Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 1.
Frank Moore, Ed.

“Sumter is to be ours without a fight,” says the Charleston Mercury. “All will be rejoiced that the blood of our people is not to be shed in our harbor, in either small or great degree. To those who have troubled themselves with vague fears of war on a large scale, and the horrors of war extensively, the relief will be as great as the apprehension has been grievous. For ourselves, notwithstanding all the Northern thunder, we have never been able to bring ourselves seriously to believe in the probability of any more than a few collisions, sufficient to show that we are in earnest, and competent to make good our position of independence against our would-be masters. These gentry ‘hold our valor light,’ as also the honesty of the determination of the Southern peoples to be quit of them and their impertinent and detrimental interference through a government in common. It may, perhaps, yet be necessary to instruct them a little in these particulars. But it appears that for the present, under the circumstances in this case, they are inclined sensibly to dispense with experiment and its teachings. How far this discretion will revivify the hopes and stimulate the efforts of Reconstructionists throughout the South, is a matter to be discovered by observation. The temper and intention of the Northern people has now been so thoroughly developed and exposed to the eyes of all those at the South who will see, that we trust Union-menders are too late in their attempts upon the virtue and integrity of our people. Crushed eggshells and friendship abused can never be mended. We have no doubt, however, that herculean efforts will be made in that direction, and must only take good care of these weaker brethren at the South, whose sentiments are stronger than their reason, or who live in the past rather than the future. The strait-jacket was a valuable invention. But, in the mean time, the prospect of having Sumter is very pleasant.”