Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-02-28
SECESSION AND COERCION +!

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in any way, prejudice their constitutional
rights, or that the Republican party intends
in administering the General Government to
infringe or treSpass upon any of the institu-
tions, interests or prejudiceS of the South
The formation of Southern Confederation
is the elimination of those reasonable pro.
jects and purposes which for thirty years have
been INDUCED in by Southern men,-the cleo
publican party is made the pretext by means
of which to excite and cxasperate the South,
and prepare that section for the fearful step
already undertaken, which the cool and re-
flecting amongst them, we have abundant rea-
son to believe, are in no wise satisfied with.
If the evils which are predicted in that Sec
ton as likely to result from the success of the
Republican party, were not purely imaginary,
the leaders themselves would not be in such
haste to inaugurate Southern Confederacy
previous to the Fourth of March They would
wait in patience for some overt act on the
part of the incoming Administration, we'll
knowing that such step would tend to con-
sodate the Southern peoll le But the lead
ers are too wise to postpone action until real
grievances occur. so long as imaginary ones
suffice to accomplish their ambitious ends
! They have used the election of LINCOLN to
iDaame the Southern mind by misrepresenta
ton and falsehoods as to the purpose and in
tentions of the Republican party, until small
portion of the South seems carried beyond
| the confines of reason and reflection
In their speeches, some of the prominent
! leaders Of the Secession movement acknowl-
edge that the election of LINCOLN is not the
cause of their reasonable course-nor are
they aPprehensive of aggressive action by his
administration. A great SlavehoIding Confed
eracy, controlling the financial and political
action of the world, by means of King Cot
ton seems to be the gorgeous anticipation of
the leaders. A splendid and powerful aris.
tocracy, having for its support and mainte
nance the system Of serVie labor. The South
! sees the North advancing in wealth and pros
perity with unexampled rapidity. 1t beholds
Northern ships carrying their commerce, and
Northern merchants their factors. Each CEN
sus developes the giant strides of the Free
North and disclOSeS the backward movement
of the slave holding South. 1t is calling to
the pride of the chivalry to be dependent upon
the greasy mechanics" of the bleak North
for all they wear and use. Closing their eyes
in wiful blindness, they imagine that all this
prosperity is at the Constitutional expense of
the South. The fact that the North is pros,
porous and wealthy is a fancied aggression
upon some Southern right, which demands the
instant dissolution of the Union. They will
not see that the system of human slavery in
their midst, is gradually sapping the founda-
tions of their prosperity and while it may
serve the aristocratcal purposes of one class,
is degrading others, and clogging the prosper
ity of the States.
1t has been a favorite theory of the Cal.
houn school of publicists, that all that was
necessary for the emancipation of the South,
from this calling dependence upon the com.
mercial and industrial classes of the North,
was to separate from them, and build up
great Slave-holding COnfederacy, untrammeled
with restrictions upon the Commerce of the
world. 1t is to realize this idea, that several
States have seeded, and formed the Southern
Confederacy 1t is we'll enough for our Union
savers to consider this fact before they proffer
US their universal panaceas for Union-saving.
The seeding States have not gone out of the
Union because they are apprehensive that
LINCoLN'S administration will commit any out
rage upon Southren rghts-they do not pro-
fess to believe that he will evincc anything
but concatory and kind dspostion-but
the occasion is seized upon for consummating
The treason which has been for thirty years
maturing.
The question then becomes not whether the
Republican party shall stultfy itself by dsa
Vowing It's proclaimed doCtrines-not whether
some, sham shall be fixed up to cover points
of punctilio--but shall the laws be enforced
and the Union maintained as it is Shall the
right of secession be admitted, and treason
allowed to rule supreme, or shall the Execu
tive preserve the dignity, the reputation, and
the integrity of the Union Those quacks
who come with their gentle soporifcs and mild
remedies have no conception of the magnitude
of the disease they propose to cure.
Those who are for the Union, should stand
up for the Union without reservation. The
times will not admit of elimination and halt
ing and halfway policy Those who take oc