Weekly Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-01-11
pRrspENr BUCHANAN AND SECESSION.

:
From III, London Times. Dec. 81. .
Likes akilful physician Mr. Buchanan begins
with hA diagnosis of the disorder which now
agitateA he Union. The present difficulties
arise ndk kTnr from the claim OF Congressor Ter
ritorial 4 Aislatures to exclude slavery from the
Territor, H. nor yet from the efforts of different
States tt lefeat the Fugitive Slave law; but the
present peril springs, according to Mr.. Bu-
chauan A9m the incessant and violent agitation
against bsayery in the North, which has at
length Nb,duced it's maligu influence on the
slaves, al1iuspirsd them with vague notions of
freedomM Ihe mairons Of the South are fright
ened auNeh servile insurrection is considered |
not impoKible II we translate these oommuni- |
cations lido plain English, they seem to amount
to this-Aaf In order to preserve the institution
Of sIayeIl1 the United States are bound to re-
nounce Il Freedom of the platform, the assembly,
the pulplARnd the newspaper. In the South we
all know, tseedom OF discussion on the subject
of slavery has long heen prohibited under peual-
ties, amphpting in many cases to death, pre-
ceded by brture ann we are now told, on the
authority bf the President Of the United States,
that the Union cannot be preserved unless the
North not merely absiains from active inter
ference with the domestic institution OF the
South, but imposes upon itself an eternal silence
on the subject.
tits a significant symptom Of the true nature
, Of Slavery that Il draws after it, by the adms-
sion Of its warmest advocates, the prescription
+ of that freedom Of tongue and pen which we are
in the habit of connecting with popular SOY.
. ereignty. Ind seeks to establish in the midst Of
o democracy censorship on what is written and
0 an espionage on what is spoken, for fear that
. the very echo of free discussion should generate
s in the minds Of bondsmen "vague notions of
o freedoml Mr.. Buchanan has discovered the
% evil, and has only to propose the remedy. That
- remedy, we should have supposed, would have
l. heen simple enough, The mischief has been
r. done by the liberty Of speech and action in the
d North. The remedy would seem, therefore, to
4 be to prohibit speech and to fetter action. II
the matrons Of the South can never feel them
to selves safe 80 long as the North is allowed TO tall
u, and write. to quote the Declaration Of lnde
I'd pendence and appeal to the anti-savery opinion
he Of Washington aud Jefferson, the case will b.
til very little mended by the remedies the Presden
proposes.
e. Let us assume that Congress can be prevaile
ig upon to vote by the required majority of two
NJ thirds, aud that three-fourths Of the severG
s. States are prepared to ratify, an express recog
ed milton Of the right Of property in slaves, tn
To- right of bringing slaves into any territory, an
is, lhe validity Of the Fugitive Slave Law whf
Of will all this avail, on Alr. Buchanans own shoV
Ter ing, if the North he still allowed the right
ad- free discussion, and nothing be done to check
the bosom Of Democracy the propagation
re- vague notionl of freedomg 1t is much as if
re. physician should declare his patient to be si
ner Of one disease and administer to him the rem
led dies adaptet to another II these measures
on not adopted which, considering the large IN
the orities hired, is very probable MIR. Buchan
can makes the Grange announcement that revolutic
sla- ary secessidhTiib be justihed-a matter on viii
--- We sngz4 NJ thought he, as the Chief Mag
!. trate dforl Federal Union, to whose care ii
UnionFort SIRE especially entrusted, ought
have bee.s,b ble last person to otfer an opinion
an But, according to Mr.. Buchanan's own vic
even in the case he supposes, what good will
/. cession dot II will not prevent that discuss
which he treats as the root of the evil it v
vss. not assist masters in recovering their fugit
Il slaves :; it will not open the territories to sla
cers owners twill not induce recognition Of
ca. property Of man in man, nor clear the heads
"a ot the slaves in the South from vague notions
for freedom. On the contrary, instead OF the P
will sent federation Of the system, secession wo
NJ certainly raise up in the North a Conieder
and more hostile than ever 70 slavery, pieueeu
II ignore the rights Of the master, to assist
fore flight of tie slave and to keep up an active
IA paganda no longer controlled by political
con party considerations The question lie,
a in whether the South would be justified 10 plung
itself into such an abyss, but whether suct
step wonil not show q degree Of imprudenoe
very most amounting to insanity.
Nora Mr.. Buchanan proves, We think, very cleai
that the Constitution of the Federal Union ma
% tn no provision for the case of State wishing
Del- withdraw from it, and he concludes from
owp that such an act would be revolutionary.
little certainly should have supposed that so m
tie of being admlttea' mere must pe somewhere
FORK, other q nouy wnlcn nau tns power 70 res,s.
iown put GOWN mcipieh, resoluuun' eolnp
ow is wlthdfawal OF slnsle s'Ate rom lne Union
Iord,' be followed by the most momentous consequel
,ead. = by nothing less, in fact, than the dissolu
aned in poins,of law, of the Union itself The
-Fs tinuance in the Union of oil the other State
orm. the consideration for the undertaking Of
ecret state 70 reniain III ene o1lon' '' auu 'lA'
90 slderatlon iails 10 pa., II als a,'oee,usr'
ready Union Is ~ eneD.ualy u.sau'eu, anu wv
sons, powers uelesn'eu " 20
,nth formally proclaimed q separation.