New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-04
A RHT or HISTORY.

There are, we know, some persons who be-
lieye that the success Of the Republican party,
n year ago, was not only the occasion but the
absolute and sole cause of the Southern rebel
lion. We also know that there are great
many fools in the world, and we are therefore
constrained to believe that there may be some
persons who hold TO this doctrine with entire
honesty We beg their pardon for our frank
ness, but we have no choice lett but 10 place
them among the weak or the wicked ana inc
former is at least the most charitable construc-
ton. But 20 all such persons we commend
the reading of the Constitution aud the Minutes
of the Proceedings Of the Southern Rights AS
ISOLATION of ST. Helena Parish, South Carolina
in the wear of our Lord 1850, all which may
he found in another column.
Are these documents authentic, and how
came uou by theml are perfectly natural ana
proper questions, which the reader douDtless
wisbes to be answered For the frst--tho
original constitution Of this Southern Rights
Association. with the original signatures OF the
members. and the original minutes OF the pro-
ceedings for successive meetings from October
1850. TO October, 1851, are, while We write,
living open before us. For the second-we
uake this simple statement:
On the 29th day of November, month ago,
one of the steamers of Commodore Dupont's
Port Royal Expedition, visited Beaufort, and
several Of her officers went on shore. They
entered the abandoned houses, many OF which,
"a ia well known, had been rihed by the ne
erces. and among others, they went into the
layy-ofHce of q Mr.. Bell-Charles f. Bell, rs
we read on q card before us-AttoIney at Law
and Solicitor in Equity Beaufort, 5. C., whose
desk or desks were broken open, and floor strewed
with papers. Among them lay MSS book OF
q dozen foolscap sheets, covered with green
paper cover. On this paper is written
in handwriting Of the ordinary size
"Co0peratlon Account Book, Federal Mig
"gers." Whether this shabby-looking copy
book was the only thing in Mr.. Bells
Office worth picking up, or whether this
enigmatical title attracted attention, we do
not know. But here js another instance OF
how wise it is never to trust to appearances,
for The gentlemen who had the curiosity TO
pick it up and open it was rewarded by find
mo that he held in bis hand the archives Of
the Southern Rights Association Of st. Helena
Parish, South CarOna the very seed OF that
poisonous Upas-tree of Secession which In ten
wears has grown to 20 gigantic size, and
now oyershadows the whole land with it's bane-
80 tlx
brought TO this city, and were kindly placed
Ut our disposal. To the curious or the doubt
inc the boob will DO cheerfully shown at this
Office.
Here is a little but important chapter Of his
tory These men Of ST. Helena Parsh-and
the names OF many of them are familiar South
Carolina names, while We recognize that OF
Mr.. IL. TrescOt as Assistant Secretary of State
under Mr.. Marcy, and X. W. Barnwell, NJ. c.
in lS50-tbese men, years before the Republi-
can party had q name, ten years before il
came into power, moved, so fur as there seems
TO have been any immediate motive, By The
events which led TO the Compromise of 1880,
and the Compromise itself, bound themselyes
together to establish Southern COnfederacy
This, it Will be seen by the careful reader, was
the sole object of their Association. Though n
division sprung up among them before the year
was out, it was division on a minor cOnsd-
eratiOn-.oue which continued to agitate them
til q year agO-that Of cooperation or indie
pendent action. But on the main point, they
were united then, as they are now. They
were determined 10 break up the Federal
ZEN have accepted Federal Office, they have
never lost sight of that cherished object. This
point, of least, is nov put beyond cayil, and
there is, we trust, one lie the more killed
stone dead.