Delaware Gazette

The London Times on Buchanan's
Message and Secession.
[From the London Times of Jan. 9.]

Never, for many years, can the United States
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 of
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.
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 a local convention, dissolve the
union between itself and its fellows: if dis-
content with the election of a President, or
the passing of an obnoxious law by another
State, or it may be a 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
to foreign Powers is completely altered. It is
strange that a race whose patriotic captious-
ness when in the society of Europeans is so
remarkable, should be so ready to divide and
to give up the ties of fellow-citizenship for a
cause which strangers are unable to appreci-
ate. Still stranger is it that a 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 against 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.

It 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 its resolution to secede.
Only courage like that of General Jackson
could have quelled the "Gamecock State," as
we perceive some of its admirers call it. But
there was a 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, deprecate holding
a State by force, but he still declined to re-
main in the Cabinet of the statesman who
would not reinforce Fort Moultrie, and assert,
during the short remainder of his term of of-
fice, the supremacy of the Constitution. But
as things went, the action of South Carolina
was predetermined.

On the 19th of December that State sece-
ded from the Union by a unanimous vote, and
by this time has probably gained possession
of all the Federal property within its borders,
and established a post-office 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
phraseology of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence of 1776 are imitated. Whole para-
graphs are copied from that famous document.
The thoughts and style of Jefferson were evi-
dently influenced by the great writers of his
age, and we may trace Montesquieu and
Rousseau in every line of his composition. It
is rather interesting to see his language, which
denounced King George's violation of the so-
cia! compact, used by a conclave of frantic
negro-drivers to stigmatize the conduct of
those who will not allow a Southern gentle-
man to bring his "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.