The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-01-01
The Proposed Division OF Certain states.

The New York Times intimates that the
distemper of State secession seems, curl
ously enough, to have left, in dying out, q
much milder, but yet quite marked "nania"
for State division. The proposed dividing
up of Texas into two or three States was
the first symptom of this supervening con-
dition. This was one of the late Mr.
Stevens pet projects; and it is just to say
that it was probably entertained by him
more as a political scheme, or as one involv-
ing fundamental governmental doctrine,
than from any special regard to geographi-
cal necessities, to climatic and agricultural
differences, or, In q word, to the alleged
commercial and civic needs for the proposed
separation. His plan was TO effect the seve-
rance OF Texas into parts by declaratory
Act of Congress-indeed, he introduced one
into the House, and gave notice of his pur-
pose to push it, as he probably would have
done had he lived. Doubtless ono object
with him was in this way to fix q monu-
mental statue, as it were, upon the records
OF tho Government, showing that Congress
had regarded the seeded States as Terri
tories, not only for military, but for legal
purposes, and indeed for all purposes, even
the most practical. But. with Mr. Stevens
death died this Texan project, so fur as con-
Germs the special form in which he entertain
edit. 1t survived, however, in another pro-
position. divested of his animus and moral
purpose, but yet driving at exactly the same
end; herhaps, we might add, just as Buffers
Dutch Gap Canal accomplished nothing for
the military use whereto he desired to put
1t, and yet as piece of possible engineer
ing for commercial purposes, attracted ut
tention at once, when the war was over
The Texas Reconstruction Convention,
which will meet at Austin, is certain to take
up this important subject. If the Conven-
ton be controlled by the political desires of
Congress. or if it be in harmony with the
majority of Congress, the legal and consti.
tutional issue raised by Mr. Stevens will, of
course, be avoided, whether this harmony
secure division or not The Galveston
Meas, however, assures us that ''there can
be but little doubt that division of our
State has been predetermined upon
Turning from Texas, we find other States
contemplating peaceable division. The
people of the upper peninsula of Michigan
are, as their petition to the Legislature of
that State alleges, "almost unanimous in
desire" to separate from the lower peninsu-
Ia. and form 90 new Territory or State"
They disclaim any "disrespect or disloyaty
to our State, and put the proposed change
on the ground of. "the development of our
mineral and agricultural resources" They
desire, in fine, Immediate action"-which
would consist, of course, in Michigan's
ceding the upper peninsula to Congress for
the purpose desired. Next, we find Ten
nessee talking Of "seceding" from the rest
OF the State, the Nashville Banner saying,
"Wayward sister. depart in peace" and the
Knoxville Wing, over Brownlow's own sig
nature, adding that, "East Tennesseeans
will all be unit for separation. We are
ready to go empty-handed." A grave pro-
: position has also been started for bi-secting
Pennsylvania, and less serious one for
separating the city of New York FROM the
State. The West Virginia division has
already been consummated; but the Times
believes the project to "leave New England
out in the cold" has been abandoned since
the last celebration of "Forefathers' Day"
However, with bisecting Michigan, and tri-
secting Texas, and Brownowing East Ten
nessec, there is enough serious business in
this direction to attract attention, without
the comic propositions What will be the
up-shot Of this new fever, is, of course,
dependent on the particular needs Of each
case.
In the case of Daniel Dechert aoainst tLe