Gazette and sentinel., 1860-12-22
GAM1lE { SENTINEL.
Cooperation.
From the Crescent.

lnB out vi the CnIon--laVe simply to
reflect a moment to discover that such
o thing is now utterly impossible. Even
we're it advisable, it is now too late.
South Carolina met in convention YES
terday, and will bc out of the Union to,
day or to morrow, probably-certaihly
within a few days. So that it is now
manifestly impractieable to have the
cooperation" which some Of our friends
deem 80 desirable. Several of the South.
ern States have not even called their
legislatures together. This preliminary
. step has to be followed by the election
Of delegates to a convention, the as
sembling of a convention, and the nc.
ton, whatever 1t may be, that the con-
vention may recommend. How can W.
have Cooperation in the matter OF
Withdrawing from the Onion, when fuur
or FIVE OF the Southern ;tates will be
out before the remainder have even
taken the inltiatory steps for with
drawal! South Carolina. Alabama and
Mississippi could not low wait tor CO.
operation, even were they 50 disposed.
But, with all Difference 10 the opin-
ions of others, we do not consider the
plan Of Corporation" previous 10 with.
drawal, a desirable one. We must 20
back 10 the beginning, tn view this
thing in its proper light. When the
Union was formed, it was by the sopar-
ate, voluntary, independent action of
each State. The States did not ''co-
operate" to see whether they would &C.
cept the Union or reject it. On the con
trsry. each State, in her own indivi.
dual, sovereign capacity, decided tn
question for herself. Some agree
10 go into the Union at once-GtEers
held back and hesitated. In some States
they had long and doubtful suug-lrs.
Delaware was the first State Ia ralify
the Constitution, December Sth. 1881
Virginia ratified il June 26th, l7SS.
North Carolina waited until November
2lst, 1859, while little Rhode Island.
which was the last to com" in. did not
do so until May %, 1890. The new
Government, in fact, went into opera.
ton on the 4ih Of Mo-. 1889, before
North Carolina and Ride Island had
confirmed the constitution. Yet these
two States, subsequently coming in ,
were treated as Ii t.,eJ ADD been ia tie
Union at the beginning. ,
The States having gone into the Uu- ,
Ion separately, it is maniiustiv proper =
that they should come out III the same
way. Each State elected for herself T
whether she should 60 into the Union !,
or not; and this she did without "co- :
operation with the others. To cooper. :
ate, now, would look as if the States !
separately were afraid to resume their =
sovereignty, but had to huddle together "
and back each other up, as if danger y
a~pprehendcd, and it were safest
to divide the responsibility. Such is ,
not the temper or the feeling of the |
and we are anxious that the idea c
cooperation shall not be so inter S
,reted.
The powers which the States granted u
o the Federal Government under the =
constitution, were granted by the State h
governments on their own independent +,
a~Otion--and it is therefore, in accord !,
nee with tic fitness of things that !,
nese powers be resumed in the same i
way that they were yielded-that is, by f.
State action, each State acting n,
ot herself. .a Z,
The argument holds equally good h,
'ith respect to States subsequently ad- n
nltted as i'll regard to the old thirteen. 10
'ach ncw State has been admitted ''up- .,
n an equal footing" with the rest. II
hey are all upon terms Of absolute n
Each new State is thus en- ar
lied to all the rights, privileges and ri
OF those which originally ra- ",
Ted the constitution. -
The proper time for cooperation is af- -
the act Of separate withdrawal. r.,
there will be cooperation between ~.
! the seeding States, beyond all ques- ~,
vi this there can be 10 doubt. 90
} mat o who wish for cooperation
10 q united South have only to wait -,
lti the States are independent, when -,
ere will be a full and free Communion SD'
aong them, and we have little doubt, IL,
southern Confederacy for mutual de- ''U
nee ana protection. That this is the g.
among the different States we -.
no further proof than the act of ~
ndlng commissioners to the others. ~. ~
nich several OF the Southern States 'H'
aawd doing. The cause of IA all j. are
cause-our interests are the ~ y
institutions the same, our Tue
'ople homogeneous, and we have be- SN
&c Us a coInmon career Of prosperity. sn
a~epeadcnce and happiness. We will uee
.sufatJ De drawn together into a com- u
% bond of Union, including even ina
! Border States as they are called,
ulca may be a little slower than the (
-, out are bound eventually to cast iar@