Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-01-18
Letter OflIajOr General Wool to a Mem-
ber of Congress.
Troy, December

OOuIn carolina is again In one of her
Politico-spasmodic convulsions and, as on a
former occasion, is prepared to leave the
Union. Her Representatives in Congress
say that she has already left the Union, and
this, too, without any wrong or injustice
having been done her people by the Gov
ernment Of the United States. Her present
course is not unlike that of 1882 and 1888
when she resolved, on account of the tariff,
to nullify the laws of Congress; and if re-
sisted, to separate herself from the Union.
In this she was foiled by the energetic meas
ures of the distinguished patriot Andrew
Jackson, then President. Although pre-
vented at the time from executing her in
tentions, her leading spirits have never
ceased to proclaim Secession, and determi.
nation to leave the Union whenever an
opportunity occurred to carry out the
scheme engendered of forming grand slave
Confederacy, to be composed of the seeding
States the Island of Cuba, the States Of
Mexico and Central America, and to reopen
the slave trade. All which have been refer
red to in tie recent speeches of Keitt, Rhett,
Judge Magrath and others.
In 1850, '5l, 80, '53 and '54, efforts were
made preparatory to the formation of this
slave confederacy, and General Quitman
and Captain William Walker were to assist
in its accomplishment. The first was to
revolutionize Cuba, and the latter to conquer
lOul VI hfC Vi Obdleo OI Oelbfal Amer
lea. From want of means and capacity to
direct such enterprise, they both failed con-
sequently the scheme was postponed until
more favorable opportunity might occur for
its execution. No opportunity, however,
occurred which would justify the attempt,
until the raid of John Brown at Harper's
Ferry, which furnished the requisite means
to prepare the minds of the people to
carry into effect their long meditated de-
o. hn ,s.t. -
lima, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi did
not fail to avail themselves of an occurrence
SO favorable to their purposes. Every effort
was made to excite the people Of the South,
with the most urgent appeals for immediate
Secession from the Union. The universal
condemnation, North and South, of Brown
and his nefarious conduct, and the expressed
determination to maintain the South in all
their just and constitutional rights, stayed
the Secession movement.
Thus stood the question until the meeting
of the Democratic Convention at Charleston,
in 1860. Apprehensive that Senator Doug.
las, who was presented by the Northern De-
mocracy, would be the nominee of the Con
vention for President, the leading spirits of
disu ion broke it up, and divided the
members and the Democratic Party into two
factions. each of which named its candidate
for President. The Secessionists, with anna
Vice-President Breckenridge, and the mem
bers of the North, with afew from the South,
nominated Senator Douglas. At the same
time the Secessionists openly and publicly
avowed their preference for Lincoln for
President over Senator Douglas, although
the latter had, beyond any other Senator, de-
Tended on all occasions the rights and inter-
ests of the South, and even to the extent of
| their peculiar views on the subject of
cta !,
the Democratic Party divided, no intelligent
person could doubt that the Republican cam
| didate would be elected.
That such was the design and intention
of the disunionists when they broke up and
divided the Convention, could not be ques-
| toned by any one acquainted with their
long meditated designs; and for no other
| purpose than to be used as means to excite
the people of the South, with the expecta-
tion Of concentrating them in favor of their
grand slave confederacy. As they preferred
| Mr.. Lincoln to Senator Douglas who had
always been the advocate of Southern views
on the subject of slavery, what object could
they have had in favoring his election but to
use it as the only and ''last opportunity" OF
accomplishing the design, previously en-
gendered, of separating the cotton States
from the free States. Their object was at
tanned. Abraham Lincoln was elected to be
President by eighteen out of thirty-three
States. No State in the Union received the
announcement with more Joy and satisfac-
tion than South Carolina, and because it
would, as proclaimed by her leaders, insure
the long-wished-for object-a separation oi
the State from the Union.
For the same reason, in the city of Charles
ton meetings were held to celebrate the
event, when the citizens manifested theiI
feelings in "loud, Llong and continuous
cheers" The State, in its Legislative capacity
denounced and pronounced Mr.. Lincoln'E
election as sufficient cause for the State tc
seeede from the Union. A greater outrage
on the Constitution could not have been com.
mitted, nor greater insult offered to free
people. Treason and rebellion were rife
against the Union, for no other reason, al
manifested, than that eighteen out of thirty.
three States exercised their rightful and
constitutional prerogative eof voting fol
whom the people deemed most worthy and
best fitted TO fill the Office of President. II
was not, however, the true cause, but q means
used under false colors to execute o scheme
long before concocted, and with which was
connected, perhaps, one of the most promin-
ent among the reasons which first dictated
Secession-the reopening of the slave-trade
in order to obtain slave labor at greatly re-
duced prices. To which may now be added
the great and growing power of the free ovei
the slave States, by which South OarolinS
might lose her controlling influence in The
councils of the nation.
The foregoing facts are presented in order
to show the motives and causes which have
prompted South Carolina and her leaders Il
proclaim to the world her intention of sepa
rating from the Union, which no circum
stance whatever can justify.
To advocate Secession is reasonable. Sc
cession is revolution and civil war. If 81
great curse should befall our country, i
would not fail to call forth all the baser pas
sions of the human heart, blood would flow
in torrents, followed by pestilence, famine
and desolation-and all because a majority
of the States have elected, constitutionally,
person to be President, whom the Secession
lists of South Carolina do net like. Beeaus
a majority of the people have exercised tn
highest and most precious right conferred b,
the Constitution, in casting their votes for
person whom they considered best calculates
10 administer the affairs of the nation, tn
only free government on the face of tn
globe is to be destroyed This must moi
and viii not, be permitted.
We can not allow the only free govern
ment-the last hope of the oppressed of tn
wOrld-to be sacrificed because South Caro-
lima desires il. Where liberty dwells ther
is my country, was the declaration Of tn
nlustrious Franklin, This principle Is to
strongly implanted in the hearts and mind
of the people TO be surrendered at dtctatior
Where is the man to be found, so lost to u
principles which governed the Father Of hi
Country and his eompatriots in arms, tina
will not say, with the distinguished pstrioi
the hero of New Orleans--Andrew jackson
ssThe Union nust and shall be preserved
,,aacaal,l.t ~ n can bat foreihlv IL IL OfIst 2