Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-12-06
An English Opinion on American
Politics

Beaten, as far as II appears at present, in
the contest, the Democratic party has re.
course to the ordinary device of the party
that finds itself the weaker In the Presiden-
tisl contest--that is, to the hackneye ed t,reat
of breaking up the Union. They said the
same ;hing four years ago, before the vic.
tory declared for them aud, as their danger
is ut present so much greater, they repest
their threat with the more e.rncstness. We
confess that our notions OF fair play are
much offended by such a threat. Those who
enter Into an election With the mental rsser-
vation that they will. no, submit,o the re-
suit unless il be favorable 20 themselves,
ore guilty Of the same kind OF unfarness as
those who play at cards with the intention
of receiving If they win, aud refusing to pay
il they lose. For ourselves, we confess that
we have little faith in these demonstrations.
Threatened men live long" and the Amer.
ican C,nfederacy is bound together, by
cords far too strong TO be served BY a little
idle ga,conade.
The threatened separation Of the South
from the North Is like the threa, of one Of
our own colonies TO declare itself indepen.
dent. II is The threat Of doing great deal
Of mischief to themselves in order to do a
very little mischief TO US. In the six mil
lions of blacks that are withihsher bound1r.
les, the South has q formidable army Of
domestic enemies, and II any vne wishes to
Judge OF the terror which these domestic
eoemies excite, let him refer TO the fright
ful scenes which are perpetrsied in the
State or Texas, with crueHy which moth.
ing but the most abiect fear could account
for. There would be little wisdom in separa-
ting from tho Free States. who are bound to
ass st in maintaining the Federal authority
throughout the Union, in order the more
effectually TO Isolate the white In case OF
conflict with the black population.
II can, moreover, hardly be douoted that
the Northern Slove States. Virginia, Ken
tucky and Missouri, would become free, and
Join the Northern Confederation; 90 that
the remsin:ng States would find themselves
deplorsbly weakened, and probably weak.
ened, and probably at the mercy OF any
powerful country that might oboose to make
war upon them, with the assistance of their
oiuvoes uAdtlou Woutu tuCTcuSc ho beCufIly
dim nished, and the expenses Of a Fedora
Government would have to be support ed
with resources already severely taxed by
the expense of local admin istration. Such
a Confederacy would have in It none of the
principles OF incresse, while the resources
of the North ard West would 20 on multi.
plying themselves by the same course Of
successful industry Us heretofore.
For these and many other reasons which
Il is quite unnecessary to expiate upon, we
Hpprehend that the men ofthe South, how
ever loudly they may talk now. will be In no
hurry after election to put their threats into
execution. They will think 1t better to
wait and see what kind Of man President
Lincoln turns out to before they commit
themselves to a s'ep SO dsrgerc US and SO
ir: etrivable The experience Of America as
well as Of England tells them that the occu.
pant Of Office is often very different per.
son from the candidate. While q candidate.
While candidate he has only to satisfy his
own party; when in Office, he mist seek to
give reasonable satisfaction to both II From
the London Times.