The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-27
Peacenblc Separation Better than Civil


War.
The present generation have not experienced
the horrors of war upon their own soil, or felt
its intolerablc burthens, and hence fippant
journalists at the North and at the South, and
demagogues who desire to fish in troubled waters,
can with impunity urge the country to take a
leap in the dark over the fearful precipice of
civil war-the most horrible, cruel and ex-
hausting of all wars.
Greeley formerly belonged to the peace Sect
and was as much opposed to fighting as a
Quaker. He denounced all sorts of war; even
foreign war, and within few weeks he said it
would be contrary to the principles of the De-
claration of Independence and the doctrines of
human liberty to prevent the peaceable seces-
sion of the Southern States. He is now infected
with the republican mania for coercion and
civil war. At the time of the Mexican war the
Tribune denounced the invasion on the part Of
the United States as a national sin, and en-
dorsed the patriotic wish OF Tom Corwin that
our army sent to Mexico might be welcomed
with bloody hands to hospitable graves" But
according to Greeley now, an army sent from
South, because they are not willing tamely to
submit to Northern aggression and injustice,
would be doing God service; and if they
persisted they would be enrolled in heaven as
"a noble army of martyrs" in company with
John Brown.
If the instigators to war were only success
full in their design, they would soon pay the
Al. e XIx.:u ~:al.o
poverished, ruined people, awakened to sense
Of their folly. The last war with England
Frustrated the country, exhausted its resources
and left it bankrupt Funds were raised only
at heavy, ruinous discounts, and private indi-
viduals were applied to for help in the strug-
land States and the want of the sinews of war,
it was unable to carry on the contest for twelve
months longer, and hence the government, after
three years fighting, was compelled to make
peace. If foreign war is so disastrous, what
would be the result of q civil war, in which
American citzens-those of fifteen sister States
on one side, and those of eighteen on the other
divided only by a geographical line, should
cut each others throats and carry devastation
into each others territory.
There is only one way in which this matter
can be settled without disruption of the
Union. and that is by inserting declaratory
amendments in the constitution explaining
those provisions which have been violated or
evaded by the anti-slavery revoutionists of
the Northern States. This and this alone, will
remove the whole question from Congress, and
restore TO the country that domestic tran
quillty' for which the constitution and the
"more perfect Union were established. But
il this should not be agreed to in Congress,
then let peaceable separation of the States
take place, and two great confcderacies be
formed for the subjugaion Of the whole CONT
ncnt at future day. Coercion might not be
successful and in that case the Union would
be gone irretrievably. But If it were success
full IL would be worse than useless. Ii could
not make the South loyal, and the whole cha
ractcr of our institutions would be changed,
and military despotism take the place of free
government. If there must be invasion of the
South. then we submit that the aboltionists
undertake il themselves that they all go-and
that Phillips and Garrison. and Hale and
Wade, and Gddings and Greeley, and Webb
and Raymond, and Chcever and Bcechcr, with
"the three thousand clergymen of New Eng
land march at their head to South
Carolina aud TO the other seeding States.
aud that the fire eating secession leaders,
who arc ia favor of secession PEI So'
meet the Praise G ou-Barcbonc army not with
white men. bat with battaiions Of well fed
~lccl, blacks. who are ready to die for their "
situton and their masters ana Who would
make short work with the fanatic invaders,
who. like John Brown, dream that the moment
thoy show themselves the negro population
would appear in Instruction as their allies,