April 1, 1861, The Charleston Mercury
We have briefly indicated a few of the weighty reasons for the Confederate States rejecting all proffers of association with the anti-slavery States of the North, whether Eastern or Western. But many readers may suppose our apprehensions groundless, and our reasoning uncalled for and premature. To such we would respectfully dissent. To us the future, in this respect, judged by the signs of the times, is ominous. ‘Reconstruction,’ on the basis of the old Constitution, is, we judge, the policy of the SEWARD wing of the Black Republican party, and every day will strengthen that element. ‘Reorganization’ under the new Constitution is evidently the programme chalked out some months since by Washington leaders of the South. And to this end the policy so far pursued unquestionably tends. Under the promulgation that war, pestilence and famine impended, in case any other course was adopted, inactivity has reigned, and every cause for alienation has been studiously avoided. Delay is still going on. A Constitution, too, has been carefully made, at Montgomery, which, with a little repression of the fanaticism on the slavery question, will be sufficiently acceptable to the Northwest to constitute no permanent difficulty in the way of their consenting to adopt it. Two years ‘meditation upon the pros and cons will suffice them. Friends of Mr. DOUGLAS, including the near and dear GEORGE N. SAUNDERS, are already declaring that the Northwestern States should apply for admission into the Confederate States. Mr. BRECKINRIDGE, in the United States Senate, speaks of this being the probable result. The Border States all look to it. The New York Herald daily urges the advantages of New York doing the same thing. We might go on and mention many other facts and circumstances that lead us unmistakably to apprehend the evil effects of reorganization, as a not improbable thing. We only wish to open the eyes of our people to the danger, and to warn them at once of the drift of events. They that have ears to hear, let them hear.