The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1862-11-20
What is Secesstonism?

1t is a favorite dodge of some people now
a-days to endeavor to shut up man who
disagrees with them by accusing him OF Sc
cessionism. It is an easy way OF getting rid
of an argument that one cannot answer, it is
far easier than convincing an opponent, In
fact, it is Gas easy as lying" But is man
a secessionist because he desires peace, or
deprecates subjugation. or intimates wish
that personal liberty was less restrlctedt-
Is he q secessionist because he is not blind
to discrepancies in official reports, or the
shortcomings of government the incompe-
tency of general, or the blunders of states
man? Is he secessionist because he alb
hors the idea of conquerors and conquered,
taking the place of fellow-citizens IN this
Republic, because he wishes for no such
union as that of Ireland with England, or
Poland with Russia, on this broad continent?
Is Ire secessionist because he is alive to the
wickedness and absurdity of enslaving white
men in order to set negroes free? Is man
a secessionist who does not believe our gov
ernment in fallible. our army invncible, and
our resources ilimtable? Is it secession
ism to hirt that our Southern brethren are
human beings still, that they have rights
which it would be dangerous to disregard,
and feelings it would be wise to take into
account? Is it secession to admit that they
are brave and weary, or to doubt that they
are so destitute and Responding as it is the
fashion to represent them? Is it secession
ism to shrink from taxation, to wish that
our government were a little moro frank in
dealings with the people, more DESTROYS of
relieving them from the horrors of suspense,
more chary of interfering with the liberty
of the press, and freedom of speech, more
economic of public money? Is it secession
ism to long with longing of which these
people have no conception for the reconstruc-
ton of the Union on the basis of the Consti-
ton, on the good old guarantees that satisfied
the men Of '76? What better are we tn an
they, or what better is the negro now than
he was in their day. that he should be made
bone Of contention between the sections, a
wedge to split up the Republic. Our Rev
olutionary Fathers never thought Of legis-
latng the negroes into equality with white
men; their sense of right was no more shock
ed by their exclusion from political priv
ileges than it was by exclusion of the idiot,
and they were right, for if in the case of
the latter, nferority Of intellect is judged
sufficient to place the individual below the
level of the race, why is not the same cause
sufficient to place an inferior race below the
level of a superior?
Is belief in this secessionism? We think
not, but we have heard men accused OF Sc
cessi onism for less. 1t would be we'll there
fore, to know what constitutes secessionlsm.
1t would be well to know if men are to be
dubbed secessionists because they cannot
think as Governme Mt thinks, or as every
individual officer of the Government, from
he Secretary Of State down to the lowest
patrolman in police district thinks. For
this is what we are coming to. M eet aboli-
tionists, or as they prefer to be called just
now, emancipationists. where you will, and
presume to assert your right to think tor
yourself, to criticise with your lips what you
condemn in your heart; proceed on the as
sumption that your rightto differ from them
is as clear as their right is to differ from you
refuse to accept their say so as an article of
your political creed, and they discern at once
that YOU are secessionst.
In your opinion, it is not wise to brandy
about such charges recklessly; disloyalty to
the Government should never be assum ed /,
for in a land like ours. under a governm ent
election like ours, to say that the people are
disloyal is to say that the Government is
unworthy. metropolitan Record.