Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-04
SINGS OF REACTION.


Passion and terror-not reason and calm re-
fection-have nanifestly been the impelling
causes of the rapid and destructive progress of
treason and secession in the South. A strange
and violent political hallucnation seems to
have seized upon the popular mind. Corrupt
and ambitious leaders point to dangers which
have no existence, to wrongs which were never
committed or even thought of, 10 expressions
! which have no existence save in their own dis
ordered imaginations. As in some forms of
insanity, they see fends in friends, enemies in
brethren, danger in security. Fidelity to the
government the Constitution and the Union
is put into the same category with abolition.
ism, and the man who refuses to be o traitor
is set down-"spotted," as the phrase down
there is-aS an enemy Of the South, coward,
a craven, q submissionist.
Now among people so fierce, so hot blood.
ed, SO little accustomed TO cool reflection, and
who pride themselves above everything else
upon their spirit, their "chivalry," as they de,
light to call it, such impressions as we have
just alluded to- once lodged in the general
heart of the community, are well calculated to
lead to acts of desperation and madness, out
rage and treason. The North has so far looked
on as men look at maniac cutting his own
flesh and tearing his own clothes While the
paroxysD is at its height they let them alone,
hoping that exhaustion will soon superVene,
and that some degree of nationality will return
when the mad fit shall have run It's course.
Among the seeded States Florida is the
weakest by far, and we have accounts that
the people there already bitterly bewail their
folly, and would gladly return to the Union if
they could. But they are territorially cut off
by South Carolina and Georgia, and must W ait
their movements. In Georgia and Alabama
the madness is only partial, and the same is
probably true Of oil the seeded States but
South Carolina; and even there little glim-
mering Of reason may still exist, although kept
down by terror and inexorabIe intolerance In
Texas the Houston party is likely to gain the
ascendency over the party OF the Southern
Confederation; but whether the triumph Of
that party would keep that State in the Fed,
eral Union we cannot tell.
THE course of the Secessionists (says the
". Y Courier and Enquirer has been very
similar to that of the French Jacobns They
have been guided solely by desire to crafty
their own interests. They have utterly ignor-
ed the wishes of the people, and when these
attempted to demonstrate, they have been i'm.
peratively SiIenced. When some of the North,
ern Alabamians refused to endorse their views
they were told by Mr.. Yancey that they would
be cocrc.d. Their fear of the opinion of the
people has been wonderful, and proves how
little real foundation the secession movement
possesses. The Louisiana Legislature request,
ed that the Constitution of the new Confeder.
ncy should be submitted to the vote OF the
people. The Convention decided not to sub
NIT it, In Alabama the same ga me will prob
ably be played. In Texas the Secessionist:
are pursuing the same tyraunical course, and a
conflict between them and the Unionists seems
probable. Daily evidences are given of The
fact, that there is large body Of Union men
throughout the South which is only awaiting
an opportunity for expressing its sentiments
1t has been so completely cvershadowed by
the Secessionists that they have not dared tc
stir. By the Secessionists an expression in
favor the Union is regarded as but form foI
sanctioning Abcltionism That these Union
men have been thus tramplcd uponis the fau
of Mr.. Buchanan. Had he only done bis
duty, this conservative elament would soor
have overpowered the ultra one and our coun
try would have been protected from the evi
which it now suffers"