Year: 1860

The Express. If we reeollect Alright. grew
very Indignant, not great while ago, be-
cause we charged it with having advocated
Secession doctrine. In an editorial article,
which appears in its yesterdays issue, it
boldly takes ground for secession, or some
thing very like it. in the following words.
The italics are ours:


I'VE will not discuss with our warlike
neighbor the abstract right of secession as
claimed now 10y ALL or very great mnlority,
of the eminent statesmen Of the Southern
States. We might write upon the subject for
the next six or twelve months. In defence
of the right ot' a socereigR State to secedc FRAN
the Union We might quote eoumn after
column from the writings of many OF the
greatest and wisost statesmen and phloso-
pliers that this country ever produced; but
the trouble would be that while We were en-
deavoring to maintain the right, and while
the editor of the DtMooRAr was endeayoring
to oyerturu our theory and to meet our ar
guments, and thus prevent the catastrophe of
disunion, by convincing the judgment of the
Southern people that no such abstract right
existed-we say that while we and the edi
tor of the DEMoCRAT would be wasting
words in fine spun arguments and subtle
sophisms and theories. the catastrophe itself
would be upon us. While we would be dis
cussiDg the right of secession with a view TO
prevent it, the fact of secession would be de-
monstrated before us. What is the use then
or argument and speculation The crisis
has in all probability arrived. Right or no
right it has come And how must the eoun-
try meet it2 With powder and bayonets,
says the DEMoCRAT. Coercion must be re
sorted to. The whole power of the Federal
Goverument-the army and navy-inust
force the refractory State or States back into
the Union-even through seas of blood
Yes, it would be through seas and oceans of
blood, and at the end of the war, which, in
its terrible and appalling desolation and de
struction ofhuman life would find no par
allel in this worlds history


1t now appears beyond any reasonable
doubt that the Gulf States of the South have
resolved upon secession and the formation of
separate confederacy in the event of Lin
coins election. With the people of those
States, the election of a sectional President,
by party whose united principle is one of
hostility to their Democratic institutions, will
be in their opinion covert acts sufficient"


Like the editor of the Express, we will not
stop (now at leasD to discuss the abstract
right of secession, as claimed by certain
Southern men. We do not believe that it is
necessary to argue against doctrine Of such
a character in this community 1t bears upon
its own face its condemnation and needs only
to be named to be detested.


But We take issue with the Express in re
gard to the probability that any considerable
| Dortion Of tLa Sortb - ,,o;rr, : - .r 10 sooaJa
in case it be found that Lincoln is elected
We are not ready to concede that the Yancey
party has so completely demoralized the
loyal sentiments Of the Southern people We
believe that vast majority of the citizens of
the South at this moment execrate the doc
trine of secession. Certain it is, that the
hosts of men who voted the Bell and Everett
ticket in this last contest. are opposed to il to
the death, and all loyal Democrats may be
set down in the same category, for this same
doctrine, or at least its twin brother, Nulli6-
cation, so far from being recognized as any
part or parcel Of the Democratic creed, re
ceived its first, and the country had fondly
hoped, its final blow at the hands Of a Demo
cratic Administration, years ago. Until re-


Gently, it had never dared to raise its head


beyond the limits of South Carolina 1t will


be little singular, now, if we are to have
Secession and Notification openly advocated
in California.


As we have said We do not believe that
Secession will have any very great encourage.
ment at the South, unless some act of down
right hostility to the well recognized rights
of the Southern States be committed by Lin
| coin. Possibly one or two States, or the
officials representing them. may try NulHf
cation, and resist the authority Of Lincon's
Administration, (provided he is elected, but
if he be made of the right stuff, they will
soon get sick of their undertaking.