The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-10-16
From the Louisville Journal, Republican paper.

From the Louisville Journal, Republican paper.
GEORGE d. PRENTIeE's INTERVIEW WITH
JEFFERSON DAv1s-Danger Of Secession at the
North-A Most Timely Warning.-In the course
of interview that bad with Jeff. Davis in
January. 1865 the subject of the terms of peace
was introduced. Mr. Davis asked as. what was
the chief objection of the North to the reeogni>
tisn of Southern independence. We answered
that the North knew perfectly we'll, unques-
tienably he did, that, if she should lay down her
arms and consent to division Of the Union into
two Confsderacies, she herself would very soon
be dissolved; that State after State, States sngy
and States combnedly, 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 able to
contribute to the payment of the national debt.
Mr. Davis replied with his characteristic calm
ness, 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 estl-
mate of the character of his opinion, but just now
we can indulge no over-confdenee 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 come the North's trials. Now we are
to the test of her internal strength If, out of
the dreadful between the North and the
South. Northern civil war arises; if Northern
armies march against each other. vengeance be-
fore them, and blood and death and desert be-
hind many Northern States will very soon weary
and sicken of the horrid work, and will probably
adopt secession the surest and quickest rem
edy. fully relying upon the mighty troubles and
peris of the federal government perfect So
curity against coercion. Most likely the North
western States will go eff first, repudiating. of
course. their proportion Of the public debt, and
thus ping 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 debt
paying, feeble. mock -nationaties a citizen of
one of the Mexican States or of the South Amer
lean republics of of the petty, miserable
German prncipalities might look upon with con-
tempt and scorn. Jeff. Davis's declaration to us
to the consequence of the to the North, if
prosecuted, will be amply indicated, and what
ever resennents, if any, he cherishes against the
North will be abundantly satisfied.
We tell the Northern fanatics, as lover of our
whole country solemnly tell them, that, unless
madness has seized upon their hearts and brains,
they will not insist pushing the dissensions
between the President and Congress to the fight
ing 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 ira
dition. They will find it an infinitely different
thing from the war of the rebellion, dreadful
that was throughout all its annals. They will
find themselves divided people, divided almost
equally divided and mutually hostile, whilst the
whole population of the South will be unit able
to strike for their friends to stand afar from
the flash, the crack, and the roar of war, may
seem best to them. The thick cloud envel-
oping the South may be partially lifted; but
night and storm surcharged with bloody rain,
will close over the North. We say to the peo-
pie of the North that very large proportion of
them nave acted and are acting most unwsely,
most nadly Theirs is 1.-The very of the
moon.'' They seem incapable of profitng either
by the South's experience their own. They
initiate and follow the South in the most unhap-
Ply acts she committed. The South, in 1861.
undertook to break up and destroy the federal
Constitution. She rebelled against it. She set
at naught its provisions, and attempted to main
tain her attitude of hostility to it by force of arms
cognized the result. She bowed to the arbitra
ment of war, and has been using whatever power
and influence she possesses in support of the
Constitution she strove SO iiercely and desperate-
ly to subvert and annihilate. But 10 the Radi-
Cal party Of the North, claiming to be
whelming ma ority of that great section, now
violating and defying the Constitution as
the South violated and defied it. No sooner does
the South give up rebellion, than the Northern
fanatics inaugurate it, 1t is as true that there is
Il Northern rebellion now, that there
Southern rebellion five years ago. Rebellion has
simply changed its locality But Just as it failed
in section it will inevitably fail in the other
1t can have other future than future like its
pasta future of blood. and humiliation and mis-
cry. For years we invoked all the patriots of the
whole country to PIT down rebellion in the South
we invoke them to quell rebellion in the
North.