The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-04-12

The awful catastrophe so long anticipated is at
last full upon US. The Administration has now
entered upon the fatal policy which the PRESIDENT
a month ago foreshadowed in his inaugural adj
dress. 1t has decided upon war against the Sc
ceding States and 'tunto the end of the war DESC
lations are determined Seven States having
calmly and resolutely dissolved their relations
with this Coniederacy, and declared themselves
separate and independent nation, stand prepared
TO make good that declaration at all costs and at
every hazard, while on the other hand this gov
eminent has announced its purpose TO maintain
jurisdiction over them, and is about 10 assert its
supremacy within their borders. Before the clash
of arms shall drown the voice of argument or re-
monstrance, it behooves every man in this, and
all other communities throughout the land to saw,
to which side of this dread contest his heart and
his reason incline him-upon which side in his
judgment lie justice and the right. For ourselves
we can speak without hesitation We believe the
cause of the South to be that which challenges
the sympathy and support of every citizen, and
by whatsoever name this avowal may be called
we will abide the responsibility its utterance may
entail. 1t matters not by whom the first gun
may be tired at Charleston or at Pensacola, nor is
1t OF the slightest moment whether it be a store
ship or trigate which seeks access to the be-
leaguered forts. eff there any excuse fer the Sc
secession of the Confederate States, it will serve
them in defending the position they have assumed
if any justification can be found for their with
drawal from the UNION, the same will cover any
and every act that is necessary to enable them 10
render their separation complete and Gnal-if they
can vindicate themselves before the world for hay
ing repudiated the authority of our laws, they
will not be censured for resisting to the
death any attempt to coerce them into obedience.
The apology which they will make for having re-
nounced their allegiance to this government, will
suffice to exonerate them for having prevented the
forts within their territories from being relieved
either by supplies or reinforcements History
will investigate and pass upon the causes of this
unhappy quarrel, but it will never trouble itself
to inquire from what quarter the first blow came.
And this also is the only question which we need
determine; for if the South was in any way ius-
tilted in assuming hostile attitude towards the
North, it idle to cayil about the legitimate con-
sequences of that act On this point it is not ne
cessary for Us to do more than briefly recaptulate
the opinions we have so often and so decidedly
expressed.
We do unequivocally believe that the resent
ment and apprehension which were the prox-
innate causes of this movement on the
part of the South were well founded.
In considering the points of this controversy, we
discard altogether, every argument touching the
legality or illegally of secession, for revolution
is not TO be judged by the express or implied provi
sions of the laws or the Constitution Separated
then from all technical issues, the case of the
South in our view, stands simply thus
The people of the slave States have but
fallen back upon the right of seprotection, which
belongs to nations as well as to individuals. They
have always felt that they could not with safety
permit any outside inter with slavery
Whatever differences Of opinion they may have
entertained in regard to the political or moral
questions growing out of the institution, they
have comprehended the impracticability of making
any sudden change in the system, and have known
that any violent or premature attempt from with
out to modify or abolish it would be ruinous to
all the material interests of the South, and de-
structive of society itself They have therefore.
watched, with the greatest alarm, the growth of
the ntislavery feeling in the North. They have
seen how, from one baeful spark, the fire of fanat
icism has spread, until it now rolls in one lurid
flame all around their Northern borders. What
was once spoken only by few rabid and obscure
abolitonists is now become the common talk OF
men. Poets and novelists, and preachers and
editors and politicians have taken up the theme,
not TO discuss it as they discuss other social,
political and religious questions, but to vituperate
and to threaten all who defend or acquiesce in the
existence of the institution. Throughout the
length and breadth of the North slavery is de-
nounced as the objectionable sin-those who toll
crate it are reviled as brutal, barbarous and de-
praved-and murder and arson are preached up
as the proper remedies for the evil which we can
not or will not cure; and all these rawlings have
found expression, over and over again, on the very
floor OF the National Congress. Nor have these
agltators hesitated to conform their action to their
teachings, whenever occasion offered Mobs have
abrogated the act which Congress, in accordance
with the requirements of the Constitution, passed
for the protection of the South; judges and legis
lators have endorsed an incendiary book which
was expressly intended to stir up instruction in
the slave States; while from the pulpit, the hust-
ings, and the press, hundreds Of leading men
have eulogized the constancy and courage of the
hero and martyr of Harper's Ferry Then, when
the fanatical hosts had gathered strength enough,
they proceeded with more directness towards their
object. They announced, in plain terms, the
equality of all races, and repudiated the estab-
lshed law, which was in conflict with their doc
trine. They nominated and elected candidate
for the Presidency who based his hopes of the
preservation of the Confederacy upon the extirpa-
ton Of slavery, and whose intimate friends and
advisers were known to be the most extreme or
the most Inscriptions members Of the Republican
party. All this time we have been told the
South had nothing to fear. While its remon-
strances have been treated with more and more in
difference, and the abolition feeling in the North
has been growing more extreme and uncompro-
msing the slave States have been assured that they
had no cause for apprehension. Though the
law of the land has been deliberately repudiated BY
every Republican, from the PRESIDENT down to
the most insignificant member of the party, the
Southern people have been told to appeal to the
Courts for protection and redress.
But there were those who had watched
the frightening and deepening shadows which
the events of the past few years have cast
before them, and they warned the South of
its danger, and of the hopelessness of expecting
justice from its foes. They insisted that the fac
ton which had trampled upon one right would
soon assai another that when it was found sla-
very could be attacked with impunity 10 the
territories, Its assailaDis wonld speedily over
,nrow 1t in the States; and they urged tivir ieI-
'o"-ciuzens not to be lulled into fatal security
" sash 'he peril was SO near and manifest. Seven
-. were satisfied Of the soundness of these
i.s. sgrrs. uts 81" that if they submitted TO law
..'s asslsssl0n upon enc ,poins the diffi.ulty of
maintaining the mex. position ,La, might be az
'aulted would be infinitely increased and - ,s az
preferred to withdraw from the consas anu 'ney
ably if they could, f0rciby if thew ran.. peace
than await another attack, when ,h must rather
had grown to be more confident and s., opponents
1t will be remembered that we vehemen,lr ST.
ted the propriety Of that course We tbonps.
then, as we think now, that the South had snfEs
Gent cause for revolution, unless some gusrau.
tees for it, future safety were offered 1t; but we
.s~s "a wsalrusI. lawoteH "a thu NwjA~ xI.t