The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-12-28
a Twice Told Tale.

! Our citizens arose yesterday morning and
observed nothing unusual in the sky, excep,
the tineness of the weather. They read their
morning papers, and were told that this Tn
ION was dissolved by the repeal of the ordi-
nance adopted in l.Ss, by which South Car
DINA ratified her assent to the constitution.
which repeal constituted her separation from
the remaining states. Undoubtedly, the an
rouncement was read with considerable in
lereSt and some concern, as befitted the seri-
Gus assumptions and the uncertain coniin-
Senccis of such sep but there was no I'M
preston that the thing signified had actually
come to pass-,hat this Union uaS dissolved.
What was done in South Carolina was rather
regarded as the making Of law without any
penalty the drawing Of a warranty deed
where there was no title to convey an at
tempt in the magistrate to put asundcr those
whom, not he, but God hath joined. Hence,
when our citizens had read the secession
news, they looked over the proceedings of
the Congress of the United States as usual,
the war in China and the rest of the items,
and then went about their business of the
day according to their custom.
Many reasons might be given for this e.
quanimity,s such as the persiStency with which
the event of secession has been threatened,
thereby forestalling the impression it woull
otherwise make; the nominal character of
the act, which, though it ever may finally re-
suit in secession, is but one of the fol erun.
ners of it, and of no more inherent import
ance than dozen others which have proceed
ed it and the conviction on the part of our
citizens that, whatever it may amount to,
nothing that they can do, say or feel, is at all
| likel y to change its character. But of more
immediate effect, probably, is the considera-
ton that South Carolina is but rehearsing ga
twice told tale,' going over again in 1860 the
same story with which she astonisl.ed the ma
ton in 1882. The ending, indeed, may be
wholly different, but thus far the narrative is
substantially the same.
The form cf South Cardinals seeding Or
dinance of 1882 is somewhat different from
that adopted Thursday, as the circumstances
were different. Then she professed to be ag-
grieved by certain laws of the general gov
eminent which had been passed-now the
grievance is based on mere professed appre-
tensions of what may be done. and so she is
not embarrassed with the propriety of giving
any reasons for her course But in 1882 she
specified the tariff act as the occasion for Sc
cession and the point of resistance. declaring
the state absolved from all obligations to the
Union from the moment Congress should au-
thorize coercion. Every officer of the state
was required to take, and did take, the fol-
lowing oath
"Well and truly obey, execute, and enforce
an ordinance, entitled AN ordinance to null
ify certain acts of Congress Of the United
States, purporting to be laws laying duties
on the importation Of foreign commodities,
and such act or acts of the Legislature as
may be passed to carry the same into execu-
ton, according to the true intent and mean-
ing thereof. SO help you God!'"
In some respects the point reached by that
action in 1892 was much more ultra and re-
belllous than the declaratory ordinance adop-
ted Thursday. How it was gradually receded
from, and in what it terminated, need not
now be told. 1t is enough to say that the
precedent is full of hope and not Of despair.
Desperate men-but not men so able as those
of lS32-are embarked in the present move
ment. "For th;rty-two years." says Mr. Khett,
II have followed the quarry-one more bound
and the onion falls" He and South Caro-