The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-09
Terrorism ia Rev osutions - Depiornbic
Excesses on the south.


General of France were opened by the King
at Versailles, for the first time in one hundred
and scventy-five years, and the tiers ftot, led
by Mirabeau assumed the title of National
Assembly, such rejoicing thrilled through the
enlightened heart of Europe as only could
have been produced by the opening scenes of
o revolution which should result in the over
throw of despotism and the enforcement of
the sacred idea of popular liberty. -Four years
later furious populace had sacrificed a king
and queen to their fury, and the terrors of the
guillotine had established the most hdeous
tyranny that the world has ever witnessed.
The next downward step was into perfect
anarchy, out of which the iron hand of NapO-
leon carved an empire which deluged Europe
in blood for fifteen years. A century and a
half earlier republcanism in England deve-
Hoped, also, the hopes for freedom of civilized
world; but similar excuses led to misrule and
regicide with the final establishment Of the
autocratic sway of Cromwell, who was sue
ceeded by 3 more capricious tyrant than the
father who died on scaffold at Whitehall In
like manner the revolutions of l848 were push
raised Louis Napoleon to the throne, and es-
taklished monarchy throughout Germany; and
there menaces the present hopes Of Italy no
external enemy so much to be feared as the
feverish extravaganza of those ultraists who are
already undermining the constitutional fabric
which the efforts of Victor Emanuel, Count
Cayour and Garibaldi have erected with SO
much pains.
Past history should teach the important
lesson to the people Of the South that every
step beyond the bounds of moderation must be
disastrous to their own interests, and accom-
plish, by their own hands, the objects of their
enemies. The aggressive political propaganda
ism Of abolition at the North has placed the
slaveholding States upon vantage ground of
principle, which, properly understood, could
never have been shaken. Thus the first
steps Of resistance and maintenance of cOnsti-
tutional right were hailed with joy by every
good citizen in every section Of the country.
1t was proper to Withstand the onward pro-
gress of an "irrepressible conflict" ready to
march over "the rice fields of South Carolina
and the cotton and sugar plantations Of Louisi-
ana" and to insist upon their being cultivated
by free labor. 1t was just to demand that the
remedy of the Father of his Country should be
adopted in great national crisis, and "that
the constitution should be changed by an ex-
plict and authentic act Of the whole people,"
The recognition of property rights every
where; the needful concessions which abolition
intolerance had previously denied; full liberty
to carry slaves into common territory, and the
recognition of universal federation of opinion
respecting slavery as social institution in the
several States of the Union, were rational re-
quirements, which, properly put forward,
would have been responded to by the people
Of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey,
and by the great West and Northwest
Instead, however, of the dignifed, majestic
stand at the South of patriots, what have we
beheld. The frantic mountebankery OF South
Carolina mob could have been forgiven. Thirty
millions of citizens could have afforded to over
look and forgive the antics Of a handful of in
dividuals, more injurious to themselves than to
others, and sure to end in repentance and sub
mission. Premature secession, the seizure of
Fort Moultrie, the Charleston Custom House,
Post Office and Arsenal, and the arrogant
pretensions Of the Commissioners sent to
confer with the administration of Mr.. Blu
chanan, might have been smiled at with COM
passion, and full allowance made for the
effcrvcscence of vanity, selfshness and dema-
goguism which caused apparent local unanimity
in sanctioning these illegal and hostile acts.
But it is evident, from the intelligence received
within the last few days, that wild contagion
of belligerent, disunion unreason prevails
throughout the whole country. Georgia, with
out having seeded from the Union, seizes upon
Fort Pulaski the most strongly fortified defence
the defenees Of Mobile; Mississippi feels entitled
to cross-question member Of Mr.. Buchanan's
Cabinet respecting achievements at Fort
Washington; the powerful Notifications at the
Balize are menaccd by Louisiana; Maryland
and Virginia, headed by Governor Wise, are
organizing condottieri to march upon the Dis
trict of Columbia and prevent the Inauguration
OF Mr.. Lincoln another Cabinet Minister re-
signs because supplies and reinforcements are
sent to Major Anderson; and in our very
midst, at the North, we hear the Union given
up as nuisance, and the recommen-
dation made that this metropolis should
rcnd itself asunder from the rest Of the State,
and contribute its quota to disunion. A polti-
cal epidemic prevails which, if permitted to
run its course, must prove most disastrous to
the nation.
Yet, while the South is rushing headlong
from folly to folly, and States are vieing with
each other in suicidal madness, there never was
moment when the conservative element in the
land was more strong than it is now. At no
previous time has it been SO possible for the
slaveholding States, by prompt, energetic, but
at the same time legal and constitutional ac-
ton, to recover all they have lost and to exact
Ito the utmost farthing" the liberties and rights
aG srhich abolition fanaticisru has attnrnrtcd