Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-12-29
From the Cincinnati Gazette
Fearful State Of things at the souIh-Dessi-
tuition and EuEmrectiOn.


tuition and EuEuFrectiOn.
We are permitted to publish the following
extracts from a letter ola citizen Of Alabama,
to gentleman OF this city. Its genuineness
we can voHeh for, but for obvious reasons the
name and locality we withhold. After refer
ence to previous business letter, the writer
says:-ED. GAz.
In that letter promised to write you soon
ahOnt secesSioni and Regyy sir, With TfTe D0irr=
ical horizon dark as midnight, and the most
gloomy forebodiugs, attempt to do so. l
have always regarded the threats Of secession
as the mere ranings Of demagognes and
fanatics; but within the last ten days every
thing here has assumed most positive shape,
and now I can say secession and revolution
are inevitable, with all the horrors that must
inevitably follow. The public mind, in the
Cotton States especially, has so long been
drinking the spirits of secession that it has
become completely saturated and poisoned,
and now it has the deliium tlemens in its
worst form; it sees all manner of ghosts and
hobgoblins, and hears the cIanking of the
chains that the terrible North are forging to
bind them in perpetual serVitude; and men,
women and children, all, all are rising as one,
to escape the degrading and ruinous designs
of the North. Reason has left her throne.
and madness now rules the day.
Business is nearly suspended, and the rais-
ing Of military companies, the rafting of
drums and gathering Of arms and daily drill
ing, is the principal business in all the Cotton
States. There IS not one man in a hundred,
including ministers of the Gospel, but is for
immediate secession. am the only man in
all this country that dares to stand up boldly
and plead for our glorious Union, and l am
told that nothing but my grey hairs saves
me. Is it possible, then, that our Union,
the pride and glory Of the whole earth, is
thus to be rent to atoms and blotted out from
the map Of nations, lDithout the shadow of
eauss7 May the God of Israel avert the cal
amity and restore peace to our once happy
and prosperous Union.
South Carolina has taken the step; Georgia,
Florid', Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and
Texas are sure to follow. How they expect
to get along cannot see. The four first of
these States are deeply in debt and without
money or provisions. Thsre are not provis-
ions enough in those States to keep their
people from starvation for four months, and
no money, no arms, munitions of war, and
no organized military force, their only hope
is that the General Government viii not in
terfere to force them into submission. Now,
sir, if the Government will stop all the mails
in any or all Of the seeding States, and di-
rect all postmasters in all the other States
not to receive any mailabls matter going to
or from such seeding States, and blockade
their ports so that they could get no salt or
any provisions in or cotton out, the people
would come 70 their senses and would rise
and put down or hand those who had brought
this calamity upon them. This would not be
coercion, but leaving them 70 the enjoyment
of their "Original Sovereignty"
But there is an internal element that atthis
moment threatens our destruction. A neglo
insurrection is expected at Christmas Two
white men and several negroes were hung
the other day, and they said that & general
rising was 70 take place ell through those
States on Christmas, and the whole country
is turning pale in fear. Every town and
plantation is under patrol night and day.
Ny family are frightened out Of their wits.
Human life IS Of but little value here, and no
one feels safe moment. There is also a
plot laid to put both Lincoln and Hamlin out
Of the way before the 4th OF March. This
you may rely upon All this Is the fruits of
demagOgueism. The people are honest and
wish to do right. and would do right, but they
are blinded 10 the truth and follow the teach
ings Of their leaders, and God only knows
what will be the end. If escape alive, !
viii write you again.
In sorrow l am yours, &C.,