Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-11-14
W WHOLE NO. 94S.
, win tine south secede.

This is question often asked. but nC
one seems competent to answer it, Will
the South secede because Mr.. Lincoln II
elected. appears to be the first question
uppermost in the minds Of all. We sup
pose no one is able to answer this question
aud we will have to wait for the svert act
That South Carolina will attempt to secede
there can be but little doubt. We do 80,
see how she can maintaip any consiste scy
and DO otherwise. She has clustered 60
much. gassed so much and threatened SO
much that il is now difficult to understand
how she can help making the attempt
The attempt however. is as far ss she W i'll go
The sober second thought Of her people
will restrain her hot headed politicians
whec the hour Of tisl comes. For one
State to secede from this Union, 10 a diC-
herculesn undertaking II this Unioa be-
longed 10 few Southern fire eaters, we
have no doubt il would be dissolved-de-
stroyed. IL it wss not for the eoussrva
tive and national element in the South and
the Union loving patriotism which prevails
throughout the entire Republican party,
this Union might be dissolved. In short,
II 1t was not that great majority of the
American people were opposed to secess
ion aud disunion. dismemberment of the
Federal Government might take place.
But this Government is one Of msiorities
the majority must rule, and the msjori-
ty is sopposed to secession or dissolution.
We have said that South Carolina will
attempt to secede, and we think she will
60 no further. How can she go further?
lnsurmountable difficulties will meet her
at every turn. II she secedes, she is de.
stroyed. and if Southern confedracy is
sought to be established, it can not main
tain itself. Within its very heart, turks
an insedious foe that will sap ITS life blood
and destroy its power. A foe that only
waits the moment to strike. and il will
strike. A foe that will always be a foe
always, so long as the lsve Of individual
freedom is innate in the human heart, and
liberty is lisped by the human tongue.
The South without her slaves might be-
come sn independent empire but with them
she never can. She must have the assistance
Of the Free States to protect her from her
own institution. She must be protected or
she will be destroyed.
Whether even South Carolina will at
tempt secession nov, or wait for Mr.. Lin
coins Inauguration. il is difficult at pres
ent, to determine. We rather think, how
ever. she will remain still until after the
4th of March. She may seek to regard his
Inauguration as the overt act. and then
make the attempt. The attempted seces-
sion may consist simply in refusing to hold
Office in the Federal Goyernment--a with
drawal Of her Senators and Representatives
from Congress and the asking OF as to re
cognize her as sovereign and indepen-
dent government. The result of this
would be, in the first place many Of
her citizens would lose good offices and
and pleasant positions, and in the next
place she would be laughed at for her au-
dacity and presumption. If, however, the
attempted secession should consist In seiz
ing upon government property in the Stale
Of South Carolina, and refusing to pay
into the Federal Treasury the moneys be.
longing to the General Government; that
il. treason, and death is and Of right ought
70 be penalty. 10 this case il is ques.
ton Of power-whether this Federal Gov
ernmet can suppress rebellion within her
own borders. In this case, IL South Caro-
lima 10 more powerful than all the rest OF
the States combined she will succeed. IL
not she will fail, and quiet will again be
restored.
II is somewhat difficult for an American
citizen to contemplate the secession Of one
of those States from the sisterhood, or for
dissolution Of this Union. 1t is conten-
ded by but few the right to secede
and nothing but revolution can dissolvs
the Union. Revolution, 1t is said. be-
comes right by success and wrong when
uneessful. In revolution the stronger tr
jumps and the weaker 60 down. We arr
impressed with the idea that n revolution
would rebound to the advantage Of th'
masses in South Carolina and perhaps il
all the Southern States, but they can nev
er thus break off their allegiance to thi
Federal Government. II this governmen
Of ours is worth preserving, it is wort
fighting for--worth fighting for with a
the hsroism Of mans most courageous ma
ture-worth fighting for "untiI the la
armed foe expires"-worlh sighting fo
against foes without aud traitors within.
But whether South Carolina will seced
OF uot-vhether she will attempt 10 81
eede OF not-whether this Union will
dissolved or not. or whether there will
an attempted dissolution or not, renal.
to be seen. The North, the freedom To-
ing North, the Union loving North-th
Republican North has but to wait an
wstch--wait and see what is 10 be done
wait and prevent secession and dissolutiof