Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1860-12-20

From tho commencement OF the present
unfortunate excitement in tho political affairs
of our once happy country. We have dlsap-
proved the course Of South Carolina, aud in
sisted that II there should DO disruption Of
tho government, the whole Of the Slave States
should form one confsderacy. We are glad
to fne that similar viows are entertained BIZ
that influential and ably edited journal, the
Richmond Wing.
In an able article defining ito position, the
Wing proposes the following programme for
the purpose Of settlOing our difficulties:
In the first place, then, wo arc for exhaust.
ing all rational and honorable sxpedients for
obtaining redress OF Southern grievances in
the Uuion, before taking up our hats and
walking out Of the Union. To this end we
are tor a State Conventon-for q Conven-
ton of the Southern States-and for a gen.
eral Convention of all the States. And if,
through the instrumentalty Of these various
Conventions, we cannot effect an adjustment
of the differences and difficulties existing DO.
tween the North and the South, then We are
in favor not Of secession but Of separation up
on fair and Just terms to be arranged by the
aforesaid Convention Of all the States In the
terms Of separation, il no adjustments can be
had and separation must come we shall do.
mand fair and equitable division of all the
property ofthe United States, including, of
course, the South's just proportion of tho ar
my and navy. Ifsuch division OF the army and
navy, and of all the public property of the
United States, including likewise the public
domain, should he refused us by the North
ern States, then We shall be in favor Eeithsr
of peaceabie Secession nor OF peaccutls sop
Grafton but Of immediate war. and war to
the knife, and war to the bitter sud"
In referring to the policy Of the Cotton
States, especially South Carolina, the Wing
employs language very similar to that We
used some two or three weeks since It says:
AS 20 the thing you call pcaceable secss-
sion--such secession as South Carolina and
other States are now preparing for-we con
slider it unmanly and cowardly in the high
cat degree. Instead OF involving q den and
for and defense Of our rights, It is a run
ming away from our rights, and running a.
way from duty, and a rnnning away from
responsibility. 1t 10 q remedy fer nothing
it is alike base abandonment of our rights
and compromise of our honor. And yet
our Sister States of the extreme South, and
many persons Ia Our own aud other border
States, seem to consider it great poirt gain
ed-a mighty triumph achievod--if they can
only be graciously aloeed by the North to
peaceabty seceds. leaving all the valuable
rights in tho army and the navy and the
public property behind them! As for our
selves we ask no such miserable and disgrace
full boon at the hands Of the Northern States.
We ask of them no boon at all. But we de-
mand of the North, whether We stay in the
Union or 60 out Of II, ouI rights and all our
rights, political or pecuniary, down to the
last atom or the last farthing. We moan to
run away from none of them. Wo intend
to seccde from none Of them. On the ccu-
trary, II 1t comes to the worst, and separation
becomes inevitable, we mean to take oil our
rights along with us, p'acably, II we can for
cibly,if we must. Never, neper will we con-
sent TO peacedble secession of Virginia from
the Northern States, unless the Northern
States themselves consent TO a fair and equi-
table division of evsry:particls of public prop
crty DOW belonging to the United States. II
South Carolina and the other Gulf States are
short-sighted and unmanly enough to indulge
In the luxury of peaceable secession. at the,
sacrifice OF tho immense rights they poscss 10
the army and navy and The public property
Of tie Union, We shall regret and deploro