Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-06-11
MR.. sEwARD's DESPATCH TO MR.. DAYTON

MR.. SEWARD'S DESPATCH TO MR.. DAYTON, 1
From the London Daily News
"The United States have accepted this civil
war as an inevitable necessity" Such is the
declaration of Mr. Seward in his despatch to the
American Minister at Paris The Secretary of
the United States Government must have pond
cred well those words before he consigned them
in document to be laid before the first Power
of Continental Europe But they express fact,
one which has not received sufficient attention
in England. II is often lightly asked here why
the two sections of the American Union cannot
separate, and live peaceably side by side Those
who thus speak have bestowed but slight and
superficial attention upon the nature Of the causes
of disagreement The question may be met by
another-if nothing binders them living peace
ably side by side, why should they separate and
sacrifice the Union, which is their common
strength and glory? The statesmen Of the North
know full well that, however quietly they might
acquesce in the separation OF the South there
could be no peace between Governments founded
on principles so radically antagonisic as those
embodied in the respective Constitutions of the
Confederacy and of the United States. The
promise, if seriously given, would not and could
not be kept.
/ We have heard good deal Of the Monroe doc
trine, and the determination of the citizens of
the United States never to allow any European
Government to transfer its institutions to fresh
|
United States Government might with much less
danger to its tranquility allow this than permit
the formation Of great Slave Power stretching
from the Ohio to the Gulf. There is nothing in
the forms of European Governments more mimi
cal to the peace aud freedom of the non-slaye-
holding States than the political doctrines openly
proclaimed by the secession leaders. Ii the
Confederacy could establish itself It would mani
| fest itself to the world on the very morrow
propagandist, aggressive, freebooting State, per-
petuay menacing its neighbOrs and embroiling
them in hostilites. Its large idle population Of
poor and turbulent whites form the appropriate
material Of fbustering forces, and would be
ever aunexing somebody. The extension Of the
area Of slavery, il should be remembered, was
the very question on which the present rupture
has taken place. Severed from the Union, the
South would send out its bands in all directions,
and carry slavery far and wide. The acquisi-
tion of Mexico is one of the commonest promises
made to their adherents by the Secession lead
era. Is the first nation of the American contn-
ent to permit that? Certainly it could not 1t
is therefore better to meet the mischief in its
early stage.
The only object the South have in separating
is that slavery, hitherto limited by counteracting
principles, may henceforth become sovereign,
/ expanding ITSELF and peryadng and moulding
every institution of government. And expert
ence proves that the growth OF negro slavery is
the measure OF the ueCfeuse OF tnt NHlit lil4u .
! freedom. Where the black man is held in bond
age the white mnu is deprived of the cOmmonest
liberties, and must neither speak bis mind nor
exercise his industry.
If President Lincoln prevents the execution
Of the Southern programme preserving the
abundant Constitutional rights OF the Southern
States az members of the Union, we shall say
that he has defended the cause Of liberty, aud
not n whit the less because the dominant party
in the South hRs its own projects for rearing an
empire of tyranny aRd oppression. lfit becomes
necessary for that purpose to draw the sword
we shall say that until the milenna day come,
when the sword shall be beaten into the plow-
share and the spear into the pruning hook, war
can be waged for no higher object than to main
! tain the Constitution OF the United States over
/ the length and breadth Of the Union.
They cannot resume their full sovereignty as
! of right. If any Of them could do il, it would
! be not States which, like Louisiana, Arkansas
and Missouri, occupy territory acquired by the
4 dplomacy of the UniOl, without reference to the
, wishes of the inhabitants but States like Vir-
gina, for instance, which helped to form the
| Union. Yet Virginia, in the articles by which
she ratified the Union, used language which i'm
c plicity dsclaimed the right of secession. Her
9 words are, that "the powers granted under the
e Constitution are derived from the people Of the
A United States" II is this sovereign body, the
people of tho United States, aud not the Govern
e ors or Legislatures of the separate States, VIII
- have to decide on the question of Union or Dis
T. union. And with chem also rests the question
c of peace or war. If the vast majority Of Tit
"a people decide that the Union and its full Consti
= tuition shall be Northumberland the populatio
o Of the Free States is to that Of the Slave State
d as 20 to O. they have the means of carrying od
e that decision without trenching upon any right
,e in SO doing and they will save this Generatio
d from q shame, and bequeath their children
ID blessing instead Of curse.