Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-03-17

grave. the word 'sordinance" has, IN the
minds of many people both in the North ana
in the South, . sound which represents the
very majesty of popular power
II the other Southern States had been LETT
tn their own counsels, South Carolina would
have stood alone, and her Secession OF ls6V
would have proved as abortive - her NULL
icstion of 1882 The Disunion movement
in the remaining States of the South orlglna-
ted in Washington. Finding that the Cot
ton states, especially those bordering on the
Gulf of Mexico, we're moving too slowly. the
senators from Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, and Florida
held . meeting in Washington on the 9Th Of
January, 1861 The South had always con-
tended for the right of States to instruct
their senators. but now the Southern sena-
tors proceeded to instruct their States. In
effect they sent out commands to the govern
ing authorities and to the active political
leaders, that South Carolina must be sus-
tanned; that the Cotton States must stand by
her; and that the secession OF each and of all
of them must be accomplished in season for
general convention to be held at Mont
gomery, not later than Feb. Is, and, in any
event, before the Inauguration of Mr.. Lin
coin. The design was that the new Presi-
dent of the United States should find South
the ordinary departments of government in
regular operation, with name and q flag and
4 great seal, and all the insignia of national
sovereignty visible.
Ii is a suggestive fact that. in carrying out
these designs, the political leaders deter
mined as far a. possible, to prevent the sub
mission of the ordinances of Secession to
the popular vote Ii is not indeed probable
that, in the excited condition to which they
had BY this time brought the Southern mind,
Secession would have been defeated; but the
Withholding of the question from popular de-
cision is at least an indication that there was
strong apprehension of such a result, and
that care was taken to prevent the divisions
and acrimonious contests which such submits
sion might have caused. In the Georgia
convention the resolution declaring it to be
her right and her duty to secede was adopted
only BY a vote of los to 100. A division of
similar proportion in the popular vote would
have stripped the secession of Georgia of all
moral force. and hence the people were not
allowed to pass upon the question.
Georgia was really induced to secede, only
apon the delasive suggestion that better terms
could be made with the national government
by going out for a season than by remaining
steadfsstly loyal The influence of Alexander
II. Stephens. while he was still loyal, was
almost strong enough to hold the State in
the Union: and but for the phantasm of Sc
curing better terms outside, the Empire State
of the South would have checked and destroy
ed the Secession movement at the very out
st. Mississippi followed Jefferson Davis
with a vote amounting almost to unanimity.
Florida Louisiana. and Alabama followed
with secession ordained by conventions and
no vote allowed to the people. Texas SUBJ
N lifted the ordinance, after the other States
had seeded, and by the force of their exam
pie carried it by a vote of about three to one.
These were the original seven States that
formed the nucleus of the COnfedercy. They
had gone through what they deemed the COM
plete process of separation from the Union,
without the slightest obstruction from any
quarter and without the interposition of any
authority from the national government
against their proceedings.