Year: 1860

II We are tc judge 10y the tone of some o.
the Republican journals, since the election ot
Lincoln, secessionism has as good advocacy
in the ranks Of the Republican party, as it
las among the fire eaters Of the South. We
were scarcely prepared to see such sheets as
the New York Tribune in the East and the
Appeal i'll California, acknowledge the right
Of State to secede from this Union We
had supposed that the doctrine was confined
TO the remote South and to very small por
| ton of IT, 1t begins to look, now, as though
the Republican party was itself becoming
\ the chosen champion of that sort of treason
to the Union. Republican journals are not
only acknowledging with the secessionists
that States can break loose at will from the
the Federal compact, but are suggesting
means hy which it can be done without col
lision with the Federal Government. In
other words, they are smoothing the way to
the consummation of that object Having
elected a President OF the United States. they
virtually say to him, eve do not expect YOU
to be President of the Union, but only a part
of it. We do not expect you to execute your
sworn obligations as the Chief Magistrate of
the Nation. We expect you to prove pusil-
luminous server of the time, and an artful
dodger ofthe responsibility of your position" q"


Well, we have denounced the Republicans
heretofore for advocating principles calcula-
ted to endanger the Union, but we did not
realize until recently that. they were delibe-
rately urging the country to crisis, of which
they were prepared to take the advantage,
by inaugurating an Administration which
would give full and free permission TO a sec
tion of the Union. which they had incensed,
to retire from the Confederacy.


If this is going to be the policy of the
Lincoln Administration. what does it prove
but that the Secessonist movement was to
all intents and purposes as much conspiracy
in the North against the Union as in the
South


When such men as Amos Kendall, Alex
II. Stephens, Forsyth, Counay and host of
Others in the South are stemming the tor
rent of disunion in their own section, and
declaring that the mere election of a Repub-
lican President is no cause for dissolution. we
find the Republican journals encouraging
disunion by advocating the right of peaecaJle
secession, and as it were pledging the incom-
ing Administration to act the pusillanmious
part Of seeing treason and rebellion rampant
IN the land, without raising finger to put it
down.


Whatever those who now call themselves
Republicans may do, we think we know men
who would sustain the Federal authority at
all hazards The question of dissolution
of this Union would wipe out party distinc-
tions like the lines upon the sand of the sea-
shore, before the rush of the multitudimous
waves. The issue would be,-are YOU a sun
porter of the Federal Government or are
you rebel? Such is bonnd to be the issue.
and there is no Disgusting it, if secession pro-
ceeds in its mad course There is no such
thing as the right of a State to secede, and
the moment any such right is acknowledged,
our Government becomes a rope of sand
Let those who wish to break up this Union
go ahead with the responsibility, and let
those who feel like smoothing the pathway
for secession follow their inclination. but the
true lovers of the Union will be found
shoulder to shoulder by the standard of our
common country.