The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-08-22
Lincoln's Election In the South-The
Disunion Question.

pisunion Question.
Under the above caption,he New York
Herald, in an elaborate article, his some
very forcible remarks. The concluding
portion Of it il as follows
The admission Of the whole of Califor
mia in 1850 ss a free State destroyed the
equilibrium between the North and the
South in the Senate, and made the States
stand sixteen free States against fifteen
slave States. The Sonth being thus
turned over to the mercv of the North in
both houses Of Congress, very great
sensation followed iu the Southern States.
Thus. in 1854, the pre- existing Demo.
cratic and Wing parties were superseded
in South Carolina. Georgia, Alabama
and Mississippi by a Southern rights. or
secession party, and an opposing Union
party. The secessionists were signally
defeated in all said States, Howell Cobb,
the Union candidate for Governor ia
Georgia, leading off with majority of
nearly 10000. But in south Carolina
the issue was not betw cen Union and dis
union, but between independent and col
operative secession. The CO operatiouists
succeeded. and as no other States came
TO the rescue, South Carolina was COM
PEELED to "wait little longer"
The action Of South Carolina, however,
was upon the comparatively narrow issue
OF submitting to the destruction Of lac
second equilibrium in the Senate by the
admission OF California giving the North
in that body thirty'two members, against
thirty for the South. Now how stands
the case ? Since 1850 two more free
States-Minnesota and Oregon-bave
been admitted, giving the North Ssna,
torial majority Of six. Kansas will be
admitted this next winter, which will in.
crease the majority to eight. Should
"Honest Old Abe's" Administrations 90 on
smoothly, Nebraska. Washington, Chip.
pewa, Idaho. Nevada anG Arizona will
be added to the free list. making q sena.
torial majority oftwenty against the slave
States, and majority against them OF
perhaps one hundred in the House.
The question, therefore, OF Union or
disunion, will have to be settled with
Lincoln's election, because acquiescence
on the part Of the Southern States 20 his
administration will soon result in such an
accumulation Of Northern anti slavery
strength in every department o: the gov.
ernment as to render any subsequent
Southern secession movement, under any
provocation, utterly y foolish and impo,ent.
The position Of the Southern States will
be like that Of tue Italian States after the
the European peace Of 1915 They will
be put completely under the thumb of
their Northern masters. Hence it is that
there is large party in South Carolina
ready, in the event Of Lincoln's election,
to take the initiative, like Garibaldi. and
70 trust in the chances Of co operation.-
Thia is the danger to which Mr.. Orr 40
pointedly refers. de is a conservative
and captious man, and does not wish 10
risk too rsshly the chances of terrible
civil war.
The simple truth is, that in submitting
to Lincoln's election, the South must be
content to prepare deliberately for the
abolition OF slavery from Delaware to
Texas. This is exactly what this thing
means. The will aud the power will be
given, with Lincoln's election, TO a party
founded upon this zone idea," and
pledged TO this work and they will do
it. Hence it is, perhaps. that we find
this apparent general Indifference in the
South to their own ticke. Of Breckin.
ridge and Lane. Southern men like Mr..
Orr give it up, and are casting about
what to do, not TO defeat, but to meet
Mr.. Lincoin's election. /. is enough for
them that sll the Southern States will be
against Lincoln 10 any event, and that
the responsibility Of his election will rest
upon tho disordered conservative ranks
OF the North.
Stupid, indesd, must be our managers
and leaders Of the Northern forces op
posed 10 Lincoln, if they do not know
that With them will rsst the responsible
~ for his election, and for the terrible
consequences which may follow il. The
establishment OF the Republicans party in
power at Washington will mark new
epoch, which will be signslized either for
the abolition Of slavery throughout the
Union, or the division OF the Union into
two independent confedsracies, with Eng-
land and France, on the cotton question,
spstaipipg the confsdsrscy Of the South.