January 18, 1861, The Charleston Mercury
The most destructive feature of Northern society, political and social, is radicalism – license. The basis of all Southern organism is conservatism – order. The two systems are in direct antagonism – theoretically and practically. It is but human that men should enforce their own views, if practicable. The system of the North is essentially radical, intolerant, aggressive. Without ballast or restraint, liberty has necessarily degenerated into license. License is subject to no laws, and hence is without the control or direction of an limiting power. The shifting will of the mobocracy, guided by interest or passion alone, becomes their law. A student of history, or a thinker upon government, would at once find himself drawn to this conclusion in anticipation of the result. The practical workings of their social and political organization more than sustains the conclusions of reason and the experience of mankind in all ages. More precipitately than any politician society upon record, commencing in liberty, it has rushed into lawlessness and anarchy. Eighty short years have converted the people of the North into one vast mob – a ranting reckless, lawless mob – shrieking for liberty amidst blood and freedom in plunder. It would be of little consequence to the rest of the world if the blood they shout for were their own, and the rapine their lawlessness would reap were amongst themselves. But, as we have said, their system of politics is aggressive. Might is their only test of right. To rob where they can, is their political creed. Of course this robbery and aggression will first commence abroad. They must plunder and exhaust others before they being amongst themselves. Thus far they have now advanced in the programme which time and human passion have marked out for them. So long as they have Southern fields upon which to make their descent and to pillage, they may keep their hands from each other throats and pockets. But cut short this means of supply, remove this rich field from their robber devastations, shut them up in their own barns and workshops to earn amongst themselves their own subsistence and maintain their own rights, laws, and institutions – and how long will they stand? The second act of the drama will then be upon the boards. The pillage will be transferred from other fields to their own. The third act must be one of blood – the last one of despotism.
The social and political organism of the South is, in all respects, theoretically and practically, different and opposed to that of the North. Southern institutions are essentially conservative. It recognizes distinct order and classes. It establishes them. One third of the whole Southern population do not cast a single vote. They are disenfranchised. They are not recognized as citizens of the several States. They are slaves. In South Carolina one half of the population of the State are in this category. The distinctive feature of South Carolina is its conservatism in all things – its obedience to its laws – its love or order – its resect for authorities, divine and human. Southern society is unquestionably of an aristocratic cast. Every white man is of a favored class. He is, among others around him, Roman citizen. Feeling his own authority, he recognizes that which he has established. As the great political philosopher, BURKE, defines it, he yields proud submission and dignified obedience. Through habit, association, and education, it becomes his second nature. Southern society individualizes men. Northern society conglomerates, centralizes men.
They are two distinct systems of political organization, based on two radically different theories of government. Hence Mr. SEWARD is quite right when he says there exists between them irrepressible conflict. They are in direct conflict, the one with the other. It is, therefore, quite impossible to conceive how, under one ballot box, the two can co-exist in one government. Men may theorize that if the North would adhere to the Constitution, there would be no difficulty. They beg the question. The if is in opposition to the nature of things. Men cannot be moulded, in their inherent nature, to our wills. There are certain laws which will always govern them.
Under the existing Union, the theory and institutions of Southern society, or that of Northern society, will eventually give way. For both to exist, continue and work out their own ends, they must be separated.
If there existed no other reason, policy and theory alike would demand that the southern people should be a separate, independent people.