Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-12-03
British View of our Presidential Election
and the Question OfDisuniOn in America.

British View of our Presidential Election
and the Question OfDisunion In America.
The London Times, received by the Ara-
Jia, has the following:
Beaten, as far as it appears at present, in
the contest, the Democratic party have re-
course to the ordinary device of the party
that finds itself the weaker in the Presiden
tial contest-that is, to the hackneyed threat
of breaking up the Union. They said the
same thing four years ago, before the VIC
tory declared for them; and as their danger
is at present so much greater, they repeat
their threat with the more earnestness We
confess that oar notions of fair play are much
attended By such a threat. Those who enter
into an election with the mental reservation
that they will not submit to the result unless
it be favorable to themselves are guilty of
the same kind Of unfairness as those who
play at cards with the intention ofreceiYinp
if they win, and refusing to pay ifthey lose.
For ourselves we confess that we have little
faith in these demonstrations. Threatened
men live long," and the American Confed-
eracy is bound together by cords far too
strong to be severed by little idle gascon-
ade. The threatened separation of the South
from the North is like the threat of one of
our own colonies to declare itself independ-
ent. II is the threat of doing great deal of
mischief to themselves in order to do u very
little mischief to us
In the six millions of blacks that are
within her boundaries, the South has for
mldaDlearmy OF domestic enemies, and if any
one wishes to Judge of the terror which those
domestic enemies excite, let him refer to the
frightful scenes which are perpetrated In the
State of Texas with cruelty which nothing
but the most AFFECT fear can account for
There would be little wisdom in separating
from the Free States, who are bound to assist
in maintaining the Federal authority
throughout the Union, in order the more ef-
tectually to isolate the white in case of CON
fiict with the black population II can.
moreovir, hardly be doubted that the North
eTn Slave States, Virginia, Kentucky aud
Missouri, would become free, and Join the
Northern Confederation; so that the re-
naming States would find themselves de-
ploraby weakened, and probably at the
mercy of any powerful country that might
choose to make war upon them, with the
assistance of their slaves. Taxation would
increase as security diminished, and the ex-
penses of a Federal Government would have
to be supported with resources already
severely taxed by the expenses of local ad-
ministration. Such Confederacy would
have in it none of the principles of increase.
while the resources of the North and West
would go on multiplying themselves by the
same course Unsuccessful industry as hereto
fore.
For these and many other reasons which
1t is quite unnecessary to expiate upon, we
apprehend that the men of the South. how
ever loudly they may talk now, will be in
no hurry after election to put their threats
into execution. They will think it better
to wait and see what kind of man Presi-
dent Lincoln turns out to be before thew
commit themselves to a step so dangerous
and SO iTretrievable. The experience of
America as well as of England tells them
that the occupant of office is often very
different person from the candidate. While
a candidate he has only to satisfy his ovn
pa, tg; wheH IN office, he must seek 10 qivs Tsa-
sOrdbe satisfaction TO both. Such, we are
hound TO say, has been the conduct of Mr..
Buchanan. Before he was placed in the
White House we had many things to except
to against him. Since that time he has
acted, ss it seems to us, with fairness in do
mestic, and with moderation and courtesy in
foreign transactions. 1t does not follow, be-
cause Mr.. Lincoln is elected by persons Cd.
posed to slavery, that he will therefore lend
himself to any attack on the property or
peculiar domestic institution Of the South.
His power is exceedingly limited, and if the
effect of his Administration should be to
place in the Supreme Court of the United
States Judges little less strenuous in their
advocacy of slavery, and to govern the Ter
Iitories in a spirit little less in accordance
with the creed of the Border-ru1ians of Kan
sas, such enforced moderation will be for the
benefit Of the South as well as the North,
and tend to confirm much more than to
loosen the stability Of the Federal Union