Year: 1861

/ from the London Times of Jan 81
Never, for many years, can the United State.
/ be to the world what they have been. Mr.
: Buchanan's message has been a greater blow
to the American people than all the rants oi
/ the Georgian Governor or the ordinances >
of the Charleston Convention The Presi-
/ dent has dissipated the idea that the States


which elected him constitute one people. =
1 We had thought that the federation was of a


nationality; we find it is nothing more than a
partnership. If any State may, on grounds
satisfactory to local convention, dissolve the


union between itself and its fellows if dis
content with the election of President, or
/ the passing of an obnoxious law by another
State, or it may be protective tariff, gives a
| State the right of revolution" and permits it
to withdraw itself from the community, then the
/ position OF the American people with respect
i to foreign Powers is completely altered. 1t is
strange that a race whose patriotic captious-
ness when in the society of Europeans is SO
remarkable, should be so ready to divide aud
F, to give up the ties of fllow' citizenship for a
cause which strangers are unable to appreci-
ate. Still stranger is il that Chief Magis-
trate, who would have plunged the world in
war rather than a suspicious craft should be
burned by English officers after it has display
ed the stars and stripes, or who would have
done battle agrinst despots for any naturalized
refugee from Continental Europe, should,
without scruple and against the advice OF his
own Secretary of State, declare the Federal
Union dissolved whenever a refractory State
chooses to secede.


1t may well be imagined that the American
people have been taken by surprise both by
the suddenness and violence OF the outcry for
secession, and by the ready concessions of the
President. From the day the message ap-
peared it was evident that South Carolina no
longer formed part of the Union. The State
had by every organ it possessed, by its Sena-
tors, its Representatives, by the voice Of the
press, OF the great slave owners and of the
multitude, declared IFS resolution to sccede-
Only courage like that of General Jackson
could have quellcd the Gamecock State" as
we perceive some of its admirers call it. But
there was d middle path between civil war and
such an instant recognition as Mr. Buchanan
thought advisable. As one charged with the
duty of upholding the Federal power, he
might have easily used the power, he might
have easily used the authority vested in him
to delay the movement, and give the Union
and South Carolina itself time for reflection
Mr.. Cass, would, probably, deprccate holding
State by force, but he still DECLINED to re-
main in the Cabinet Of the statesman who
would not reinforce Fort Moutrie, and assert,
during the short remainder Of his term of Of
ice, the supremacy Of the Constitution. But
as things went, the action of South Carolina
was Predetermined


On the l9lh OF December that State sece-
ded from the Union by Il unanimous vote. and
by this time has probably gained possession
OF all the Federal property within its borders,
and established a post-Uffice and custom-house
of its own. The instruments which the Car
olinians drew up on this occasion are singular
and almost amusing. The PHILOSOPHY and
phraseoogy of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence of l776 are initiated. Whole para
graphs are copied from that famous document


The thoughts and style of Jefferson were evi-
IDENTIFY influenced by the great writer's of his
age, and we may trace Montesqueu and
Rousseu in every line of his composition. Ii
is rather interesting to see his language, which
denounced King Georges violation of the so
cial compact, used by a conclave of frantic
negro drivers to stigmatize the conduct of
those who will not allow Southern gentle
lnan to bring his b" body servant into their
territory. South Carolina, however, has
shown wisdom in thus taking high ground


People are generally taken at the value which
they set on themselves, and Carolina does
right to play the part Of outraged patience
and indignant virtue.