The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1866-10-17
George D. Prentice's Interview with
Jefferson Davis. Danger Of Secession
at the North.-A Most Timely Warming.


at the North.-A Most Timely Warming.
In the course of an interview that we
had with JEFF. Davis in January, 1865,
the subject of the terms Of peace was intro
duced. Mr. Davis asked US what was the
chief objection Of the North to the .recog-
milton of southern independence. We an
swered that the North knew perfectly we'll.
as unquestionably he did, that if sheshould
lay down her arms and consent to divi-
sion Of the Union into two confederacies.
she herself would very soon be dissolved,
that State after State-States singly and
States combinadly-would secede, and the
whole North be split up into petty Powers,
or no powers, all of them contemplate in
the eyes Of mankind, and not one of them
willing or able to contribute to the pay
mentof the national debt Mr.. Davis replied,
with his characteristic calmness, that this
was certainly true, but that the same thing
would happen, and probably happen all
the sooner. if the North should continue
to prosecute the war. We thought at the
time that Mr.. Davis was greatly mistaken,
and told him SO. We still trust that we
were correct in our estimate Of the cha
racter Of his opinion, but just now we can
indulge no over confidence that we were.
The North continued to prosecute the
war, and the South, after the bravest and
most desperate resistance known in wars
annals, was conquered. But now comes
the Norths trials. Now we are to see the
test of her internal strength. If out of
the dreadful war between the North and
the South northern civil war arises if
northern armies march against each other,
vengeance before them, and blood and
death and desert behind, many northern
States will very soon weary and sicken Of
the horrid work, and will probably adopt
secession as thesurest and quickest remedy.
fully relying upon the mighty troubles and
perils Of the Federal Governments as per-
feet security against coercion. Most like,
ly the northwestern States will go off first
repudiating, of course, their proportion Of
the public debt, and thus piling higher the
monstrous financial burden upon the should
ers of the remaining States. These will
have neither the will nor the ability to
bear up under the crushing weight, and so
others will seceede, and then others, till
the whole North shall be divided up into
such poor, little non-debt-paying feeble,
mock nationalities, as citizen Of one of
the Mexican States, or of the South Ameri-
can republics, or of one of the petty, mis-
cradle German principalities might look
upon with contempt and scorn. JEFF.
Davis's declaration to us as to the conse-
quences of the war to the North, if prose-
cuted, will be amply indicated and what
ever resentment, if any, he cherishes a.
gainst the North will be abundantly salts
fed. I'VE tell the alorthern fanatics-as
loucr Of our schole country zoe sozemnly
tell hens--that ataless madness has seized
a!pon their hearts and brains they aotU not
insist on pushing the dissensions between
the President and Congress to the fighting
point. They may rest assured that if the
fight comes, it will be to them such one
as they have no account of in either history
or tradition. They will find it an infinitely
different thing from the war Of the rebel
lion, dreadful as that was throughout all its
annals. They will find themselves divid-
ed people, divided almost equally divided
and mutually hostile, whilst the whole pop
ulation Of the South will be unit, able
to strike for their friends or stand afar from
the fash the crack and the roar of war as
may seem best to them. rilv thick cIoud
now enveloping the South may be partial
ly lifted but night and storm, surcharged
with bloody rain, will close over the North.