When Major ANDERSON spiked the guns of Fort Moultrie, and
transferred his command to Fort Sumter, he perpetrated hostile
acts against this State. They clearly looked to a bitter
instrumentality to coerce South Carolina by military power.
The President of the United States understood this when he
agree with the South Carolina members of Congress not to change
his military status in the bay of Charleston, upon the
condition that we would not attack the forts. He knew
perfectly well that if South Carolina had a right to secede
from the Union, she had a right to have the forts in our harbor
delivered up to her. These forts were built on her soil, for
her defence against foreign nations. The obligation on the
part of the Government of the United States to defend the State
of South Carolina by these forts, fell with the secession of
the State. Having no duty to discharge with them, their
continued possession by the Federal authorities could only be
construed into an attitude of hostility. They were held for
purposes of violence and war. To put the State entirely right,
in the course she was obliged to pursue, consistent with her
right and sovereignty, South Carolina sent Commissioners to
treat for the peaceable surrender of these forts. A hostile
change is made in the military relations of the Government of
the United States towards South Carolina, in the bay of
Charleston, by which the control of our waters is effected.
Any military position, looking to violence, is war. Two
friendly nations have a pass between them. They quarrel, and
one of them seized the pass. This is an act of war. But if
the pass is within the territory of the nation agressed on, no
civilian could doubt that it is war commenced. South Carolina
would have been justified, immediately on Fort Sumter being
seized by Major ANDERSON, in opening a fire upon this fort from
every point in the bay of Charleston. But the State
authorities forbore - unwilling to commence the conflict with
the Government of the United States. Not content, however,
with holding the Fort, the Government of the United States
determined to make efficient the military command of our
waters, and sends additional troops to work its guns against
the State. Whether coming by land or water, there was but one
course left for the State to pursue, consistent with her
sovereignty or the welfare of her people, and that was, to
prevent those troops reaching the fort. Accordingly, orders
were given to the officers in command of the other stations in
the bay of Charleston to arrest or sink any vessel carrying
United States troops to Fort Sumter. Yesterday morning a
steamer, supposed to be the Star of the West, attempted to
enter the harbor. A gun was fired across her bows from the
battery on Morris' Island. She went on without regarding it,
and then she was fired into with such effect that she turned
back and went to sea.
All revolutions are blunders. They are never intended.
The huge blunder now marring the counsels of the Government of
the United States seems to be, that the Union can be maintained
by violence and war, and that South Carolina can be cowed by
demonstration of military coercion. That the Black Republicans
should commit such blunders is not surprising; for they have
their existence as a party to support, and a rancorous
sectional hatred to gratify; but that the present
Administration should further their policy, and begin the grand
drama of war and blood, is not a little astonishing. Every
step taken in this direction only widens the gulf between the
Northern and Southern States, and drives the Southern States
more speedily together into a Southern Confederacy. That
military fools, like General SCOTT, who think the highest
wisdom consists in the bloodiest fighting, should counsel the
military possession of the bay of Charleston by the Government
of the United States, is what might be expected. Thousands,
and tens of thousands, longing for a Southern Confederacy, with
an eternal separation from the people of the North, will hail
him as their detested but most efficient deliverer. By all
means, lest Charleston be blockaded. Let the war complicate
the nations of Europe, as well as the United States. Of one
thing there need be no further blunders. The people of South
Carolina will fight, and will establish the Southern
Confederacy.
Great Events crowd rapidly one upon another. Three short
weeks ago, and the greatest event of the century upon the
Western Hemisphere was transacted in Charleston. The Union of
the States of North America, was dissolved by the action of the
State of South Carolina.
It appears to be a decree of history that upon all great
revolutions or changes of the Government of a people, the red
seal of blood must be set. Yesterday, the 9th of January, will
be memorable to history. Powder has been burnt over the decree
of our State, timber has been crushed, perhaps blood spilled.
South Carolina will maintain her liberties and her independence
whilst there is 'a single shot in her lockers.' Blind
infatuation is driving our enemies forward, and stroke by
stroke the liberties of the South are being welded and cemented
together.
The expulsion of the steamer Star of the West from the
Charleston harbor, yesterday morning was the opening of the
hall of the Revolution. We are proud that our harbor has been
so honored. We are more proud that the State of South
Carolina, so long, so bitterly, so contemptuously revilled and
scoffed at, above all others, should this proudly have thrown
back the scoff of her enemies. Entrenched upon her soil, she
has spoken from the mouth of her cannon, and not from the
mouths of scurrilous demagogues, fanatics and scribblers.
Condemned, the sanctity of her waters violated with the hostile
purpose of reinforcing enemies in our harbor, she has not
hesitated to strike the first blow, full in the face of her
insulter. Let the United States Government bear, or return at
their good will, the blow still tingling about her ears - the
fruit of her own bandit temerity. We would not exchange or
recall that blow for millions! It has wiped out a half century
of scorn and outrage. Again South Carolina may be proud of her
historic fame and ancestry, without a blush upon her cheek for
her own present honor. The haughty echo of her cannon has ere
this reverberated from Maine to Texas, through every hamlet of
the North, and down along the great waters of the Southwest.
The decree has gone forth. Upon every acre of the peaceful
soil of the South armed men will spring up, as the sound breaks
upon their ears; and it will be found that every word of our
insolent foes has indeed been a dragon's tooth sown for their
destruction. And though grisly and traitorous ruffians may cry
on the dogs of war, and treacherous politicians may lend their
aid in deceptions, South Carolina will stand under her own
Palmetto tree, unterrified by the snarling growls or assaults
of the one, undeceived or deterred by the wily machinations of
the other. And if that red seal of blood be still lacking to
the parchment of our liberties, and blood they want - blood
they shall have - and blood enough to stamp it all in red.
For, by the God of our Fathers, the soil of South Carolina
SHALL BE FREE!