Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-11-16
Secession no Great Thing, if Done

however. to do t. EN- credit, take the m TIER =
IS coolly as the Republicans, and n'ne-t TENNIS i.
# the people of the North, including hepuo-
leans. Democrats and Bell men, unite IN
the conduct of the oou'hefh
rs foolish and criminal.
just to show, however, the utter chiid'sn
ness of the whole secession movement, ano
now little danger there is of the South per
hitting these blusterers even to str a musclt =.
towards secession, let our readers LOOK az tnis
statement:
What is secession? 1t is the Withdrawal
of State from the Federal Government
What is the control that the Federal Govern
ment exercises in any State? Only over
very few matters. They are these: Inc
appointment of United States Judges, Mar
shals. Attorneys, Postmasters and Col ectofs.
That is the substance of the whole power
exercised by the United States Government
in any State. Now. what is the effect q
secession? Why, merely the refusal to have
U. s. Postmasters, Judges, Marshals and
Collectors.
Now, apply the matter to ourselves sn'
see how secession would work. Let us
suppose that the State of Iowa should go INTO
q pout because Soutt Carolina would not vote
to suit her, and her Legislature and Governor
with the concurrence of the people, were 10
resolve to secede Gov. k,rkwood woaio
send word to Uncle Sam that we did not want
anv more Federal officers here; that we mao
seeded What do you suppose President
Lincoln would do? Order out the army ano
the cannon, and General Scott, and march
across the river, and burn our houses AM Xii
our citizens? No such nonsensei Weappre-
bend that all Mr. Lincoln would do would ot
to sit down and very promptly write quiet
note to Gov. Kirkwood to the effect that, II
the people of Iowa didn't want any Post
masters, Judges and Marshals, they needn'
have them; that he was very we'll satisfied to
be rid of the bother of appointing them; and
that they need lot give themselves any IN
necessary alarm about the matter. Ana We
apprehend, judging from present appearances
that, upon the receipt of that letter, the can
didates for post offices alone would raise such
q oo,her about Gov. Kirawood's ears that he
would be glad to drop line, as soon as pos
sible. to President Lincoln, informing him
that the State of Iowa had needed into the
Union again.
Just as with Iowa, so with South Carolina,
will secession result practically as nothing but
the foolish pout of a spanked child, VINO
refuses to eat its supper to spite its mother
If mother will just let it alone, supper will ee
very quietly taken before the table is cleared.
All at the President has to say to the Leg
islature and Governor of South Carolina is:
Gentlemen, if you don't want your mails
nor the privileges OF the q. 5. Courts, nor the
expenditures of the Custom House money at
your ports, all right will not trouble you
with them glad to see you take care oil
yourselves hope you success!
Let us see what would be the result to the
Federal Treasury:
The Post Office receipts Of South Carolina in
1s55 we're S9l 500
Evnenditures 1926
Net gain of 500, 1884
We have not the Custom House figures
near us, but we are of the opinion that the
receipts of the Charleston Custom House do
not greatly exceed the Government expend-
lures there The expenses of the Federal
Courts are all paid out of the Fedora Treasury
So that the South Carolinians would have the
extreme pleasure of going without these Offices
and their benefits, of relieving the National
Treasury from the loss Of some 100000
yearly, Of paying high taxes, and Of seeing
their negroes run off without any chance OF
recapture-and all for what? For the sake
Of depriying President Lincoln Of the trouble
of appointing few hundred Postmasters,
Judges, &c., in their State, and eSpendins
some OF the Federal money among them.
Instead of having war, thunder, fire, blood,
and all the horrors which the Boo dpos see
in their dreams, all that would come Of the
most serious secession possible would be that
the United States Government, like wise
parent, would 90 quietly CO, lettirg the South
Caro!inians take care Of themselves and pay
for the fun, until they got tired of it, or, q:
furthest, until slave insurrection would
scare them to death, and send them screaming
to the q. s. Army for . few marines to
protect them.
,Es,e Secret Egeas0I, fer Secession.