Year: 1861

~ L.


| Inc charleston Mercury is beginning to


throw out hints about the possibility of a re-
construction OF the Union. Whether the late
| federal success at Port Royal had anything to
| do with this change in the spirit of its dream
| we do not care to inquire. But the Charles
ton Mercury,and the State for which it speaks,
cannot too soon understand that any recon-
struction which wonld suit them is an absolute
| lmpossiblity. The Constitution of the Uni
ted States, pure and simple, just as it is, TN
| totidem verbis, is the only overture that will
| be offered and If South Carolina does not
| chose to accept and submit to that, she will,
in all likelihood, get reconstruction she does
not dream of. She may find that it will not
| be the Union that is reconstructed, but herself
Let us see. Here is State that confessed
ly has been plotting the destruction of the u
Mon for more than generation, and that first
led the way in this treason, which is costing
the country snch an enormous sacrifice of
treasure and blood. 1t stands much in the
same relation to the other rebel States prin-


cipal to accomplice; it was the prime mover.


the instigator, tie planner, the first to break
from its place, and the first to strike the blow
Had there been South Carolina, there
would have been no rebellion.


The people Of the North perfectly we'll un.
derstand this fact; and, as a consequence,
South Carolina is peculiarly the object of their
indignation. There Is no doom which, TO
their minds, she does not deserve. She might,
like Babylon of old, sbecome heaps, a dwell
'' ing place for dragons, an astonishment and


ga Kissing, without an inhabitant'' - and yet
fall short of expiating her measureless guilt.
Our people are in no mood to listen to any
terms of pacfcation with that State. save a
speedy renuncation of her crimes, and faith
ful obedience to the federal Constitution such
as she has been summoned to give in the proc
lamati0n of the general who has landed on


her shores. That proclamation not obscurely


iDtimated an alternative-the loss of her
slaves, and the confiscation of her property.
Indeed it is manifest that army cannot be
kept for any length of time in South Carolina,
without an inevitable severance of every


bond which untes the slave to the master.
There is no necessity of any positive action
upon the part of the government or of the
army. The slave gets loose by the bare pres
ence Of the army, and its mere negative refu-
sal TO uphold the authority of the master.
The deliverance comes not so much in the
shape OF a penalty imposed as OF an insepara-
BILE incident.


Now, there in South Carolina, at the
present time, full four hundred thousand slaves
"A number far greater in proportion to her
white population, and also in proportion to
her territorial aIea, that can be found in any
other State in the Union. The uprising of
of this enormous black mass wonld virtually
AfricaniZe the State, unless the federal gov
ernment should interpose to keep the blacks


in restraint. But most assuredy the fedora!
government would not so interpose, in order
to secure the property of the presen: masters
while they continue in rebellion. Confisca-
ted property to loyal citizens, would then be-
come peSttire necessity, in order 10 keep the
blacks in Employment, saying nothing OF the
justice which would exact the penalty. The
contumacy of South Carolina would absolutely
force this action upon the government.


Let not South Carolina fatter herself that
necessity.
The way is not difficult. The government
has the right, in the face of this attrocious de-
fidnce of its authority, to impose military
rule upon the people of the State, or If it
pleases, 10 put them in the condition of a ter
ritory, managing them by civil officers of its
appointment. If that were done, and
the faith Of the government pledged that the
purchasers of the copfScated property should
be kept perfectly secure in its title and pos
session, it would not require two years for
northern emigrant aid societies, such as told
with such effect upon the settlement of Kan
sas, to pour into South Carolina a population
large enough TO control the political tortanes
of the State. There not over fifty-six
thousand voters in the State, all told-inclu
ing all the white population over twenty-one,
without any reference to those sutfrageS which


require property qualification. Even were
these voters united, they could be over
come by northern immigration; but In fact
there has always, been variance between the
slave holders of the cotton districts and the
poor farmers OF the upper part of the State, in
reference to representation and taxation, and
northern immigrants of moderate and just
views would find ready allies in the latter.
So there is a perfectly feasible way open here
for the reconstruction Of South Carolina.


In all probability, Port Royal, by virtue of
the immeasurable superiority OF its harbor,
will hereafter take the rank formerly held by
Ebor iS
ing city that shall rule the commerce of the
whole Southern coast; and nothing is requlr-
ed but. Northern capital and energy to eject
it within brief period. These will be secur-
ed readily enough just so soon as it is made
clear that the State can be redeemed from the
rule that has hitherto paralyzed all enterprise
Thousands of the hardy sons Of New England,
who are now serving as soldiers in that bright
cline, would gladly make it their permanent
home.


If it be said that the slaves once freed of
their rebel masters should not again be reduc-
ed to slavery, and that though the federal gov
ernment may confiscate and sell rebel estates,
it must not sell the black people upon them,
that objection may be obviated by the estab-
lishment of an apprentice system under which
the negroes may be made to do their proper
work. and kept from vagrancy and license,
until they are finally fitted to take their place
as free laborers. 1t, in fact, would afford an
excellent opportunity for settleing the dispute
whether free labor, with proper training, can
be prefitably substituted for compulsory labor
in a cotton growing State. Once practically
den. nstrate that it can be, and you will give
slavery its DEATH blow throughout all the cot
ton States. On the other hand demonstrate
that it cannot be, and we shall hear no more
of abolition agitation. The anti-slaveryN orth
would desire nothing better than such test.


We say then to South Carolina that if it has
any regard for its cornerstone" it had bet.