The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-05-29
A REyIARKABLE BOOK.

II any doubts have thus far existed that the
present effort to break up the Government is the
elimination Of a long matured and carefully
studied Plot, these doubts will be now removed.
A piece of evidence, remarkable both for its
character and the circumstances under which it
is gven--a piece OF evidence which cannot be
impeached-has fortunately come into possession
Of the country. Twenty five years ago, Beverly
Tucker, a Professor of Williams and Marys Col.
lege of Virginia, a warm friend ard partisan Of
John c. Calhoun, a man of ripe culture and sa
gacity, wrote a work entitled 1.-The Partisan
Leader" This work was printed at Washington,
was designed exclusively for Southern circulation,
and was intended to prepare the Southern mind
for the dissolution OF the Union. Partly because
the time for carrying the scheme into execution
had not arrived, and partly because the author
and his hackers were inspired with wholesome
terror of hemp, it was Impressed, and remain.
ed, like the lost books of Livy, a "a concealed
treasure"
The treasure has now been discovered. The
"Partisan Leader" has 5een exhumed. The
"curiosities Of literature" present nothing more
strange, or more painfully fascinating II is apt
" called "Tale of the Future" The author
projects the plot beyond the time in which he
wrote, and draws upon events yet to happen for
the incidents Of the story. He paints the South
as she would appear when endurance having
ceased to be a virtue che has resolved to sever
the bands that unite her TO the North. He
sketches the drdmotis persone of the Revolu
tiOn-the Washingtons and Franklins of the new
/ dspensatiOn-reveasw with wonderful exactitude
the progress of events towards dissolution. lie
eXpOunds at length the causes and springs o
disafection depicts tie gradual development o
the alienation of the South and elaborates with
the skill Of one profoundly conversant with the
anatomy OF character, the =" theory and practice
of Secession.
In reading this singular volume, we seem tt
be viewing the rehearsal of events transpring a
the present time. The characters that figure il
the story the almost literal prototypes of mel
who occupy the foreground in the drams o
Southern Revolution. The argument.-the very
wOrds-which the actors in this imaginary upris
ing used to justify their conduct, seem to bav,
been servilely borrowed by the Yaaceys and tn
Rhetts and Davises of the present day. Hat
these gentlemen adopted tie partisan Leader
as their text book, and sworn to follow its in
structions to the letter, they could not have NOR
rigidly "obeyed orders"
One singular feature is to be observed in thi
"TraitOr's Guide" The negro is studiousy ie
uored. No where is the object of slavery 5
much as alluded to among the grievances of tn
South. This issue was an afterthought-a happ
inspiration Of later times-with the advocates G
dissolution. As Gen. Jackson predicted in LEI
ter TO a friend in 1888, the African was conver
iently adopted as hobby by men who sougt
pretexts for dislOyalty, and invented excuses ic
treason.
We had intended to make some extracts fro
this suggestive work, but must CONTEXT ourselv,
for to-day with the following graphic picture
Southern Rebellion as it maaifests itself at Il
present moment:
Under these circumstances, the Soutbel
/, States had been at length forced to see that Il
day fer decisive action had arrived. They ther
= fore determined no longer to abide the obligation
: Of Constitution, the form Of which alone r
manned, and having by a movement nearly sir
2 ultaneOus seeded from the Union, they had il
media,ely formed Southern Confederacy. tt
suddenness of these measures was less remark
BILE than the prudence with which they had be,
conducted. The two together left little dou
that there had been precOncert amon9the lea
ing men of the several States, arraying prov
: sionally what should be done, whenever circul
stances should throw power into the hands
those. whom at the bidding Of the usurpsr, I
people had oRce driven from their councils
I" 1t Is now known that there was such concert.
Ner vas it confined to the Seeding States alor
- In Virginia, also, there we're men who enter
into the same views"
=. Mr.. Tucker should have added an appendix
is his prophetic treatise. lie should have portr;
in ed the "Decline and Fall i" a. well as the Rise
os Southern Secession. He should have depic
the ARREST of the foul tide-the crushing of