Secession movement at the South.
Warlike Preparations--Rev. Dr. Breckinridge--Miscellaneous Items, &c., &c.The mails from the South bring further "note of preparation." The Norfolk (Va. ) Argus is "credibly informed" that the various offers to Governor Gist, of South Carolina, of the personal services of Virginians, in case she should need them, already embrace bands comprising in the aggregate 16,000 men. The Montgomery (Ala.) Mail says twenty-five hogsheads of gunpowder, for the State of Alabama, was received there last week. The steamship Montgomery arrived at Savannah, Ga., a few days since, with 1,000 Sharpe's carbines and 40,000 conical balls, from Hartford, Ct., for the State of Georgia.
A letter from the Rev. Dr. Breckinridge, the distinguished Presbyterian divine, of Kentucky, to a friend in New York State, is published. He thinks if the North insists on using the National Government to put down slavery — or if the South insists on using it to perpetuate and extend slavery — in either case the continuance of the National Union is impossible. In other words, there can be no union of States--except by force, or on equal terms. For nearly ninety years--from 1775 till 1860--the public idea of the institution of slavery has found it compatible with the union of Colonies and of States. ‘"It is no longer so. The opinions of men must change, and their passions must moderate, or we must not only divide, but must afterwards draw the sword — and, if possible, destroy each other. If God has forsaken us, our country is wrecked. If God is still gracious to us, a way will be found to extricate it from impending revolution. At present, the human means of deliverance seem to me to consist merely in these two great convictions, which, after all, are settled deeply in the hearth of men everywhere, namely that there are unspeakable evils in the dissolution of the Union, and that there are inestimable blessings in its preservation. I do not see how these convictions are to make themselves effectually manifest; but neither do I see it to be impossible that they should do so."’
At a meeting in Fairfax county, Va., last week, resolutions were adopted in favor of calling a Convention, and advocating the right of secession. In the further proceedings of the meeting we find the following:
A. B. Williams, Esq., offered the following, which was adopted:
‘ Whereas, the Governor of the State of Ohio, in direct conflict with the 4th article of the Constitution of the United States, has failed and refused to deliver two escaped criminals, (Brown and Meriam,) charged with treason, felony and other high crimes at the raid at Harper's Ferry, and who were rightfully demanded of him by the Governor of Virginia; and whereas, the Legislature of Virginia, at its last session, for want of time and the lateness of Gov. Letcher's message, failed to take any action in the premises, it now becomes the imperative duty of the Legislature, at its approaching session, to take such prompt and decisive action in the case as the honor and dignity of the Commonwealth requires; and if redress be not promptly and speedily made, and ample guarantees secured against any future violations of the rights of Virginia, that our Senator and Delegate be and they are hereby instructed, that so soon as it can be ascertained that the General Government is unable or unwilling to redress these wrongs or protect our rights, to cause immediate notice to be given to our sister States and the General Government at Washington, that Virginia will forthwith withdraw her support from the Federal Government, resume such powers as she has heretofore delegated in the Federal compact, and assume that separate and equal station among her sister States and the Nations of the earth that the stout hearts and strong arms of our ancestors extorted from the British throne — relying upon her sons to emulate the deeds of their sires and to hand down their rights unimpaired to their posterity.
’ James W. Jackson, Esq., offered the following resolutions, which were adopted:
‘
- 1st. Resolved, That we regard any Virginian who would accept office under the Administration of Abraham Lincoln, or continue to hold office under the General Government after his inauguration, as regardless of the honor of his State and untrue to any of its interests.
- 2d. Resolved, That we acknowledge the freedom of the ballot-box to its fullest extent, but that outrages have been committed by the election of Abraham Lincoln, and that those amongst us who have voted the Black Republican ticket be requested to remove to the free States, where they can find sympathizers.
‘ Yesterday the debate in the House of Representatives was unusually warm. The parties arrayed against each other in the matter of organizing an army, and the manner of appointing the commanding officers, used scathing language and debate ran high throughout the session. So far as I am able to judge, both the opposing parties are led on by bitter prejudices. The Joint Military Committee, with two or three exceptions, have pertinaciously clung to the idea that a standing army of paid volunteers, to be raised at once, to have the power of choosing their officers, up to captain, and to require all above to be appointed by the Governor, is the organization for the times. Mr. Cunningham, of the House, who is put forward by the Committee to take all the responsibility of extreme sentiments, has openly avowed his hatred of Democracy in the camp. He considered the common soldier as incapable of an elective choice. He and others of his party wage a bitter war against Democracy, and indicate an utter want of faith in the ability of the people to make proper choice in elections.
The party opposed to this, the predominant party, is ostensibly lead in the House by Mr. McGowan, of Abbeville, and Mr. Moore, of Anderson. These gentlemen have a hard fight of it. They represent the Democratic sentiments of the rural districts, and are in opposition of the Charleston clique, who are urged on by Edward Rhett, Thos. Y. Simmons and B. H. Rhett, Jr., of the Charleston Mercury. The tendencies of these gentlemen are all towards a Dictatorship, or monarchical form of government, at least it appears so to my mind, and I find myself not alone in the opinion.--They fight heart and soul for an increase of gubernatorial power — and one of their number, as I have already stated, openly avowed his desire to make the Governor a military chieftain with sovereign power.
See the working of their views. They will enroll a body of 10,000 men for an ostensible purpose. That purpose is alleged to be the protection of their homes, wives, altars, firesides, and other patriotic intentions. They place the supreme military power into the hands of the Executive; he appoints whom he pleases, and certainly he will choose none but those of his way of thinking. The officers will impart sentiments to the men, the country will be under the rule of the army, and one man at the head — and what next can easily be imagined. The power of the Rhett party has already been felt. Thus far it has been in the ascendancy — and it has grown so powerful that there are strong fears that Edmund Rhett, of the Senate, will be elected the next Governor. If this is the case, the thing will be all on one side, and the worst is to be feared.
’ The Raleigh correspondent of the Charlotte Bulletin writes:
‘ "I have just learned, from a private source, that Gov. Moore, of Alabama, will send Col. J. Garrett, of Perry county, Commissioner to the Legislature of North Carolina, to confer with it upon Federal affairs, in a few days."
’ In Philadelphia, on Thursday, the Common Council adopted a resolution requesting the Mayor of that city to call a meeting of the citizens to take action in view of "the serious peril of the dissolution of the Union of these United States, under whose protection we have grown to be a great and prosperous nation.
From Florida, we learn that the Legislature has adjourned, to meet again the first Monday, 7th of January next. The recent session called a Convention of the State to consider and determine what shall be the action of the State in the pending crisis, and ordered an election of delegates to take place on the 22d inst. The Convention is to meet on Thursday, the 3d of January.
