The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-29
Secession and Coercion.

! Secession and Coercion.
In an able article written soon after tho in
auguration of LINCOLN, by F. GRIMKR, Esq ;.
! of Chiiicothe, Ohio the writer remarks that
/ the reason why the coercion of State is to-
| tally repugnant TO the genius of FederaI
! Union, is that that form of government il
! founded on agreement, and union to employ
/ violence, therefore, in order to main tain
union, sis a solecism - for it would defeat the
| great end which 10 intended to be answered, to
| wit the perpetuity of the Union. II is the
commission of fratrcide, in order TO produce
brotherly love Even admitting that the right
of secession does not exist and, as its logical
consequence, that coercion may be employed,
there are great reasons of public policy why
1t should never be. Views of expediency
forbid it and expectancy, large and enIight.
ened expediency, has had much to do with the
affairs Of men in the nineteenth century,
Where Notifications, adds Mr.. CRIME,
have been butt in seeding State, 1t is plain
that some way should be provided by which
they may be made to revert TO the State, for
they can no longer be employed for the defence
of the Union, or for the defence of the State by
the Union. No one supposes that Great Brit
ain main tains the fortress of Gibraltar for the
purpose of defending Spain, but rather for the
purpose Of oyerawing Spain and every one
must be struck with thes unnatural spectacle
which that remarkable case affords Of one
Government holding for 4 century and half
4 fortified pos: situated in the territory OF
another and independent government. 1t is a
standing reproach TO the Spanish nation and
signal proof of the decay and extreme feeble
ness of the monarchy. The right of seces-
sion, Mi. GRIAKE contends, was pretended to
be the alternative against civil war.
The Convention, which framed the Consti-
tuition of the United States, wisely refused to
iusert any provision authorizing the coercion
of 4 State; and, with signal sagacity, omitted
to insert any clause prohibiting secession. The
| course of Mr.. LINCOLN towards the South
ern States, especially in view of this we'll
known fact, is more cruel and despotic than
that of the monarchies Of Europe, with the
single exception of Austria. AT one time, the
kingdoms of Belgium and Holland We're
parts OF the Spanish monarchy, and the Span
tsh monarchy was itself a cons olidated, and not
Confederate Government. Yet Spain treat
ed with the seven United Provinces, and ac-
knoWiedged their independence; and the rela
tons which have subsisted between them
since the severance have been influi tely more
amicable than before. Great Britain, also a
Consolidated Government, pursued the same
course towards the American Colonies, and
the intercourse between the TWO people has
been more friendly, while the prosperity Of
both has been greatly enhanced. Austria is
the only Government which has refused TO
treat with its subjects after they had thrown
over their allegiance. The Republic of Swift
zerland was once part of it's dominions. 1t
has been an independent Government for cen
turtles, yet the Austrian Empire has never, to
this day, acknowledged is independence. -
Austria, the most thorough going despotism
of Europe, presents the only parallel to the
policy which ABRAHAM LINCOLN has adopted
towards the South. But Switzerlands indie
pendence has been made good, as that of the
South will be, without asking the leave OF H..
cense of a despotie Government.
Mr.. GRIAKB in the able argument from
which we have quoted, refutes the common
notion, that in the event of two or more Con-
federacies springing up, war, instead of peace,
may become the permanent condition of the
country. We refer to various examples
which show the contrary. For instance,
Belgium and Holland were in 1915 united
under one Government. But the per-
petual dlscord between the two people led to
severance of the Union fifteen years after it
was formed. The Diet of the Kingdom did
not stop to inquire whether it should be SO,
but accepted it as a fact, as an unavoidable
event, and gave its sanctio to the dismember-
ment. We must not be led astray by exam
Piles drawn from antiquity, the resort TO
which is SO common among those who inter
rogate the past, instead of deciphering the
present. All history is of inestimable value !;
a in bn MAJ affa nd in fha
structure of society. are so great from age TO
age, that our chief difficulty consists Ia elicit
ing their differences. rather than their ressm.
blances. Because the ground work Of human
nature 10 the same every where, no one would,
therefore, expect to dnd the same manners, In
stftutions And customs in Brazil and Penney.
yania. Still less reason would he have to expect
to dnd q closer resemblance between the turbu.
lent oligarehies OF ancient Greece and the
present period In truth, new and mighty
power has risen mp in the world, in the vast
system of Industrial pursuits, which has
grown up, and which every year Is acquiring
fresh strength in this country. This, more
than any other circumstance, has contributed
to check the passion for war; for it renders a
state of war absolutely inconsist tent with the
vital interests and inveterate habits of the
people, while, at the same time, it develops
reflection among larger body of men than
was ever known before. Portugal was for a
long period an integral part of the Spanish
monarchy. Since they have become separate
kingdoms, the relations of the two people, al
though bordering upon each other, have, as in
the ease Of the Dutch and Belgians, been more
pacific than they ever were before. France
has been engaged In war with Russia. Prns-
STA. and Austria, as often as with Spain, her
neghbor. a