Year: 1862

How Long Before Another Secession?


One would have supposed that but for the
slavery question: which has so unhappily broken
up the Union, our country and Government
could never become endangered by sectional jeal-
ousies and conflicts Slavery in the South has
mainly contributed 10 divide the North and South,
but there were other causes contributing largely
to the result. Among the most prominent OF
these was the tariff question. The South always
cOntended that it was unjust to tax the people of
other States to foster and build up the interests
Of particular section. A tariff for protection
was always opposed by the Southern and Western
States 1t was to the advantage of the New Eng
land States, because it protected their manufbc
turing interests against foreign competition. So
Pennsylvania favored protective tariff because
her iron interests demanded it. The Southern
and Western States opposed it because they bore
all the burdens without sharing any of the advan-
tages of the system. The tariff question culm
mated in the notification ordinance of 1888
compromise averted disunion at that time. Con-
gress receded from its position and so modified
the tariff laws as to satisfy South Carolina The
act OF Congress of which the State complained,
was contrary to the spirit, if not the letter Of the
Constitution. The Democratic party took this
position and were sustained by the people Of the
United States. Low tariffs and advalorem duties
became leading principle in the Democratic
creed, while the New England States and Penn
sylvania contended for a high specific and protec-
tive tariff. But in the course of time the slavery
question absorbed all Others. 1t proved the
Aaron's rod that swallowed up all the other rods;
until it was finally eliminated in disunion and
civil war.


But now that the anti-slavery agitation has
produced its legitimate fruits and is rapidly burn
ing out in the malignant fires Of civil war, we
behold the same spirit Of discord seizing other
questions for the purpose of tomenting sectional
strife between the remaining and loyal States.-
New England controls the Government. New
| England shapes the legislation of Congress- New
England directs the Administration. New Eng


land derives all the benefits of the The
great North West bears all the burdens Her
trade is gone. Her produce is valueless The
taxes to support the war will fall mainly upon
her lands, while her people are expected to do
the most of the fighting. Her members in Con-
gress complain of all this, and insist that while
their people are ready and willing to suffer all
the "cessary evils resulting from their position
and their peculiar pursuits, as distinguished from
the commercial and manufacturing States OF the
East, they are unwilling to submit longer to the
wholesale system Of Government favoriteism so
manifestly discriminating against their section
There is a natural anita gonism between the New
Enganders and the people of the West. 1t is as
marked as that between New England and the
South. The people are different. Their customs
and habits are dissimilar and variant. Their
pursuits are different. They do not thinkalike or
speak alike. 1t does not by any means follow
that they ought not to live aud prosper under
the same government. 1t will not be the fault
of the Western people either if they all DO not
continue to live under the same Government.


The above reflections have been suggested by
freauent alusions that we have seen of late in
the Eastern papers to the wrangnss and dlssen-
siOns in Congress between the Eastern ana west
ern members, and to the mutual jcers and insult
ing taunts that pass between them, all indicating
the commencement of a sectional conflict tnat,
unless moderate councils prevail, must soon find
its counterpart only in the long continued and
terrible and now fatal quarrel between the free
and slave States. We append an extract from
recent Washington correspondence taken from an
Eastern paper. 1t is suggestive and decidedly
significant 1t will do to ponder on:


STILL ACCURsED SECTIoNALIsM-A Washing
ton correspondent thus mentions a debate in the
U. S. Congress:


:.Sectonalsm begins to creep out in the House
between the East and West. 1t will not for a
while, become as rancOrOus as that between the
North and South, but indications are apparent
that it will become very strong in its political
action In the debate to-day upon the Pacific
Railroad bill, the Western members intimated
plainly that the West would soon be strong
enough to get her rights in Congress without beg
ging for them as favor The members from the
West in the present Congress represent popula-
tion larger by several hundred thousand, than
those from the East.


Frank p. Blair, jr., in some spirited remarks in
reply to Mr.. Morrill,, of Vermont, imputed
grasping disposition to the East. The great VIC
tories over the rebels had, he said, been won by
Western troops, and while the East had been pald
in full for their transportation of troops, Western
railroads had been for months delayed in receiv-
ing their dues. Their bills had been reduced,
and they are finally paid in certificates, the money
having been all taken from the Treasury by the
Eastern creditors of the Government.


| Mr.. Morrill,, in responding, had his fling at Gen.
Mcclellan. He said he gloried in the victories OF
the Western troops. but if Eastern soldiers had
not been victorious it was because they had not
had an opportunity. A western man had been at
their head. When Eastern troops had been led
| by q Burnside, they were victorious.


| The debate throughout showed that the West is
becoming restive and defiant"