New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-11-03
THE SECESSION HUnBUG.

After all the talk and parade about Seces-
sion ard DisuDOn, not single State can be named
whi,h shows any disposition to lead offin that line.
If correct information to the real condition of
Southern sentiment on the subject is to be ex.
pested anywhere il may be looked for in The
Charleston Mtrcu1g which has made Secession its
special hobby FOR twenty years past. l; must be
evident to everybody who reads that journal that
The Mercu-y has not the slightest faith in the ex-
istence of any real disposition the part of the
Southern people, however loudly individuals may
talk. f. mtke the election of Lincoln an occasion
for breaking up the Union. 1t scouts the idea that
South Carolina should in that event send Commits
sOners to the other Southern States to ask their
operation III some scheme of DisunIOD. 1t
has no belief in the possibility of bringing
the Southern States, or even the cotton
States, to take simultaneous steps having secession
in view. 1t totally dis the dlsuniOn courage
of suy ether State except South C3rOliGa, and it
constantly reiterates the declaration that the only
pay to accomplish anything is for South Carolina
10 set the example Of secession in hopes that It's
safety ard possibility having thus been shown,
other States may be led TO follow her example.
Even il the case OF South Carolina, it relies entire
ly upon the effect of sudden impulse. If anything
is to be accomplished it must be done at once,
Immediately upon news OF LiDcOln's election. 1t
will not do to wait for bic tauguratOn, much less
for any overt act on the part of his Administra-
ton.
But while thus urging South Carolina to take the
fatal leap, The Mercury BIAS evidently lit lie or no
hopes OF succeed, G. 1t is too familiar with the
past history Of that State to expect with any con-
tidence, aUy such act Of seif-devOtiOn The major
ity of the intelligent Shareholders of South Carolina
have always managed to defeat the schemes of the
hot-heads who more than once have f1attered them
selves with the idea that they had secured a
msority of the Legislature committed to secession
Secession, even ia that State, however q certain
number of fanatics may have believed in it, has
always been regarded, even by those who have
threatened it most loudly, as nothing more
than q scarecroH, not thing to be put
INTO actual execution Before getting fright
sned at the threat of secession, it VIII be
well TO recollect that even in the slavehOldiog
.Stsfss themselves. there are other parties
f. be COZ suited. beside the Shareholders, before
any aeps can be taken 10 that direction. W hat
interest have the non. savehOlding whites IN lhe
dissolution Of the Union? Yet it is only By oo-
tanning Their consent and cooperation tnat any
thing can be dOue. Even the shareholders them-
selyea are divided at this moment into three par
ties. If they canrot unite on the question OF elect
ing President, are they likely to agree on the
vastly more momentous question of separating
from the Union?
1t very easy to dissolve the Union on paper;
but practically, as South Carolina has found in her
twenty Eve years Of labor 10 that end very grea'
obstscles stand in the way. Political ties might
be severed with comparative ease, but the social
and Commercial ties which bind the Union 10
gesler could only be severed after desperate
strugOle