February 6, 1861; The Charleston Mercury
Our Montgomery Correspondence.
The members of the convention have commenced coming in. Mr. RHETT and Mr. BARNWELL from South Carolina, Governor SWAIN from North Carolina, and several from Mississippi, arrived today by the 12 o’ train. Many others will most probably arrive tonight, but the greater part will doubtless swing up somewhere on the road tomorrow (Sunday) and will come in on Monday.
Alabama’s very equivocal invitation will bring a Deputation from North Carolina, Tennessee, and perhaps other non-seceding States. What they will do here, it is difficult to say. Being in the Union, they cannot join in the deliberations to construct a Southern Confederacy. Their counsel and object doubtless will be delay – postponement; and in this policy they might support or make a party in the Convention, which may oppose immediate action and the organization of a Southern Confederacy. They will fail in their efforts, however, although they may foster discontent.
The continual rains have converted the prairie soil of this city into a most troublous prospect of slush, to those who enter upon the enterprise of navigating the streets; and strongly point out the necessity of macadamizing and paving. Columbia is bad enough, but this is a little worse just now. Mules and horses, from their throats to their tails, are capital representatives of our yellow bellied terrapins. I saw a dog attempt to run across the street and to bark at the same time; but that dog will never perpetrate that folly again. He nearly choked with mud he splashed up; and as to his countenance – its gentility was utterly spoiled. He tried to clear it of some off the mud, by rubbing the side of his head on his foreleg, when, Jupiter! he was yellow tanned from his nose to his ears; and was obliged to shake his head vehemently to get the mud out of his eyes. Is not this a pretty good examplification of the Southern States, who are trying to run along the muddy road of the Union, made soft, and foul, and black, by the continual fall of Abolition rains and tempest? What are Maryland and Virginia doing, but filling their mouths and eyes with Abolition slush and dirt.
The Senate Chamber of the Capital is being prepared for the use of the Convention. But how will the members of the Convention get to the Capital, near a half mile off? This is the question doubtless which now agitates the anxious breasts of the members I see looking out of the windows of the parlor; whilst the rain drops! – drops! – drops!