The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-11-27
The Union-Ths Great Crists-What VIII
COuUrsoS Do!

The Cnion-Ths Grsat CristS-What VIII
Congress Do!
The United States Senate and House of
Representatives will reassemble 10 W ashng ton
on Monday next; and, having appointed their
officers and standing committees at the last ses-
sion for the Congress which will include this
approaching session, both houses, ii a quorum
be present in each, will be ready at oucs to
proceed to business. The first thirg in order
will be the Presidents annual message, and
doubtless, the frat and paramount question
submitted therein for the serious consideration
OF the legislative department will involve the
state of the Union. the imminent dangers of
dissolution which threaten it, and the ways and
means for preserving, hArmouizing aud pr
petuatingit That Mr.. Buchanan's recommen.
datiops will be calmly addressed to the ext
gencies of the crisis we are confident; but what
will Congress do? Upon this interrogatory
may hang the perpetuation or the dissolution of
the Union.
The foreshadowed programme for an indie
pendent Southern confederacy Ia too plausible
and inviting uE der existing circumstances, and
is too widely entertained among our Southern
brethren as the only future refuge of the South
ern States, to be treated with either derision or
Indifference. 1t is no answer to this Southern
disunion excitement to say that Mr..
Lincoln will have been consitu tionally
elected as our next President; that he is a
conservative republican, and contemplstes no
expressions upon the constitutional rights of
the South. Granting all this, we must ad.
mopish his hopeful partisans tina. Mr.. Lincoln
il but an item in the general bill Of Southern
grievances against the North. The difficulties
to be met reach far beyond and behind the
mere incident Of Mr.. Lincoln's elecdon but IL
is this incident which has brought them out
into bold relief
This Northern republican party, advancing
toto power at Washington upon Mr.. Stewards
Zone idea"-the abolition Of slavery throughout
the United States-is the danger which has
driven the people Of the South to their present
alarming dsunion movements. They regard
this republican party as an organized crusade
for the extirpstion of the institution of African
slavery and they see within the Union, and
under its existing sectional compacts, no hope
Of resisting the regular approaches of this be-
leaguering anti slavery army of the North.
The overwhelming popular majorities by which
Mr.. Lincoln has carried the bulk OF the North
ern States disclose to the South predomi
nance of the Northern anti slavery sentiment,
which threatens to ride do n ell distractions
Taking next into this estimate the new appor-
tionment for the popular branch OF Congress,
which will be made upon the returns Of the
census Of 1850, Southern politicians are we'll
aware that the result will be still further to
strengthen the North and to weaken the South.
Nor do the contemplated dangers OF this stu
increasing Northern anuslavery pressure upon
the South stop here. Two, four, six, new anti
slsvery Slater, come already formed some in
the rapid Western processes of formation. are
hunying up for admission into the Union.
Under the policy to the South of quiet sub mis-
sion heEce,or yard to events as they may come,
these half dozen new States, organized under
republican auspices and strongly seasoned
with anti slavery ideas, may, during the next
four or eve years, be admitted. And what
then? Every department Of the government.
including q recognized Supreme Court, will
be 80 powerfully "on the side OF freedom that
slavery must soon cease to exist within the
boundaries Of the United States.
Thes. facts and foresh allowed events are
among the erea. causes OF this present South.
ern disunion excitement, and herein we may
6nd the arguments which are operating TO bring
over thousands Of Southern conserss ve men
into active cooperation or sympathy with the
stc.-sionlsts. Nor IL the secession program ne OF
d,liveraree ard safety the impossible utopian
scheme which our republican philosophers
I would have va believe Il 10 be. On the con
t-ary. II Il "a practical "a II Il fascinating to
desperate ard adventurous minds. Aud 30,
I should there be no intervening Union move
menis and measures inviting another effort at
reconciliation, South C,rolina, leading the way,
will most probably draw, not only the cotton
States,n but oil the Southern States, into a
common Southern alliance and Independent
confederacy during the first month Of Mr.. Lin
coins administration.
This general coalition will be the manifest
policy Of every slave State, In the absence Of
any satisfactory steps 70 reconcile the "c,tton
States" 10 the North; ,use, thus united 10
he experiment Of secession the South may
quietly dictate to the North the terms OF q
peaceable separation, and OF peace able relations
Of reciprocity, as between two Independent ns
lions OF the came great family. 10 any event
/ a resor, 10 arms n restore the seeding States
10 ire Union viii be on OF the question. This re
sort on.d be civil wir-a civil war which would