New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-11-15

has been stationary, if not diminishing for Ieh
wears past. What claim has this stationary, anu'
comparcd with the whole extent OF the Sohth'
this RAPIDLY declining State, to undertaketo lay down
tbe law toallthe other Southern States Great men,
distinguished Statesmen, known for their taloh.s,
their patriotism. their sound Judgment inlgns
s,ond in nlacc of wealth and numbers. but
.uro,, ON tbis score South Carolina has nothing
in boost The genius of Calhoun gave her
certain temporary ascendency but Ca'houo Has
been dead these ten years, and the present race
If soutb Carolina politicians are OF quite an III
feriOr order. :,
Even if South Carolina had any reasonable
nretensions to the leadership OF the southern
States. the famous doctrine of State equality lot
which she and they are such stcklers Ought 10
lead her TO treat her cO-States win htHe
show. at least, of decent respect. AS leader,
she might call upon them to join with her In the
conduct of an affair as to which their interest is
at least equal to hers, and, in the case OF the
border States, much greater She might take
the lead in calling Southern Convention Alter
it had met, she might take upon herself the
Presidency of that Convention. She might even
though that would be pressing matters rather
far-pssume TO lead of with plan OF opera
tions. Instead of doing anything of that sort,
she ostentatiously adopts scheme OF pro-
cedure the very PRONUNCIATION of which Is
an insult TO the other Southern States. She
saws in substance-indeed, many of those who
undertake to speak for her say in words-that
the other Southern States are but shily-shally,
cowardly set, not at all up to the emergency.
They do not understand their own interests, or,
if they do, they lack the spirit properly to vim
dicate them. They cannot be trusted with the
discussion Of this question. They will never go
into this disunion project willingly, so they must
be precJitated into it. South Carolina must set
the example She must break the ice In the frst
place when one by one the other States will
come slipping and sliding ill.,
Such is the scheme of operations upon which
the South Carolina dsunionists are proceeding to
act But it seems to us not less deficient IN logic
than it s in politeness. Ii assumes tor South
Carolina an influence, and an attractive force,
which she does not possess. Admitting as this
scheme does admit that the prevailing sent-
ment of the Southern States is against the dis
union project, and that in General Convention
of all the Southern States, the Carolina ideas
would meet with no favor what reason is there
to suppose that the Southern States can be
brought to do individually what they would de-
cline TO do collectively The idea of mutual aid
and support, the strength and weight that would
be given to the movement by the cooperation In
il of all or the greater part of the Southern
States, might furnish strong and prevailing ar
gument with many who would otherwise hesl-
tate. Take away this support to faint resou-
tons. and that hesitation would naturally increase.
SO far from forcing the other States by this
eximple of separate action into an adoption OF
the secession policy we have no doubt that the
effect produced will be quite the contrary. The
idea of union is deeply seated in the mind OF the
American people. Even those who have con-
ceiyed di.like for the Union rs it exists at
present have no inclination to resolve the South
into a mass of fragments. What they look to is
a Southern Coniederacy; and surely if cOnieder-
alton is ever needed it must be in the serious OPP
Grafton of breaking of from their present ale
glance. The idea of being dragged into chaos at
the heels of South Carolina will not prove so all
persuasive az the South Carolina agitat0rs seem
TO suppose. No favorable response comes from
dny of the Northern Slave States. Even ex-
Gov Wise himself dscreety holds his tongue.
And when the time comes, South Carolina viii
hesitate at taking the solitary plunge. Seeing
that nobody is disposed to follow her, she will
doubtless conclude to stay where she is. The
uranimity which at present seems to exist is
mainly dependent on the idea, so perpetually
dwclt upon, that the example of South Carolina
is to be allpCwerful with the other States. This
dclusOn dissipated, the good people OF that State
will hardly consent to be forced, solitary and
alone, into collision with the Federal Union.