Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-01-26

The IOm09m TtmoH on Ehebheont he-
chanan's MESSAGE and Secession in
Ameriea. tlr.-tI al.I.ee
The London Times Of the 9th inst. has the
following:
Never, for many years, can the United
States be TO the world what they have been,
Mr.. Buchanans message has been greater
blow to the American people than ali the
rants of the Georgian Governor or the "or-
dinancess % &c of the Charleston Convention.
The President has dissipated the idea that
the States which elected him constitute one
people. We had thought that the federation
was of the nature of . nationality; we find il
is nothing more than partnership. II any
State may, on grounds satisfactory to a local
convention, dissolve the Union between it.
self and its fellows if discomfort with the
election of a President, or the passing of an
obnoxious law by another State, or, it may
be, restrictive tariff, gives State the right
of revolution" and permits II to withdraw
itself from the community, then the position
of the American people with respect to
foreign powers is completely altered.
II is strange that race, whose patriotic
captiousness when in the society of Euro
Ieans is SO remarkable should he so ready to
divide and to give up the ties of fello w-citizen-
ship for a cause which strangers are unable
to appreciate. Still stranger is it that Chief
Magistrate who would have plunged the
world in war rather than a suspicious craft
should be boarded by English officers after it
had displayed the stars and stripes or who
would have done battle against despots OF
any naturalized refugee from Continental
Europe, should, without scruple and against
the advice of his own Secretary of State, de-
clare the Federal Union dissolved whenever
a refractory State chooses to secede.
The instruments which the Carolinians
drew up on this occasion are singular and
almost amusing. The philosophy and phra-
seology of the Declaration of Independence
of l776 are initiated. Whole paragraphs are
copied from that famous document. The
thought and style of Jefferson were evil
IDENTIFY influenced by the great writers of his
age, and we may trace Montesquieu and
Rousseau in every line of his composition.
1t is rather interesting to see his language,
which denounced King Georges violation
of the social compact, used By coacLaUe Of
frantic negro drivers TO Stigmakze the conduct
of those acho aoiU not dllos0 a Southern gentle
man to bring his ''6ody serUant' in their terri
tom. South Carolina, however, has shown
wisdom in thus taking high ground.
The people are generally taken at the
value which they set on themselves, and
Carolina does right to play the part of out
ragged patience and indignant virtue. She
has declared, in the language of the fathers
of the Republic, that the Federal Union no
longer answers the ends of its foundation
by insuring the happiness and prosperity of
South Carolina, and that the conduct OF
several States having been violation of the
compact made by all, South Carolina re
sumes her rights as a sovereign community,
and will make war or peace, conclude treat
les, OF establish commerce independently
of the Government at Washington
It may well be imagined that the Ameri-
can people have been taken by surprise, both
by the suddenness and violence of the out
cry for Secession, and by the ready con-
cessions of the President. From the day
the Message appeared it was evident that
South Carolina no longer formed a part o.
the Union. The State had, by every organ
it possessed by its Senators, its Representa-
tives, by the voice of the press, of the grea'
its resolution to secede. Only courage likC
that of General Jackson could have quellei
the "Game. cock State" as we perceive somt
of its admirers call it.
But there was a middle path between civi
war and such an instant recognition as Mr.
Buchanan thought advisable As one charged
acith the duty Of uphoLding the Federal poWer
he might haze easily used the authority vestec
in him to delay the movement, and give the
Union and South Carolina itself time fol
reflection. Mr.. Cass would, probably, depre
cate holding State by force, but he still
declined to remain in the Cabinet of the
statesman who would not re-enforce For
Moultrie, and assert during the short re
mainder of his term of Office, the supremac.
| of the Constitution. But as things went tn
action of South Carolina was predetermined
On the 18th OF December that State seeded
from the Union by an unanimous vote, ant
by this time has probably gained possession
Of all the Federal property within its Dor
ders, and established a postoffice and a Gus
| tom. house of its own.