The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-10-20
FOrncy ON Secession

Under the head of "May not an Ameri-
can Citizen be President of the United
States Col, Forney, of the Philadelphia
Press, says: aI...-..
The grave question is presently to be de-
cideds whether a citizen of the United
States, constitutionally elected to the Presi-
dency, shall be permitted to perform the
functions of that high office? We notice
daily, signs in the Southern papers, and
read frequent letters from Southern politi-
clans, all tending to one point, viz: That
if Mr.. Lincoln should be elected it will be-
come the duty of Southern people to make
instant preparations for a secession from
the Union. Upon the basis of this threat
many interests in Northern communities
have been terrified, and many influences
controlled. So industriously has it been
persisted in, that at this day hundreds of
citizens Of Philadelphia have allowed
themselves TO believe it, and more than
one man who has heretofore depended up
on his own energy, enterprise and talent,
TO support himself and his family, has been
convinced that if Mr. Lincoln should be
elected President he will be ruined.
We are not for Lincoln in this fight. We
cannot say that we are either for Caesar or
for Antony, for we are for Douglas, and
for him sqQarely and sincerely; but is not
all this sort Of intimation unworthy of
American citizens and sensible men Is
it not dsgraceful that mere traders in poll
tics in the Southern States, and so vile a
wretch, So unscrupalous and remorseleSs u
kRaye- IN the free States, one so utterly de-
based, privately and publicly, as the editor
Of the New Y ork Herald, and those afili-
ated with him, should be permitted to ex-
IF nf 4 y,
citizens?
These are the conjoint Influences that
threaten, in certain event, to destroy the
Union, on the one hand, and Oh the other
TO break up the foundation of credit. Ought
we not to he ashamed of ourselves, as hui
man beings, TO allow any such arguments
as these TO affect us ? it will be a dark
hour for this Republic when any citizen, con-
additionally elected to the Presidency, can
not be inaugurated and permitted to make
a trial of that high Office. Our own belief
is that no American can be chosen CHIEF
Magistrate without administering the duties
-OfAtbat Office in strict justice to all sections
of the Union. The very position itself will
make him conservative and just. He could
not be sectional if he would. He could nc
more shut his eyes to the rights of the South
than he could close his heart to the rights
of the North and we have a sufficiently
good opinion even of the worst of Mr.. Lin
coins enemies (for they too are Americar
citizens) to believe that, if he should be
triumphant IN this fight, they themselve.
would be ready to cOnsen. to be sacrificed
to the success Of his Administration.
Fellow countrymen, there will be no dis
union. Merchants and manufacturers o
Philadelphia, there will be no secession
What the enemies OF this Republic in the
South fear is, that the Northern people may
put them to the test. Vote your own sen
timents, rely upon the love that all thu
people of the United States, North anC
South, feel tor the union of these States
and the sequel will vindicate the expert
inent
q Contrast the above manly and patriotic
declaration with the miserable whining O
the State Sentinel Of the morning after tn
election. We quote as follows
The returns from Ohio and Pennsylvania
indicate Republican victories in thes
States. Indiana has probably gone tn
same way. II the Republicans have tri
umphed, we think they win find themselve
in the same condition with the man Wit
Won the elephant. They will find that de
feat would have been preferable. The De
hOCTaCy IN tuese three 0LateS nave IouSn
the battle gallantly. They have done thei
duty. Fanaticism aud treaehery have tri
umphed. Those who have sown the win,
must reap the whirlwind. The 'irrepressi
BILE conflict of Seward and Lincoln ha
commenced. No human foresight can Sc
the end. Revolutions never go backward
The modification of defeat is nothing
compared withthe anxiety which every sa
sRcious man must feel, in view Of the i'm
pending future, and at tue risk of being
called an alarmist, we would say TO our bust
ness men, our.monied men, and those o
large property interests, that they may d.
well TO temper their exultation to-day witt
little reflection upon the result of thi
sectional triumph.