The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-12-07
Letter from Secretary FIo,d.

| PNS9So "hcA tue OuusclS Oh any one can ar
rest the precipirate currents Of events or avert
| the result which an exasperated and excited
public feeling has rendered inevitable.
The agitation OF the slavery aes ton which
| has been so long and wantonly persisted In BY
Nortnern men, has produced the sectional
| alienation which is about to find it's natural
| result In the destruction of a Con federacy that
| was voluntary in its origin, and can only be
| perpetuated by the voluntary assent Of its
memoers. When that amity, which is gener-
| ally found 10 exist even between nations for.
eign to each other, ceases to exist between coz
| federated States when those comities which
| enlightened nations delight to extend 10 each
| otner, are refused TO sister States by members
| of fraternal Confederacy; when sectional
| strife and elimination usurp the place of char
| ity and kindness in the hearts of a coufed.
| Grated people; when hatred and defamation
| marx all the relations between neighbors and
partners, then separation becomes not only
| the natural and righ lful, but the inevitable re.
| sort The States OF tbs South having the
risnt 70 secede not only from the very nature
| OF federal compact, but by express reserya-
| uon on the part OF some of them at the time of
entering the Confederacy, are, in I've or six
| instances, preparing to secede from their
/ Union with partner States which have con-
yerted the legislative branch of the Federal
| Government into a mere theatre for agitating
| Inc slavery queslion--into a rostrum from
| winch to pour forth over the world denuncia-
| tlons and caiumnies against their social insti-
| tutions. Patrick Henry, one of the wisest
| amongst the founders of free institutions in
| this country, feared and predicted their over
throw by the agency of the Federal Govern
| ment. Ii he could have foreseen the use which
| one section of the ConfedeTacy would make OF
| the House Of Congress, for assailing the other
employing entire sessions, to the neglect of
| nearly all other business, in the work of api.
| tation-expending large sums of the public
| money in the publication of incendiary de-
| bates, and burdening the public mails in dis
| triouting thousands ofinflammatory speeches
| over the land, until the mere fact of the meet.
| ing or Congress is felt by a whole section as a
public calamity-he would not only have re-
| sisted the establishment of the Federal Gov
| ernment as he did, but he would have defeated
| IL at the cost OF precipitating the country into
| second revolution, before the echoes Of the
| first had died away.
| There is no doubt that Mr. Lincoln was
| elected by his party as "an extreme anti
| slavery man, and bitter opponent of the South"
| Inc North has set the example of doing with
out the South in the election of common
| President. The South is about answering this
| by allowing them to do also without her in
| the Y MON. The people acting ia mass will not
| stop In crisis to draw distinctions and split
| hairs, but rush headlong to extreme conclu-
| sloEs Ihe Southern peoples answer to the
| Nortn VIII be as oemonstrative and defiant, in
| one direction, as the elect ction of Mr.. Lincoln
| on the part OF the North, was in the other Ii
| all the Southern States shall put it to popu-
| lar vote, TO say what shall be done in the pre-
| sent crisis, the position of probably every one
| OF tnem Will be extreme. If a few secede and all
| efforts at reconciliation fail, all must sooner
| or later secede. Virginia would not, other
| border States could not stand neutral between
| North and South.
For one, am not for secession as long as any
| honorable effort can be made TO preserve the
| Union on constitutional basis, guaranteeing
| eq uallty, justice and protection to the negro
property Of the South. l shall not under take
| i'll this place, to partcularize all the measures
| or reform and policy which should be incorpo-
| rated into settlement OF the present differ
ences between the North and the South.
| cannot conceive how harmony can be perma.
| nently secured as long as Congress continue
| to be made mere debating club for agitation
| and Iucendiary appeal. The acts of the several
| Northern States, nullifying the fugitive slave
| law, being subversive of the Constitution VIC.
lative of the pIighted fai tn of confederates and
| IN conflict with The comfy Of States, ought to
| be repealed and an amendment to the Consti-
| tuition must forever prevent their re-enact-
| ment.
| But even though the principles of Settle
| ment OF the present troubles could be agreed
upon, there would be very great difficulty in
procuring their early ratification by the peopie
| of the two sections. The Northern masses
| cannot be brought at once to recede from the
| extreme and aggressive positions they have
| assumed towards the South while the South
1 tired OF broken compromises, and smarting
| from repeated and never ending insult, will De
| slow and 10th to accede to new compacts-
| Moreover, every manifestation by the South
| OF Willingness to accept terms OF reconcilia-
| tion, is at once construed by the North into a
| proof of timidty, and made the occasion of
| new Insult ana 1Dlury.
believe, however, that the great material
| interests OF the country demand a reconciIia-
| tion of the sections, and The preservation of
| the Union and rely much upon the slow.
oul certain, the silent, but potential influence
| OF thls great agency to bring about q Settle
| ment OF our present troubles. The main study
| OF all should be TO prevent any collision be-
| tween the sections, and most especially the
| shedding OF the first drop of blood. If can
| out succeed III ayerting these calamiIies, the
| great practical business interests OF the coun-
| try may, perchance, sooner or later, bring
| about d Reconstruction of the Union and a
| restoration OF harmony between the sections
1t is earnestly to be hoped thai these great
| Interests, aided by the disinterested prompt
| lngs OF sincere patrio tism, may rise in their
| power and with potential authority req uire OF
| the fanaticism or the North to abandon an
| agitation which must lead TO certain and
| swift destruction. If this shall be done, who
| can doubt that returning sense of confidence
| Will be felt by the injured and exasperated
| South, and that peace and the Union will be
| res tOred
| The American people are eminently practi-
| cal IN their temper and judgment, and also in
| their action, when they can be brought 10 de.
| liberate. They must that in terest-not
| one in the whole extent of the American con-
| tnent-can fail 10 be materially injured and
some OF them utterly annihilated, by disso-
| luton of The Union. If there is nothing in
| the majestic power of our great ConIederacy
| that can excite feeling of just pride in the
hearts OF our people--if cur seif-interests have
/
| crue to all from the respect and protection
| that follow our flag over the surface OF the
| whole globe-sureiy the desolation and misery
| which the dullest apprehension must see will
| follow IN the track OF civil war, and the con-
tempt which such an event will be certain to
| excite for US in the miEd of all Europe, ought
at least TO prompt 10 careful and wise deli D.
| Grafton before feud is commenced which
| shall become irreconcila5le.
The South should remember, that in dis
| solving the Union she annihilates a mighty
| army OF true, unSelfish and de voted friends at
| the North, who battle forever for the cons til
| tuuonaI rights OF the slave States. Without
| this great aud efficient aid the power ofaboii-
| tion fanaticism would be unbroken and un-
| checked-Wouid indeed surround the South
with wall OF fire" 1t would do more. New
| England Wouid consort with Old England in
| devising means by which the cruel and inhu =
| man philanthropy practiced by the latter in
| the West lndia islands should be repeated
| here. That religious zeal which turned away
| from all rational hope OF progress in Christian
| faith half million of Africans to the savage
| ism OF fetish worship, aad converted the fair
i est islands of the sea into desert and waste
| that English jus tice which seized upon thou
| sand millions of her subjects property and
| vaunted herself before the world for having
paid one-tenth OF its vaiue-would lind surely
| and speedily ample room, in conjunction with
| New England abolitionism, for the practice OF
| her pharisaical virtues amidst the fields OF
| Virginia and Louisiana. II the hate of New
| England abolitionists to the South il sleepless
| and maiignant-if they hope by fraud and in
direction, by agitation aRd theft, to harass the
| South and to impair the security and value OF
her slave property-all combined would, in
| my belief, be justice, honesty and fair dealing
| pared with the inexorable hate and ma
| jestic fanalicism of England directed against
| the slavery OF a dismenibered Union and a
| feared and hated commercial rival.
| Twenty-Five years more OF Union and bar
mony will concentrate the controlling com :
| mercial power Of the world in the waters OF
| New York. Then, the decline of England be.
| comes as certain as was that Of Alexandria
and Venice, and for the same cause. Instead
| of the first, she becomes third rate European
| power. But let disunion take place-iet civil