The Shasta courier., 1861-01-05
SHASTA COURIER.
The Southern Agitation.

The President gives the unmistakable rea-
sons for the present Southern disuaion move
ment:
The long continued and intempetate inter-
ference of the Northern people with the question
OF slavery in the Southern States has at length
produced its natural effects-the different Sec
tons Of the Union are now arrayed against each
other, and the time has arrived so much dreaded
by the Father of his Countryl when hostile geo.
graphical parties have been formed. | have
long foreseen and often forewarned my country
men of the now impending danger. This does
not proceed solely from the claim on fhe part
of Congress- or the Territorial Legislatures, to
exclude slavery from the Territories; nor from
the efforts of the different States to prevent the
execution Of the Fugitive Slave Law. All or
any of these evils might have been endured by
the South without danger to the Union, as 9th
ers have been, in the hope that time and refec-
tion might apply the remedy. The immediate
peril arises not SO much from these causes, as
from the fact that the violent agitation of the
slavery question throughout the North for the
last quarter of century has at length produced
its mnlign influence on the slaves and inspired
them with vague notions of freedom. Hence
sense of security no longer exists around the
family altar. This feeling of peace at home has
given place to apprehensions of servile insur-
rection. Many matron throughout the South
retires at night in dread of what may befal
herself and her children before the morning.
Should this apprehension of domestic danger,
whether real or imaginary, extend and intensity
itself until it should pervade the masses of the
Southern people, then disunion will be ineyi-
table. Self preservation is the first law of ma
ture and has been implanted in the heart of
man by his Creator fer the wisest purposes, and
no political Union, however fraught with bless
ings and benefits in all other respects, can long
continue, f the necessary consequences be to
render the homes and firesides of nearly half the
parties to it habitually insecure. Sooner or later
the bonds of such union must be severed. 1t
is my conviction that this fatal period has not
yet arrived, and my prayer to God is that he
would preserve the Constitution and the Union
throughout all generations.
The POPULAR VoTE-The Breckinridge can
didate for Governor in New York, got about
10000 votes. This affords pretty good sample
of the relative strength of the Secession and
Douglas parties at the North. Douglas will
beat Breckenridge more than a million of votes
there, and will beat him and Bell put together
ia the whole vote. Tine Brechinridge vote is
not half that of the South alone, and not one
sixth that of the whole country. Yet Douglas
was not the Democratic candidate. Strange
that there should be million and half of
persons in the United States fools enough TO be-
aievc that he was, and 20 vote for him !-Leriag-
ton Va.) Faliey Star.
AN INDIGNANT WIFE's RETALIATION UPON
FREE-LovE HUsBAND-The Cleveland Plain
dealer relates this story in its usual elegant (?)
style:
An influential man, who resides near Cuyaho-
ga Falls, has been absent from home good
deal during the past year. He told his wife he
went off to buy cattle. He never brought any
cartle home with him, and his wife wondered
90 what under the sum- he did with them. Wo-
men generally sharp. 1t, perhaps, has nev-
er occurred to some people, but women know
few things. And this particular woman, in
the course of time, snuffed a large mice. She
positively ascertaned, indeed, that her husband
was mingliug with loose crinoine in several ad-
5acent places and that buying cattle was a
false and wicked pretext.
On returning home from cattle buying ('' in
say minds eye, Horatio") tour not long since,
the man was rather surprised not to find his
wife at home, and was somewhat more
prised to learn that She had been absent for
three days, and was good deal more surprised
to learn that she had gone off with man with
black whiskers. He started in pursuit. He
secured the country round. At last he met
her. She was in a buggy with Mr.. Whskers.
They were returning Aome. Where in -
have you been, Maria 2" shouted the husband,
boiling with indignation. "Oh, Ire been off
6uwng cattle !' she sweetly replied, while Mr.
Whhskers lashed the horse into furious pace,
and they dashed away.