Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-16
The Fian q ilses..lea. i,Iodo o ~ Core

The Plan OF Secession Mode Of its Com
suuImation.
The New York BSehing Post in a review
Of the LIFE and Correspondence Of General
John A, Quitman, observes; ,6 f, sbf..
1t seems now well established, and is be-
lievedr both by our citizens and observing
foreigners, that the Secession of the Gulf
States is but the execution of q conspiracy
which has been -ripening for years. This
movement has been occasioned partly by the
belief real or assumed, that great pecuniary
gain would result TO the Cotton States by
forming separate government and partly
by the pertiuacious plotting of hungry dem
agogues anxious for spoils and honors which
they saw were evadiDg their grasp in the
Federal Union. L
AS early as 1850, and apropos of the ques-
tion of admitting California, General Quit
mans letters, while Governor of Mississippi,
foreten the movement Of last Winter. He
asserts that Secession is necessary and un-
avoidable; and advises a convention to an
nul connection with the Union, and to adapt
the organic law to the new state of things
"and that meanwhile an effective military
system be established, and patrol duties most
rigidly enforced" BE recommends the
formation Of q central committee to arrange
plans, referring to Colonels Davis, Thomp-
son, Brown and others. "In the mean time
every patriot should leave no point un.
touched where his influence can be exerted.
Cheer on the faithful, strengthen the weak,
disarm the submissionists with instructions,
send the fiery cross through the land, and
summon every gallant son of Mississippi to
the rescue.n .N
When Lopez was preparing for his ILL
starred Cuban expedition, he had as is we'll
known. the most active sympathy and aid of
General Quitman and other ultraists.' The
plan, like Walkers expeditions, which met
with like sympathy, was but a step in the
scheme OF Secession. II was supposed aud
contended by these plotters, that, to use the
words of our author, SCUBA once free, and
her resources put in motion by an energetic
will, the regeneration of Mexico and of the
distracted government to the south of it
would follow, and a new empire, the center
of the worlds production, and commerce,
governed by the great principle of unre-
strained free. trade, would soon. be es-
tablished." ..,-..r.s -..-...... ...
In 1851 and 1852, the correspondence be-
tween Quitman and various editors and
politicians of the extreme school lays down
rules of conduct which fully explain and
account for the recent scenes in the Charles
ton Convention, and separate secession of
South Carolina, in advance of any, similar
movement elsewhere. An extended and
active organization was kept up in the
counties; meetings were held and the ques-
ton of Secession discussed year after year.
All the arguments of interest and prejudice
which ingenuity could devise were sounded
in the ears of the impetuous Southern youth.
Candor could not deny nor art explain
away the back wardness of the South in the
arts and practical application of mechanics,
in commercial enterprise, in popular wealth
and improvement. But all this was persist.
emily attributed to the fatal effects of the
Federal Union. The institution of slavery,
of course, was blessing, and could not for
moment be admitted to have any thing to do
with producing this backwardness. On the
contrary, it was an element of sure prosper
ity, if it could only be extended westward
and souihward over fhe warm cotton regions
of Mexico and Central America, and re en-
forced by new importations from Africa.
The whole blame of the comparative fail
ure of the South to keep pace with the North
in the race of improvement was laid upon
the anti-sl slavery sentiment, which retarded
the growth of slaye.laoor in the natural way
of importation, and prevented or embarrassed
the acquisition of more territory, and upon
| the alleged inequality of taxes produced by
the tariff system. These derived strength
only from the Federal Union, which was
thus represented as huge upas-tree, distill-
ing deadiyspoisOD upon Southern hopes and
enterprises. The present generation of
Southern men has grown to manhood in the
midst of such teachings Is it to be wondered
at that many have imbibed erroneous notions
of political economy and American policy,
which nothing but Experience will correct 2
We have not time to notice the other
features of General Quitmau's life. He
served term or so in Congress, and died in
July, 1858. His congressional course was of
the EXTREMIST school, aud his great speech
on Southern Rights, as his biographer calls
it, seems to US one of the most cloudy aud
illogical attempts a. frittering away the
Constitution which even that school has
ever achieved. 10 it we may perceive, how
ever, the indications of that belief in con-
ventiOns and acquiescence in their over
riding the Constitution and laws of the
State, and the principle of seeking the
opinion of the people, which has so sin
PuiaTly characterized all the Secession move
meets. D.
The sovereignty of the State, that mys-
terious entity which is always rampant in
the Secessionist mind, and always ready to
be offended, exists il would seem, not in the
Constitution, not in the Legislative or ex-
| eeutive department, not even in the people
of the State, nor in all of these together,
but in convention, which may be deemed
to comprise the sublimated quintessence Of
democracy, and is paramount to all the
| others. We may be pardoued for suspect
! ing that the real secret of this theory il that
the conventions are more easily managed by
designing politicians, being assembled on
short notice, and in the midst of popular
| excitement and passion. Such seems to be
| the teaching of history.
These volumes are prepared in credit
able manner, and published in attractive
form They present the topics discussed
from the extreme Southern point of view
and as such are not without especial interest
/ at this time. 1t is evident that all Gen.
J eral Quitman's connection With the con.
spiracy TO withdraw the Cotton States from
the Union is not here unfolded. 1t is moi
yet time to disclose the plot and its work,
ings; we can as yet only pick up hints her,
and there, and judge from manifest results.