Year: 1861




Dir. Breckenridge on Secession.


The Rev. DR.. l'reckinridge, of Ken
lucky, does not agree at all with his neph-
ew and former ward, the late Vice Presi-
dent. The following paragraph is from his
forthcoming article in tie Danyille Review


Let The dominant party in South Caroli-
ma start with the political falsehood, that
the people Of that State are not citizens Of
the United States, except through the Con
Stiutlon and the government of that State:
and let The National Administration start
with the corresponding political falsehood
that the supreme law OF the land cannot be
enforced towards the people of South Car
olna. contraey TO the wi>hhs and acts of this
dominant party and let both parties con-
cur in the additional political falsehood, that
the ruin of society is better than the risk
Of collision with anybody in enforcing the


laws then. of course, notification, seces-
sion sedition revolution, anarchy, are in
evitable products of the organization of So
cety, and public order, and regulated lib-
ertv. and the security Of properly and life
become more and more impossible as the
organization of society becomes more and
more perfect. BY the express terms, as
well as by the very nature OF the Federal
Constitution, secession ordinance in the
South is as totally void as personal liber-
ty law in the North possibly can be. The
| Federal Government has no more need to
deal with the South Carolina Convention
in executing the post-oflice laws, the reve-
nue. laws, or any other laws, than it has 10
deal with the Massachusetts Legislature in
executing the fugitive slave law and there
was no more legal necessity, nor any more
logical consistency, in diatribes about lack
of power to coerce State in one case than
| the other There was no need, nor any
power, to coerce State in either case but
| in both cases the need was urgent, and the
power complete, TO execute the laws of the
1 United States upon ere'y citizen of the
/ United States, whatever relation he might
/ happen TO occupy towards any one of the
States and to enforce those laws against
all wrong-doers. Nor is there any consid-
Grafton arising out of the nature or the
form of the opposition, that may be made
TO the execution OF the supreme law, which
can 20 farther than to address itself to
the sound discretion Of the national gov
ernment, in the way of determining the
most proper and effectual, and at the same
time the least arbitrary, perilous and de-
siructive method of overcoming the resist
ance that Is made. If the President in the
exercise of his discretion, allows millions of
dollars worth Of national property, in build
ings, in cash. in munitions of war, to be
seized and held by citizens of the United
States in avowed revolt against the general
government if he permits them to take
forcible possession Of the national fortresses,
and hold them in armed hostility to the ma
zion; if he permits the officers and soldiers
of the army Of the United States to be
taken prisoners of wtr, and treated by hos


Tile commanders as captured enemies; if
he permits armies TO be organized, muni-
tions Of war TO be collected, batteries TO be
directed against the national iortresses; If
he permits the flag Of the nation 10 be torn
down from The public edfees and fortresses,
and hostile flags TO be planted on them
nay, permits that proud emblem of our ma
tional unity and force to be fired on with
impuniiy. when it covers an armed force Of
the nation if he allows tho mails 10 be
broken open, and the correspondence of the
government itself TO be tampered with the
foreign commerce Of the country to be in
terrupted, aud the revenue from it seized
the internal commerce To be menaced by
batteries erected under State authority on
our great water courses; if, to add no more
he permits ambassadors from secession con-
yentions and assemblies to menace him
with war in the capital of the nation, and
eonspirators plotting the military oceupa-
ton of the Federal City, to 90 unpunished:


it really appears TO us that the most nervous
secessionist might consider the question of
coercion as being about as offensive to the
Presiden. as to himself, Every man who
has any remaining loyalty to the nation, or
any hope or desire for the restoration Of
the seeding States to the confederaey must
see thai what Is meant by the outcry against
coercion i in the interest of secession, and
that what IS meant is, in effect. that the
Federal Government must be terrified or
sedneed into complete cooperation with the
revolution, which it was its most binding
duty TO have nsed all its power and iniiu-
rnce TO prevent


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