The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-01-05
p;.ht Of secession-.Coereion. sc.

SOu.h tafOllna mas Il TiSiie ~ 1SN~N'N' -
q e has not: if the former, she shuold be
allowed to go in peace; if the latter, she
ought to be coerced back into the Union.
In our estimation the country wotl | be n
a most deplorsble strait indeed if this
we're the only solution tho difficulty adj
mitted OF
As to tie right of secession, it is absurd
to maintain that any such remedy is any
where found in the Constitution. That
instrument forbids any State to enter into
treaty, alliance, or confederation, with any
other State or foreign power. Il also fof-
bids any State to lay imposts, &c; or to
keep troops or ships OF war, Sc, and
makes the President the commander-ir-
chief Of the army and navy Of the L. :
and the militia &c. Of all the States
South Carolina Withdrawing from the
Union. levying an army Of her own, pro
poting to levy imposts, and to form al
liances with any ether States and with
foreign powers, is too clearly going in the
very teeth Of the Constitution to admit Of
any discussion on the subject.
What then is to be done? Shall South
Carolina be allowed to go her way, tfample
the constitution under her feet and create
general panic distress and disorder thro'
ought the country, or shall the strong arm
OF the government 90 Invoked, and the
pe5tiferous little state coercsd into submis-
sion?
1t really looks as if the latter course
had been determined upon as the policy
OF the incoming administration. It's true,
| 3Ir. Lincoln and the Republican leaders do
not talk outright of coercing L state, for
they can find no warrant III the coEstitu-
ton for such procedure, bat they pro
pose to coerce the citizens Of q state Nj.
Trumbull gave Us the distinction in a re-
cent speech in the Senate in these words:
Senator Trumbull took occasion to ex-
pose the sophistical outcry agains. coer-
cion and making war against State. =
He said this talk was calculated to nliaiead
the public mind; ,o5ody proposed 10 c2cTcc
CT make l~qr ayrtagt State. But Il ,eos pro-
p9Ssi To enforce the iu-s against d.dsc'aHat
reJot5 10 tic JaIed SlG.ss 5ues.
This looks like distinction without
difference. What constitutes q State ,
Certainly no. tho territory, else Kansas,
/ Utah. Washington, and n! or unsettled
territories would be States. The State is
the Organized body Of the PEOPLE living
within certain metes and bounds. Where
these people all agree il acting and think
ing in one way, As : the case in South
Carolina, Il strikes Is it would make little
difference whether they were shot down
As individuals OF members Of the State.
If this Is the republican programme cor
rcctly Swallowed forth, we solernnly be
/ lieve the days Of this nation are numbered
, If must be borne in mind that, although
/ South Carolina leads, She Is not alone IL
this business. Alabama, Georgia IIissis-
sippi Louisiana, and Texas are rs rife for
secession .o-tay as South Caralina IS. The
first gun fred at citizen Ct South Caro-,
lima 10 GEORGE him into obedience to the
laws of the Union will be the signal to
light the fires Of civil war in at least five
other southern states, and, indeed, wnen
the war is begun, there is scarcely doubt
that the other nine slave states will make
common cause with the six. Civil war
once commenced, 10 imagination can cor
ceiYe the end or depict the horrors OF it.
There are 10 evils that can arise from pa,
tieuce or the eztrsmest forbearance. that
can compare with the tcrTors Of -aiNh m
issnn-
Would the adoption Of saoh q course
bring peace and restore the integrity OF
the Union? II is folly to thinl. of it
Civil war, with its bloody, fendish pas
sious and rcsentments would drive these
states so widely asunder that ages would
not restore a sufficient amount OF good
feeling to being them again together Tae
last course to be thought or dreamed OF
should be coercion or civil way.
What thon should be done-what car
be done? That is question winch IS to
day troubling wiser heads than ours, and
We have not The presumption even to make
suggestion on the subject. 1t is vastly
easier 10 determine what ought not to be
done than to indicate what ought or car
be done. Our main object is, to rrotes
against the republican scheme of coercion
and civil war, which strikes us as clearl,
and palpably thing moi to be done.
II may be said, however, that scheme.
are proposed and Being eanvassed, q
Washington and elsewhere, that may ii
the end be found practicable, and which
are at least worth spending months and
even years in trying, rather than prccipi
tate rush into civil var Such is tho plaa
of Mr. Crittenden. such Is the plan Of Dir
| Douglas given on our outside form
Another plan is giyeE in paper before
Us, thus:
4 .!olnt resolution by congress declaring
! the seeding state pestferous member OF
the confederation, unworthy OF & place In
| il, ana that therefore she be dismissed
from it and forever discharged from ale
glance to it, would no DOUBT acquit the
general government, il the judgment OF
mankind, from the imputation of a trea
sonabie fortearance, as weli as from the
SUSPICION of fOrbearance from an Gppre
hension that the Union might be rent as
sunder in the attempt TO keep It together
by force.
Or the plan of Gov. Curtin, of Pa, no
ticed elsewhere. Whatever may be the
practicabiIity Of these or hundred other
suggestions that have been made, we can
not preceiye what possible good coercion
or any attempt at coercion, can do, while
the evils that would result from such &
course are manifest and portentous.
The Prairie Farmer,