Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1861-05-09
SOUTHERN UNIONISM AND ITS
FRUITS.
BY HORACE GREELEY.

South Carolina alone originated and gave eff
feet to the project of breaking up our Union.
She first threatened this in 1928; made her
first resolute effort for it in 1922; tried
in 1851. but was defeated by the refusal of
her sister Cotton States to follow her lead.
Secession had strong force in each of those
states hut not a majority. Jefferson Davis was
beaten in the race for Governor by Henry s. FO0tt
the vote being very large--neary 90 .00O--and
the majority barely 1000. In every other State
the triumph was still more decisive. Georgia
upset her dsunionists then in office. electine
Howell Cobb Governor on s'Union' ticket
but run on platform which affirmed the right of
Secession and the duty of seeding unless the
North should acquiesce in the extension of Sla-
very. In lS59-60, South Carolina tried again,
hoping that the John Brown raid and the feel
ings excited by it had alienated the South from
the Union. She sent Col. Memmnger as a Com
missioner to Virginia to win her over to Seces-
sion, but she was not ready, and Memmnger
cime as he went. The Nullifers resolved that
she should be ready next time and believing q
Republican National triumph would secure that
end, ther went in for that. Hence the premed-
itated break up of the Democratic National
Convention at Charleston, its adjournment to
Baltimore, and the double nomination there
Uehce the division of the National Democra-
cy" OF Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee,
whereby the votes of those States were given to
Bell and Everett; hence the Breckinridge tick
cts in Indiana, Illinois, California, and other
States, whereby those States were insured 10
Lincoln. From outset to inception, the inveter.
ate Disunionists have had clearly defined pur-
pose, weish they have pursued with Satanic as
tuteress and persistency. And in December last.
South Carolina, which had done more than any
other State to render Lincoln's election inevita =
BILE, seeded from the Union ostensibly because
of that election While the nti-Republicans of
this and other Free States were submitting to
the most repusnant associations and partner
ships in order to save the Union by beating Lin
coln, the disciples of Calhoun were relcntlessly
splitting up the Democratic party and consisn-
ing it to defeat and ruin, because they were bent
on smashing the Union.
South Carolina broke ont of the Union--so
far as her act could do it-solely, absolutely, un
condtionally. She waited for no cooperation
invited meme, desired none. She had resolved
to lead, and calculated that others must follow.
Probably no State really desired the Union dis
solved but South Carolina alone.
But the South is haunted by atcrror more po-
tent and deadly than any known elsewhere on
earth 1t is the mad dog cry of "Aboltionist,' -
sometimes softened into that of ally or favorer
Of Abolition. To think or talk nationally and
like average Christians On any topic connected
with Slavery is, in the Southern vocabulary. to
be an Abeltionist To favor the exclusion OF
Slavery from the Territories is 20 be an Aboli
ZIONIST In short, to regard Slavery in any as
pect from the standpoint of such shareholders as
Washington and Jefferson, John Randolph and
Henry Clay, is to incur the fearful stigma ef Alb
clifton.
Now let us look more directly at the course of
the Southern Unionists:
That South Carolina acted rashly, arrogsntly,
Extensively, in seeding as she did, was very gen
orally felt and rather freely expressed in the
South. Virginia especially, keenly feeling that
she had been deposed from her long conceded
position of leader and flag ship of the South,
viewed the bold movement with mingled reseat
ment and chagrin. Her Governor, Letchex. is a
resident ofthe "Valley," or hither West, sup
ported Douglas for President, and is on record
as paSlic iRdorser Of Rev. DR.. Rufner's sweep
ing condemnation of Slavery not many years
ago. Virginia had peculiar and stron: local
reasons for clinging to the Union. Her people
when directly and formally appealed to, respond
ed in an immense Union majority, manly com
posed of veteran Wings and Fillmore men of tn,
school of John Marshall and Clay. Yet we have
seen that majority fritter itself away in endless