Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-10-24
DANGER OF SECESSION AT THE
NORTH.
"A Most Timely Warning.


! In course of an interview that we had
with Jefferson Davis in January, 1865,
the subject of the terms of peace was in
troduced Mr.. Davis asked us what was
the chief objection of the North to the
recognition of Southern independence.
We answered that the North knew per-
fectly well, as unquestionably he did,
that if she would lay down her arms and
consent to a division of the Union into
two confederaces, she herself would very
soon be dissolved that State after State,
States singly and States combinedly,
would secede, and the whole be split up
into petty powers or no powers, all OF
them contemplate in the eyes of man
kind, and not one OF them willing or able
to contribute to the payment of the ma
tional debt. Mr.. Davis replied, with his
characteristic calmness, that this was
certainly true, but that the same thing
would certainly 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 we're correct in our
estimate of the character of his opinion,
but just now we can indulge no over
confidence that We we're. The North
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 tradi-
ton. We say to the people of the North
that very large proportion of them have
continued to prosecute the war, and the
South, after the bravest and most. des-
perate resistance known in wars an
mails, was conquered But now comes
the North's trials. Now we are to see
the tests 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 them, many Northern States will
very soon weary and sicken of the horrid
work, and will probably adopt secession
as the quickest remedy, fully relying
upon the mighty troubles and peris of
the Federal Government as perfect se
curity against coercion. Most likely the
Northwestern States will 90 off first, re-
pudiating, of course, their proportion of
the public debt, and thus piling higher
the monstrous financial burden upon the
shoulders of the remaining States. These
will have neither the will nor the ability
to bear up under the crushing weight,
and so others will secede, and then others,
till the whole North shall be divided up
into such poor little non-debt paying,
feeble, mock natioualities, as citizen
of one of the Mexican States, or of the
South American republics, or of one of
the petty, miserable German principali-
ties, might look upon with contempt and
scorn. jeff Davis declaration to us, as
to the consequences of the war to the
North, if prosecuted, will be amply vim
dicated, and whatever resentment ifany,
he cherishes against the North, will be
abundantly satisfied. We tell the North.
ern fanatics, as lover OF our whole
country we solemnly tell them, that, un-
less madness has seized upon their hearts
and brains, they will not insist on push
ing the dissentions between the President
and Congress TO the fighting point They
acted and are acting most unwisely,
madly. Theirs is ''the very error of the
mood" They seem incapable of profit
ing either by the South's experience or
their own. They initiate and follow the
South to the most unhappy acts she
ever committed. The South, in 1861,
undertook to break up and destroy the
Federal Constitution She rebelled
against it. She set at naught its pro-
visions, and attempted to maintain her
attitude Of hostility to it by force of
arms She failed As graciously as she
could, she recognized the result She
bowed to the arbitrament of war, and
has been using whatever power and in
huence she possesses in support OF the
Constitution she strove so hercely and
desperately TO subvert and annihilate.
But, 10 ! the Radical party of the North,
claiming to be an overwhelming majority
of that great section, are. now violating
and defying the Constitution. No sooner
does the South give up rebellion than
the Northern fanatics inangarate IT, II
is as true that there is Northern rebel
lion nov as that there was a Southern
rebellion Eve years ago Rebellion has
simply changed its locality. Bat just
as il failed in one section, il will inevita-
bly, fail in the other. Ii can have no
other future than future like its past
"a future of blood and humiliation.
The Radicals used TO be terribly exer-
cised about secret political organizations.
aud had any number OF spies and pimps
at work 10 hunt up Knights Of the
Golden Circle" and Sons Of Liberty.
AT the same time they had their own
secret. oafh-bound "loyal league" aud