The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-26
THE UNITED STATES NOT A NATION. BUT
A MOB OLE SEPARATELY STArES

from the London Times, Jan. o.
Never Tor many years can the United States he
to the world what they have been. Mr. Bucban-
ans message has been greater blow to the Amer
can people than all the rants of the Georgian Gov
ernor, or the "ordnance" of the Charleston Con-
ventiOn. 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 tina. it is
nothing more than partnership. II any State
may, on grounds satisfactory to local convention
dissolve the Union between itself 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 it to withdraw
itself from the community, then the position of the
American people with respect to foreign powers is
completely altered 1t is strange that race whose
patriotic captiousness when in the society of Euro
peans Is so remarkable, should be ready tie divide
and TO give up the ties of fellow-citiZenship for
cause which strangers are unable to appreciate
Still stranger is it that Chief Magistrate, who
would have plunged the world in war rather than
suspicious craft should be boarded by English
officers after it had displayed the stars and stripes
or who would have done battle against despots for
any naturallzed refugee from Continental Europe,
should, without scruple and against the advice OF
his own Secretary of State, declare the Federal
Union dissolved whenever a refractory State
chooses to secede.
1t may well be imagined that the American peo-
pie have been taken by surprise both by the sud
denness and violence of the cutlery for secession,
and by the ready concessions of the President
From the day the Message appeared it was evident
that South Carolina no longer formed part of the
Union. The State had, by every organ which it
possessed, by its senator's its representatives by
the voice OF the press, of the great save-owners.
and of the multitude, declared its resolution to
secede. Only courage like that of General Jack
son could have quelled the "Gamecock State" as
we perceive some of its admirers call it. But there
was middle path between civil war and such an
instant recognition as Mr.. buchanan thought
IL oh with tba d,,t,- pf,,
holding the Federal power, he might have used the
authority vested in him to delay the movement and
give the Union and South Carolina itself time for re-
Election. Mr.. Cass would probably deprecate holding
a State by force, but he still declined to remain in
the Cabinet OF the statesman who would not rein
force Fort Moultrie, and assert, during the short
remainder of his term of office, the supremacy of
the Constitution. But as things went, the action
OF South Carolina was predetermined. On the
18th of December that State seeded from the Un-
ion by unanimous vote, and by this time has
probably gained possession Of all the Federal prop
erty within its borders, and established custom
house and post-oice of its own.
This bold course has its natural effect on the ex-
ctabe siaye-owners The secession of South
Carolina has been received everywhere with en-
thuslasm. 1t may, perhaps, be said that the other
States have feigned an appreciation which they do
not feel, in order to bring the North to terms by
the menace OF Southern Republic But whether
from feeling policy, the secession was Just at its
oudest at the close of the year. was looked upon
as certain that six seven States would seperate
from the Union in the first days of 1861. Georgia
leads the van. The ordinance of secession was
Locked upon as already passed. The North Caro-
lima Legislature has already read second time the
bill for arming the State. Alabama had voted, by
a large majority, in favor of secession. In Virgin
la, the oldest, the most conservative, and the mos
cautious oft the Slave States, we are told that the
secession feeling is gaining ground. State Conven
tons are to meet in Florida on the Sd of January
in Alabama the 9TH, in Mississippi on the 7th il
Texas on the Sth, in Georgia on the 9th, and il
lieves that 'there will be majority in each o
them in favor of immediate and separate secession
Hence, in a few days more the United States o
American the world has hitherto known them will
cease to exist.