southern civiliza
lion is gone. Russia will then be . bette
Government than ours.
fear that the confusion and interruptions
amid which I write have made this rather
rambling letter. Do you visit the North il
the summer? I should be very happy to vel
come you to the Old Dominion.
| am much Obliged to you for the Offer t,
send HE Hammond's Eulogy on Calhoun; ba
| I am indebted to the author for copy.
! With esteem and friendship. yours, truly,
| u. r, q GARRETT.
WIN. e. TREscoTT, ESQ.
The writer Of the above was leading Demo
| c1atlc member Of Congress when the rebellio
began. 1t will be observed that he prophet
cal1y pointed out the only process BY wllic
! the phlegmatic blood Of Virginia could b
stirred. Speaking Of the probability that th
Government Of the United States woul
blockade the ports Of South Carolina in cas-
she rebclled, he Suggests that if she coui
| force tie blockade and provoke the goyernmer
to collision, the feeling in Virginia woul
be very greut. This was the process adopted i
April, 1861, by South Carolina to bring vi
| ginia to the rescue.
Garrett had also very clear appreciation
! the obstacles to treason which Western vi
ginia afforded, from the fact that she had onl
10000 slaves to about half million white
''There's the rub" says Garrett. We bcliey
it is the theory Of the Crittendens, Carlile
and Garrett Dayises, and Of the Northes
apoloEists for treason, that slavery is not IL
cause Of the rebellion at all. Some OF thel
60 go far as to say that, on the contrar
Abolitionism is the cause. Garnett knew be
ter. He knew that the prevalence Of reb
opinions in Virginia, as in every other part
the country, was in exact proportion to IL
number Of shareholders. This great mounta
region Of Western Virginia, with only &C, ,0
slaves out Of a4,Oo0-to what treasonab
purpose could that be put? One might 8
most as well look for aid to Vermont. Ire
| son has rank growth nowhere except amor
slaves aud Shareholders.
We call attention also to Garnett's MOTTO,
Of Democracy, in its original phi1osophic
6cEse. He is merely stating truism when
says it is 'incompatible with slavery and Il
whole system Of Southern society," He VI
an aristocrat, rebel, 4 traitor-preferring II
government Of Russia to that Of the Unit
Stats, when the latter should slip out Of Il
grasp Of his set 4; and get, in 1852, be was
s'Den ocrat," helping to elect franklin Pierc
in 1856, 4 Democrat" helping to elect Jam
Buchanan in 1861, a Democrat y holding
stat in Congress, until his schemes Of treach
r. should have ril'entd into open rcbeltio
Yet, will it be believed anywhere out Of he
lam, that this "Democratlc" dodge is like
to be played over again By the former northc
allits OF Garnett and his fellow traitors, a
that the only question with them is Wheth
/ stcorseryatism'' is not on the whole sal
word than Democracy"
BELOIT COLLEGE COMMENCE.
MENT.
Especial Correspondence Chicago Tribune-1
| @ELo1T. Wis, July Q, 1862
Commencement Day has again come 4
gone in this Yale Of the West, and no SINH
occasion has surpassed in interest this.
the doings Of the week, the first as yet unl
ported is the
PRIZE DECLAsATI0Ns.
For the purpose OF adding new interest
} the week, and Of stimulating the interest