Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1861-05-09
INDIANA: THURSDAY. MAY 8. 1861.


last. after wearing out every body patience and
their own selfrespect, in a secret Ordinance OF
Secession, instantly followed by an attempt to
clutch the u. s. Army and Navy Yard within
her limits. And now the State is in full revolt
against the Union. the Harpers Ferry Armory
and its contents destroyed by FIRE, and the Navy
Yard near Norfolk barely saved from capture by
burning the buildings and scuttling the ships.
Such is the end of Virginia Unionism, with Geo.
w. Summers, John Janney, Alex. III. III. Stuart,
aud VIM. Ballard Preston for its apostles. And
the course of events in this State is but more
luminous exhibit of the parallel process in most
other Slave States, while it only needs to be
completed in the rest.
Southern Unionism has died the death of the
suicide and the fool. 1t had no sound basis--no
root in the eternal fitness of things. Ii never
once recognized loyalty to the Union as a duty,
nor recognized the right of the Federal Govern
ment to be respected and obeyed. When Seces-
North is hostile to Slavery and will not consent
to its extension and Union responded, "We
will stick to the Union little longer, because
we don't believe the North hostile to Slavery and
trus. it rH consent to its extension" it is clear
that while there is no difference in principle in
volved, the former position is essentially the
more logical and tenable. Between party that
says what it means, and looks whittier it rows,
and one that asserts whatit does not believe, nor
imagine that any body else believes, the advan-
tase is immensely with the former.
While Virginia stood squarely in the Union
and professed to be Union State, and to con-
demn the rash egotism of South Carolina in cut
ting loose from the Federal bond, she neverthe-
less proclaimed that no effort should be made by
the Federal authority to '.cosrce'' her TO obey
its mandates or its laws. South Carolina, she
held, had wronged her Southern sisters in seced
ing; bnt no troops must cross Virginia's ample
domain on their way to enforce obedience to the
Union at Charleston or Columbia. The Rebels
might beeaguer Sumter and starve out its little
garrison in perfect security; they might, when
tired ofthis slow business, amuse themselves by
pouring red hot shot and shell into it, thus roast
ing out the little band that they were weary of
attempting to starve out; but this not SEQ
ercion;" only Federal resistance to the process
entitled to that harsh designation. Trait
ors might steal Forts and Armories, National,
vessels and Sab Treasures, at pleasure; this was
no coercion" but any attempt to retake, or
even forcibly retain them, would be. Beauregard
battering Sumter and Briggs threatening Fort
Pickens were regarded for months by Southern
Unionsm with entire complacency; but when the
President called out $1,000 loyalsts to defend
the Capitol and to retake the Unions rayished
property, Southern Unionism stood aghast at
the enormity Of the suggestion. The Governors
of Delaware aid MARYLAND preserved a most ex
pressive silence; those of the Border States re
soonded in hostile and abusive refusals. "Wick-
ed attempts TO ''subugate the Southern StNes"
and like terms employed by those Governors
to express their adherence of any attempt on
the plrt of Mr.. Lincoln to vindicate his right to
be regarded and treated as Chief Magistrate Of
the Republic. And thus Southern Unionism
collapses with absurd screech, and leaves the
field clear to the boldcr architects of ruin who
are openly intent on pulling pown the temple of
liberty and burying the Nation beneath its ruins.
Such absurd Unionism has ruined the Union
cause in all the Slave States; it has very nearly
undone the country. The base murder of the
Massachusetts volunteers in Baltimore, the
abuse and manning of unarmed Pennsylvanians
BY the Secession mob of that city, the burning of
Gen. Cadwalader's mansion. the destrutt tion of
railroads and telegrsphs around Baltimore, cut
ting Off the Government from all communication
with the loyal States, the giving over Of most of
Maryland to utter anarchy and rufiianism, where
by bare suspicion of love for the Union is
deemed warrant for every outrage. such are the
inevitable fruits of that Unionism which regards
obedience and defiance to the laws Of the land
with equal favor, or at least as entitled to equal
immunity Ifthis Republic is doomed to spec
dy destruction, if the day-star Of Freedom is
now to be shrouded in eternal night,-if the
hopes of mankind are here to be quenched in
blood and ashes-History will record that TO
the cowardce Of the Unionists equally with the
more flagrant treason of the Secessionists, are
we to attribute this most disastrous consumma
ton.