Smyrna times., 1860-11-22
The Secession Movement.

The Secession Movement.
The Secession panic in the Southern States
continues to ill large space in every issue Of
the daily press, and occupies an unusual inter-
est in the public mind, particularly in the CT.
ties, where there are Thousands whose very
exlstence depends upon harmonious and frateI-
nal relations between lie North and South
La the rural sections ct the North it eXcites as
yet but ltle feeling, the most of the people
there thinking that "a they went SO far in their
blusie before the election, that decent show
of consistency, if nothing else, will require
them to buster and threaten fer few weeks
longer. While many of the dispatches from
the S,oth are highly exaggerated, and cause
many to look upon the whole affair as farce,
and while there may DC an undue feverishness
in the stock and money market of the cities, it
is Idle 10 deny that he Secession movement Is
assuming formidable proportions. No one
doubts that South Carolina is thoroughly in
favor of It,-and all she waits for is to ascer.
tain whether she will be sustained by other
Southern States. AS to the state Of public
sentiment in Georgia-the most important Of
these States-lt is not easy TO arrive at any
satisfactory conclusion. On the one side it ia
represented as nearly unanimous for secession,
on the other, as certain to vote against it.-I
There is, however, very uIrong party in that
State, as also in Florida, Alabama and Misss-
sppi, 10 its favor. But it is perfectly idle TO
attribute great importance to the reports that
come from day to day Of movements in those
State, of public meetings., of private declara-
tIons, of raising troops, &C., as if these incl
deuts could decide any thing, or even afford any |
firm basis for predicting the future.
One thing is evidenI:-the movement is too
deliberate not 10 be terIoUs. Hasty action,
rash violence, has been carefully avoided. All
that has been done thus far in any of the
States, has been to call conventions and SUBJ
nit the matter to the action of the people
through their delegates. 1t is obvious that
upon the decision OF these conventions the
whole thing will turn. We are not prepared
to believe that any State convention, except
that II South Carolina, will decide to secede
on lne instant, and without conditions. South
Carolina, we presume, will ask nothing but the
promise Of support But we doubt whether
any other State will proffer that support with
out first requiring a general conference of the
Southern States; and probably fresh attempt
to secure what they consider their essential
rights at the hands oftLe Federal Government
The Tribune, day or two since, declared
its determination to favor the secession of the {
southern states that might desire to leave the
Union:
Whenever" said the Tribune, ga whole
section of this Republic, whether a half,
third, or only fourth, shall truly desire and {
demand a separation from The residue, we shall
as earnestly favor such separation. - ,
Whenever the people OF the Cotton States
shall have definitely and decsively made up
their minds to separate from the rest of us, v
shall urge that the proper steps be taken to
give full effect TO their decision" ,
There are mauY at the North, says New
York paper, undoubtedly, besides the ultra {
AEol,tionists, who have aimed at such result
for years,-who would concur ia this view Of
the case. But whatever may be its merits, y
there is but one way in which such a separa- a
ton can be accomplished, and that is by an O
amendment of the Constitution. Congress |
cannot assent to secession, for it would be sim I
pie suicide. If Congress can sever the Union q
into two parts, it may into twenty. If Congress q
Can release one State from allegiance to the i
Constitution, it may release them all. Any
such theory would give Congress the power to
abolish the Constitution. Nor can the several
states assent TO secession, fer ihey have no
more power to destroy the Constitution than ?
Congress has.
Ii the Southern States desire any change in
their relations TO the Union, let them seek
those changes 10 che way provided, namely,
through amendments TO the Constitution. Lei
them, IT they choOse,-subEnit alternate propo- 0
sItions,--and demand either such additional :.
guarantees as they require, or if they be re. :
fused, permission TO Withdraw from the Union u
There can be no difficulty in devisng such n
scheme. III The several State conventions see il
ht to PronouDcs in favor of it, they can easily
assemble General convention to put il into
shape and provide for its submission to Con. :
gress and the individual States. Ii may in 7
solss delay. bot certainly 30 grave matter
should not be decided hastily o