January 10, 1861, The Charleston Mercury
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 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!