The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1860-12-20
The Action of South Carolina This
Week and Of the Cotton Slater Next
NINTH. ta7,.

be credited, says the Sunday En-
quirer, we have entered upon the
last week of the existence of the
American Unions as it was baptized
in the fire and blood of i1776, and
organized by the patriots Of that
day under the Constitution of 1887.
A political association of eighty
four years duration-the beginning
of which scarcely q living mar can
remember, which from the most
feeble germs has grown to be the.
most powerful Confederacy in the.
world, which has sustained the Sc
verest shock of war, and passed un-.
harmed through many a political
convulsion in time of peace-is
about to be shattered in its prestige
influence and renown, by the break
ing off of some of its members, and
thus rudely destroyed. 1t is diff
cult for any American patriot to
comprehend that SO great a calam-
ity is about to fall upon us, and re-
alize its consequences in all their
length and breadth. We have so
long believed this Confederacy in
destructible and permanent, that
eodanger.of its destruction fills
the public mind with mingled e.
motions Of horror, amazement and
rage a1.a,ls1 .,- 30 a.o ay.t
The secession Of any'of its men,
bers, even if it is not followed by a
more genial dissolution, will great
ly lowersif not destroy, our nation
al character and reputation abroad.
Permanence is one Of the great ell
mcnts Of and is, always associated
with strength If one, or more
States retire completely from the
American Union, the impression
will be general in the European
world that our Confederaey is but a
rope of sand that is about to crum-
bic to pieces by its own weight.
and wlieh would certainly fall q,
part at the first touch of the hand
Of foreign violence. The blotting
out of. one or more, stars from oul
national flag will dim and deface
the whole of that beautiful emblem
OF patriotism and power. 1t is, in
deed, singular that, while the po-
litical world generelly tends toward
consolidation of small nationalities
into large ones; while Germany e.
ven is seeking to draw closer the
ties of her Confederation Bund'
while Italy is uniting her ditferen'
States. so long Observed and hos
tile TO one another, SO long tht
prey Of foreign ambition, and Sc
long the victim of exterioreonquest
while Poland and Hungary are as
piring for the unity of their severa
aomiaions, that the United State:
of America should commence tn,
work of division and disintearation
Arc the lessons of history, The
experience of the past to be lost
upon us? Are we indeed ignorant
and forgctful ofthc means by which
we attained our prosperity and
power? In the wake of disunion
not far in the distance, may be seer
civil war, instruction, foreign in.
reference and conquest, anarchy
and strife, eliminating at last II
military and political despotism,5
We haze all the elements, existing
among us of these terrible nationa
Ills, and it only needs the with
drawal of Federative Union fror
the scene to hasten them into fel
and dreadful activity. The DANCE
of collision are to be found in tina
alienation of feeling which ca
alone overthrow the 'Gorernmen
in the questions which will arise a
to the disposition to be made of til
common Territories and propert
belonging to the Union, acquire
bydits, bloodaand. treasure, in tn
havigationof its rivers and lake
and in the treatment of its slay
population. 9If the Cotton State
withdraw from the Union wi
tbey5abapdon their claim to th
Territories, the prcsistingin Mhic