Smyrna times., 1861-10-31
The Union Sentiment of the South

WhIle 1t is certainly possible to attach too
much Importance to the occasional manifesto
tlOns of Union sentiment in the seeded States.
they are nevertheless entitled to very grea,
weight in our judgment of the future. Even
such facts as that a preacher in a village of
South Carolina haa lately been denounced as
}" LncOlnite at heart"-or that in a certain
locality in Tennessee the Stars and Stripes
were the other day deianty raised-or that
ever since the Hatteras victory the dweIlers
along the Coast have come to the forts to take
the oath of a!legiance--or that we hear of
Union lodges and secret organizations of
loyalty throughout the South-are all note
worthy and prophetic signs. These scattered
demonstrations are indications of what will be-
come aH immense uprising as soon as the Ma
tional Government exhibits its powers to pro.
tect those whose latent loyalty is now cowed
and overwhelmed by superior force.
But we must not push these developments
beyond their true import. 1t is folly to expect
any spontaneous exhibition of active Unionisn.
For all practical purposes, the seeded States
are now what their jOUrOals claim-a unit. l.,
IS true that, had the ordinances of secession
(aI the time of their pUssage,) been submitted
to the people, they would have been rejected
by an u"qnestionablo majority. IT is equally
true, that were they submitted to-day, there
would be no openly dissenting voice worth
speaking Of And it is a striking. though no,
unInteligIble Circumstance, that those por,ions
OF the South Gas in Alabama and GeoroisN Tint
were most IN favor of the Union, are now Dre.
clseIy the most jealous uphOders of secession
mere is nothing dlscOuraging in the fact.
IL Will always be Characteristic Of the rreat
mass OF men, to accept the established order
of thlngs The very same process that con.
verted them 10 secession, will recOnyert them
to loyalty. There is loyalty enough in the
South; but it is in posse, not in esSe. II is
conditioned on a severe, complete, and convin.
eng punishment. Whether rightly or wrongly.
the Administration gets popular credit for a
certain tenderness in It's dealings with the reb-
els, as though they were afraid of fhurting them
) much' seeing we have to take them buck If
thls be so IT'S great error. A good dlsposi.
ton will be wrought in the rebe llious mind pre-
clsely In proportion TO the thoroughaess Of the
thrashing they get. Tnere will be no &" Union
sentiment in the South worth calculating on
as al active force, until we have subdued the
rebels. This done, there are a thousa nd aux.
lliaTes that will come in aid OF returning low
atty. 1t will then be worth remembering the
large party OF conservative men who resisted
secession IN lis ncIpIency. And even in South
Carolina these Union men came nearer defeat
ing the secession ordinance than is generally
known-the vote standing more than FIVE hours
at 80 against to 81 for!
When the tide begins to turn, when the in.
surgenls are beaten and the rebellion broken,
then will the true use Of the Union parly of
ths South be made manifest. For It is precise
ly those conservative, peace-loVing men who
are most open to the logic of Force. But
there is danger that's FIVE delay much longer,
even this element may not be available. AS
time goes on. the hopes and interests of this
class centre around the new order OF affairs.
Their Government is gradually solidlfying-
new laws, new institutions are formed, in which
they are called TO take part, profitable Offices
are held out as objects Of ambition. We must
therefore crush the rebellion before the sentl-
mcnls and aspirations Of the Union men of the
South find new object, and the grand old
traditions and affections wholly die out.