The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1860-11-14
Important Letter from Charles
O'COnnOr ON Secession.
New YoeK, Oct. 20, 1860.

meeting at New Rochelle, on the I'd OF Noveln
Der, is acknowledged as personal compliment
and ii would be accepted with great pleasure bu
for the pressure of other occupations All tim,
eod effort at my disposal for public purposes arr
faithfully so devoted in this city, where, in my
own Judgment, can serve most efficiently
This consideration alone compels me to decline
Our system of government is the best human
skill has ever framed; but 1t was accepted b,
wise and rejecting men with more Of humble
hope that under Divine protection, itmight long
endure and bless our people, than Of absolute
confidence that it must necessarily hold them
together in unity and amity throughout all time.
1t was foreseen by Washington himself that at
tempts might be made TO alieuaie portions of our
country from the rest by enreebling 'fhe sacred
ties which link together the various parts /" nor
did he deem it unfit to admonish us that, howey.
e. strongly patriotic emotions might influence
us to ''frown upon" all such attempts, the coa-
siderations springing from that source were
greatly outwcighed by those which apply more
Immediately to our interest" "IIcre," says he,
'eycry portion of our country finds the most
commanding motives for carefully guarding aud
preserving the Union of the whole" To this
aspect of affairs would invite attention.
1t is now too near the ordeal of November for
efectual argument or adequate reflection upon
any of the religious moral, political or econom-
zeal questions connected with negro slavery
The various opinions which now exist amongst
orr people as to the justice or injustice of that
ihstIution--thc necessity of continuing it, or
the duty of supprcsslng it--widely as they con-
fct, are nevertheless too fixed, too deeply seat
ed, for any change In individual belief within the
brief space that lies between the stream of po.
liical events now flowing by our doors, and the
brink towards which it may be tending
Tie interests OF the South are considered 10
he inierwoven with the continuance of negro
slavery Wheeler it be a wise or en- unw,e
''ew OF The sryject, srch is ne prevailing opiI-
iOh ia that section OF orr country.
There has ari-cn ia the North party avowed-
IL hostile to thai Institution, and pledged to dis
courage it and TO labor for is extinction by all
peaceful means which the constitution does not
positively forbid-as that instrument is under
stood and interpreted by the party and its lead
moral war now raging against The social ar,!nae-
meDts Of The South he's ever been expressed by
any one If as Washington asserts, the
of sclfintcrest be more commanding
motives on such occasions than even paI ioti>ul.
what may VIC apprehend when, in defiance End
nf Il
from the South, the united North shall have
spoken as one man. thrown its irresistible weight
in favor of that sectional party, and invested it
with The supreme power? There caa be but |
one answer 10 this question. Sooner or later
"the sacred Ties which now link together" the
North and The South must be sundercd. How
closely the inevitable effect will follow the cause
may be matter of speculation, but it can olv |
be question of time. When those shall gov |
en- thc confederacy who pronounce Southern
lie utter "b?Ibalism," and denounce as ",he srm |
of all villainics" practice on which that whole |
scciol sustains ITSELF the South must seccde, II |
secession be practicable. 1t is practicable. Ii
is capable of accomplishment with the utmost |
facility and it is the extreme of folly in North
e. men, who either from patriotism or selfin-
teicst are averse to it, 10 deem it distant o..
improbable evil.
Where no complete and Independent power Of
local government exists in the discontcnted sec
tons, revolutions are faught with extreme i'm
mediate danger to the actors, and demand much
Sd i'll and capacity as well as courage in conduct
ing The preparatory and intiatory steps A
small band of individuals are obliged to conspi c,
as it were with haters around their necks, in |
some secret place, without color of right in their
fl st plottings or subsequent action. Their pro-
ceedngs are, throughout in plain violation of
all law, and in opposition to all the existing con-
sttuted authorities. Men of any prudence will |
long endure great evils before involving tdcm-
selves in the perils attendant on such enterpli-
ses. But the case is far different when, in
like ours, the desire to secede an
mai es an effective majority in particular Stale
No secret conspiracy is there needed Treason
if treason it may be called-needs no mask 10
conceal IFS features, or secret hiding place IN
which to perfect its designs The traitors-ifN !
traitors they may be called-have a regularly.
md lawfully constituted government already ia
Gleir bands, aud subject TO their direction They
lDve an executive, aLeSislature, and judicisi v
they have an army, arsenals and arms they
have complete corps Of administrative officers,
filing every department. in due subordinatioa
10 tlcir accustomed chief the Governor. He,
TOO, holds his Office under State authority alone
The seal Of the United Confederacy is not found
upon his commission. He wears no badge OF
Official subordmation TO any power. His oficisl
is only to the people of his own
State IN their court Of impeachments. Internal
order will exist pursuant to the legislative will
I'D external defence, pursuant 10 the executive
may be arranged at the very instant
a les islatiye act declares the secession The few
officials OF the central or federative government
to be found within the Stale must 20 with tbeir
fellow-citizens, or go instantly into Sis;e prs-
on. The federative voice, which an hour before
was'The supreme law of the land, can no long
er command within the State the means Of is
suing or serving legal process. 1t is only
known as a foreign and hostile power, which
may probably send an assailing military force
lgainst the State, and which, in that event is to
be treated and resisted as any other public En-
envy. Until that foreign enemy shall assail her