The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-12-06

tical test, and placed beyond the possibility
Of doubt.
1t should be matter Of rejoicing to all
true Republicans that they will now have an
opportunity of demonstrating to their-politi.
cal adversaries and the world that they are
not for interfering with the domestic institu-
tons ofany Of the States. nor the advocates
of negro-equality nor amalgamation, with
which political demagogues have so often
charged them. When this is shown, a reac.
ton will assuredly take place in favor of Re.
publicanism The Northern mind even will
be satisfied, the rights of Northern men will
be respected, and the fraternal feeling exist
ing in olden times, when men from all parts
of the country went forth together to battle
for common cause against common ene-
my, will be restored.
Disunionsts per Sc, Of whom unfortunate
" there have been few in the country for
some years, understand this, and are now in
hot haste to get out of the union precisely
because they perceive that they cannot much
longer maintain an apprehension among the
Southern people that Their homes and their
firesides and their lives are to be endangered
by the acton of the Federal Govern
ment. With such, "Now or never
is their maxim and hence they seek to in
flame the public mind by misrepresenting
the objects and purposes of the Republican
party, with the hope of preciptating the
Southern States into position from which
they cannot, without dishonor afterwards
recede. well knowing if they delay till after
the new administration IS inaugu-ated and
tested, it will furnish no cause for their
complaint. Secession is an impracticability
or rather an impossibilty. The Constitu-
ton provides no way by which State may
withdraw from the Union; no way for the
dissolution Of the Government it creates--
The General Government interferes but lit
! tie with the individual rights Of the citizens
except for protection. It's chiefly felt in its
benefits and its blessings, not in its actions.
If every Federal officer in South Carolina
were to resign, their Offices remain vacant,
and its Legislature declare the State out of
the Union, it would all amount to little ex-
cept to inconvenience the citizens of the
tState. So long as the State did not inter
fere with the collection of revenue on the
seaboard, the people in other portions of the
i Union would not be in the least incumbent.
What is the South Carolina army to do
when raisedp Whom is it to fight? Man
ifestly If it commences war on the United
States officers engaged in collecting the rev.
enue, it becomes the aggressor. This would
be revolution and making war without a
cause; for South Carolina makes no COM
plaiat against the present revenue laws. Is
she prepared to thus become the aggressor
The only use can see f)- her Minute Men
is that they will enable the people the more
readily to suppress any uprising in their
midst, which their misrepresentation of the
purposes of the Republicans may have en-
couraged. She complains that the fugitive
slave law is not executed in some of the
!, States. This, if true, the whole country
knows to be sham, so far as South Carolina
is concerned: she is so situated that no
slave can escape from her limits into free
States. However much cause the border
slave States may have to complain Of the es-
cape Of their negroes into the free States, it
is clear South Carolina can have no such
complaint. In her resolves she PROCESSES to
be preparing to defend herself against en-
croachments on her rights. Let her adhere
to this policy, and not attempt to dictate to
tother States what they shall do, and no col
lision will occur, for no encroachments will
be made. ~ .-
/ The disunion feeling in the South is
doubtless greatly exaggerated A sort Of
terrorism seems to prevail in some places,
which for the time appears to have crushed
out any manifestation Of Union sentiment !;
but as the causes Of this excitement are all
imaginary. the election of a Republican Pres
ident in the constitutional mode, certainly
1oAotuHiS tAo SACusS,, ~ ~ Tcd~ounDto W sup
pose that reaction will soon take place
among the Southern people themselves,
which will overthrow the disunionists at
home 1t is great mistake tc class the
supporters Of Breckenridge as disunionists.
His supporters, as class, are, doubt lot,
as sincerely attached to the Union as many
Of those who, for political purposes, during
the recent excited contest, sought to fastan
upon them the stigma Of disunion. Should
I tho conservative aud Union men in any par
ticular locality, be enabled to cope with their
adversaries, and South Carolina, or any 9TH
er State under the lead Of nullfiers and dis.
unionists, who have for years been seeking
a pretext for breaking up the government.
plunge into rebellion, and, without cause,
assail by force of arms the constitutional au-
thorities Of the Union, there will be but one
sentiment among the great mass of the peo-
/ pic Of all parties :. Tns luton 1t must and
shall be pressrvea," and woe to the traitors
who are marshalled against it.
Should any Republican inquire what has
been gained by the triumph Of Republican
ism. answer much. We have gained 4 de-
cision Of the people in favor Of the Pacific
Railroad; a Homestead bill policy, = judi