AMERICA. THE DISRUPTION OF THE UNION.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XX, Issue 28, 30 March 1861, Page 4

AMERICA. THE DISRUPTION OF THE UNION.

[From the Sydney Morning Herald? s Telegraphic correspondence.] The dissolution of the American Republic may now be spoken of as unfait accompli. The State of South Carolina seceded formally from the Union on the 20th December. This example has since been followed by Missouri, Alabama, and Florida. President Buchanan has determined to make an endeavour to put down the secession movement and is preparing an armament to defend the property of the Government in the above-mentioned States, and to enforce the colection of the revenue. At present hostile collision seems inevitable. Latest advices from New York are to the 12th January. The Star of the West, which had been sent by the President against Charlestown had returned to New York with her bows damaged by shot. The South Carolinian Secretary of State and of War had visited Fort Sumpter, held by the federal troops under a flag of truce, but nothing had transpired. President Buchanan, in a Message to Congress, throws the responsibility of open war on that body, to whom he suggests the Missouri compromise, Seaward, the avowed enemy to all compromise, has accepted the post of Premier under Mr. Lincoln. The reports from the South are of a startling character. It is reported from Georgia that the Governor of that State has seized and garrisoned with militia the forts in the harbour of Havanah, and there is reason to believe that a plan has been matured by the secessionists for taking possession of all the fortifications on the Southern coast. The intelligence from C^arfestovvn is to the effect that Fort Hunter is besieged, that Major Anderson's communications have been cut off, that Fort Moultrie has been repaired, that new batteries have been erected, and that everything is in readiness to open fire on the federal forces. The Florida Convention meet ou the 4th, and without doubt this body will pass a secession ordinance as soon as the formalities will be gone through. The Federal Judge of Florida has resigned his commission. The buoys and the lightships at the'entrance of Charlestown had been removed. Great military enthusiasm had prevailed. All suspicious persons have been ordered out of the State. Great fears of an insurrection of slaves were felt in Virginia. Sentries and patrols about every plantation were established. Twentyfive kegs of powder were found secreted in various parts. Governor Pipkins had issued the following , proclamation : — Executive Department, i Charlestown, South Carolina, ; December 24. By his Excellency Fbancis W. Pipkins, Go- ' vernor and Commander-in-Ohlef in and over the State of South Carolina. Whereas the people of this State, in convention as*

j sembled, by an ordinance unanimously accepted and ratified on the twentieth day of December, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and sixty, repealed an ordinance of the people of this State adopted on the twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and eighty-nine, and have thereby disolved the union between the State of South Carolina and other States under the name of the United States of America : I, therefore, as Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the State of South Carolina by yirtue of authority in me vested, do hereby proclaim to the world that this State is, as she had a right to be, a separate sovereign, free and independent State, and as such has a right to levy war, conclude peace, negotiate treaties, leagues or covenants, and to do all acts whatsoever that rightfully appertain to a free and independent State. Given under ray hand and seal at Charleston, this twenty-fourth of December, in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and sixty ; and in Hie eighty-sixth year of the Sovreignty and Independence of South Caro- | lina. F. W. Pipkins. According to a communication from Washington, the leading men of South Carolina and Georgia have agreed upon the following programme of commercial policy : — The cotton crop will be moved for account of whom it may concern, and an accredited agent will proceed to Europe bearing the needful authority to hypothecate the crop thus shipped. Tbe commissioner will be entrusted also with political negociations growing out of the cotton movement for direct trade with Europe. The plan of execution is simply this. As the United States Government attempt to collect revenue on foreign imports at the south, by placing revenue cutters off the different harbours, then the seceding States, not deeming it expedient to declare war, will pronounce for direct taxation as their exclusive source of revenue, passing an ordinance to that effect. The Foreign Minister resident at Washington, will then be informed that the ports of the Common States are thrown open for the entrance of foreign merchandize, free of duty, and that any duties imposed by the Government are levied contrary to law, and without authority from the southern confederacy. The revenue question will then be transferred from the southern confederacy, to Europe. It will be a question with England whether or not it will defend the free trade right thus conferred on its manufactures against revenue duties of the Northern States. An appeal to British or French sympathy for free negroism will yield to the national interest in favour of free trade. This plan which I submit to your readers without comment, for moving the cotton crop through the already organized machinery of direct trade, as well as the free trade counter movement against the federal Government revenue policy, was decided by Mr. C. J. Baylor, who has been entrusted with the delicate mission of putting the design in operation. The Southern Commissioner to Europe is a man of distinction, and acts in harmony with Mr. Baylor's direct trade programme. [The above appeared in a second edition issued on Saturday morning at 9. 30.] The Charleston Courier of the 20th, gives the following account of the firing on the Star of the West : "At six, yesterday morning, the steamer General Clinch discovered the steamship Star of the West, and signalled her approach to the occupants of the battery ou Morris Island. As soon as the signals were seen by those who were on guard at Morris Island, there was a stir, with men at their posts. Before the orders could be given to prepare for action they remained in anxious j suspense, but ready for wb,at they believed was sure to come. A volley from the fort sainted. The Star of the West rounded the point, took the ship channel ingicje of the bar, and pro- ; ceeded straightforward opposite Morris {stand, about three-quarters of a mile from the battery ; a ball was then fired athwart the bows of the steamer. The Star of the West displayed the stars and stripes. As soon as the flag was unfurled, the battery fired a succession of heavy shots. The vessel continued on her course with increased speed, but two shots taking effect upon her, she concluded to retire. Fort Moultrie fired a few at her, but she was out of reach. The damage done to the Star of the West is trifling, as only two out of seventeen shots took effect on her. Fort Anster made no demonstration except at the port hole, where the guns were run out, bearing on Morris Island.

The Telegraph. — Telegraphic blunders are sometimes as funny as they are serious. Thus, one Mr. Brown, a prominent gentleman, being ill at Toronto, it was telegraphed to his family that " Mr. Brown is no worse." The family got it "is no more," and sent up a special train for the remains. A young lady was taken sick while visiting in Cleveland, and the good folks were dumfounded with the report that "she has had a child." It should have been "has had a chill." — Commercial Bulletin, Boston, U.S.

French Railways. — The Progres de Lyons aunounces that among the great projects which occupy the attention of the Emperor is the purchase by jthe State of all the French railways. It appears that this arrangement is to be carried into effect in the course of next year. One of th.c reasons given to prove that such a plan is jneyjtabje is t)je jnabilijy of some of the railway companies to pompjete certain secondary lines without reducing the dividends produced by working tbe great lines.