Year: 1861

conquered what seems TO have been, al


most everywhere that it existed, fac


tion Of the minority. What made i


powerful, was its long previous training


its activity and daring at moment o


great popular discomfort, modification


and alarm-and the fatal connivance o.


Mr.. Buchanan, rendered decisive by the


active CO operation with the revolt o.
Those members Of his Cabinet whose po


sitions had given them special opportuni


ties to promote its organization and i'll


first acts. 1t had, originally, no ele


ment of national movement--it has


now no aspect of national revolution


And, in our judgment, the moment il


encounters signal defeat, counter rev


olution will set in, that will strip it o.


all that did not belong to it in its first


stages; and under just and wise treat


ment will eventually restore to the Union


every seeded State, not excepting South


Carolina itself. For ourselves, and we


believe in this we utter the sentiments


OF the whole nation, we desire for the


people in the States now held in armed
opposition to the national government,
nothing worse than their complete deiv-
erancs from the iron despotism Of dis.
loyal and frantic party, and their speedy
and complete restoration, in perfect
equality and renewed fraternity, to all
the glory of our common nationality, and
all the blessings of our true and regula-
ted freedom.


.. Supposing we are mistaken in the
essential conditions by which the forgo
ing result is to be obtained, there re-
mains only the alternative of the tri-
umph of the revolt over the nation, and
the permanent independence of the Sc
ceded States. We do not propose to
discuss, at this time, the consequence Of
such division Of the nation, but look
calmly at some of the most obvious diff
ficulties of its accomplishment. And in
the very front Of all these, is the question
OF the ability of the secession party,
either to obtain from the consent of the
nation, the concession of the independ-
ence of the Confederate States, or its
ability to wrest it from the nation by
arms. The question of that consent is a
question Of peace, not of war; question
which the secession party disdained even
10 discuss before they flew TO arms; a
question which will, hereafter, depend
essentially upon the state of the country,
and the wishes of the States now under
the dominion of that party, after the war
is ended. The great principle on which
the consent of the nation could, in any
circumstances, be given, is precisely op
poste to the great principle on which
this revolt proceeds-namely, venerstion
for popular rights and the popular will
What view the people of the South may
take of their rights, and what may be
their will touching their erection into a
nation--are questions which
may be very greatly affected by the pro-
gress of events--and the decision of
which, by themselves, may be very var.
Gus, according as they are in circum-
which allow them to vote and
act freely, or, which oblige them to vote
and act under ubitous military despot-
ism, administered by armed revolution
ary committees of vigilance. What is
passing now in Virginia and Tennessee
- what has passed in every State that
has already seceded--what was attempted
in Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, would
not, in all probability, be taken-by
great nation loyal to the popular rights,
and full of veneration for free institutions
for such All expression of the popular
desire and will, on the part of great num-
bers of its citizens, as would challenge
its consent to its own dismem berment.
1t is not to be disguised, however, that,
even under the most favorable aspect in
which the subject of the peaceabe divis-
ion of the nation could be presented,
there are obstacles in the way of its ac-
which nothing but the
highest and noblest convictions Of mu-
tual obligations, united with the pro-
foundest sense of mutual forbearance,
accommodation, and good will---could
surmount. In the present state of the
country it is superhuous to discuss these
obstacles. And in the degree that indie.
pendence, by whatever means, as the
only alternative to restoration to the
Union, is environed with difficulties, is
the madness of the secession movement
manifest, and the duty of the nation to
suppress it clear.


4. 1t seems to remain, then, that the
solitary result of the war is the restor-
alton of the seeded States to the Union,
or the triumph of the arms of tho seoes
sionists over the nation. The more
completely this great truth is fixed in
the minds of all parties, the better for
all The more thoroughly the nation
understands that it is fighting neither.
for vengeance nor for conquest, but di
rectly for self-presorvation, and remotely
for the maintenance of its independence
in the face Of all other nations, and for
its future peace, security, and advance
ment in the glorious career now threat
ened to be cut short the more it will be
disposed to prosesnfe sa.o war forced
upon 10, IN the manner which becomes
such people, driven into such conflict.
And the more completely those. who arc


in arms against the nation realize that


what they seek is, probably, not attain


able; and tho more clearly the States and


people now seduced or terrified into a


revolt SO unnatural, understand that the


suppression OF that revolt means, not


their degradation, but their restoration


to oil that was won by the valor, and