Which is most likely to break up
--The Northern or the
Southern United States?
The American Union is now broken up into two Confederacies, the
Northern and the
Southern,
Virginia being in the former at present, but having as yet the liberty of choice between the two.
The adherents of the
Northern Government constantly insist that the Southern Confederacy must are long break up, never appearing to dream that there is much more danger of such a result to the
Northern than the
Southern Republic.
The former is made up of heterogeneous, the latter of homogeneous materials; the former is composed of free abolition States and of slave States, the free States being bitterly hostile to slavery, and having nearly strength enough to carry the necessary constitutional amendments for its abolition; whilst the latter is composed of slave States alone, having one interest and one opinion on the slavery subject.
The Northern Confederacy has conflicting interests upon the subject of the tariff, the
West, the
Border States and the
city of New York being irre concilably opposed to such a tariff as to deemed essential by
New England and
Pennsylvania.
In fine, the
Northern Confederacy is full of elements of disintegration, and will fall to places as readily as the image in the prophetic vision, the head of which was of fine gold and the feet of clay.
As to the Southern Confederacy coming back, what should they come back for?
Will the dove which has escaped the hawk, or the lamb which has been rescued from the wolf, come back to their protection?
The late admirable speech of
Hon. A. H.
Stephens, at
Savannah, who is well known as one of the most moderate, as well as one of the most sagacious men in the country, must put such an idea as this at rest forever in all candid minds.
As to the means and ability of the new Confederacy to maintain its nationality among the powers of the earth, we recommend the skeptical to the following extract from
Mr. Stephen'sspeech.
‘
"We have all the essential elements of a high national career The idea has been given out at the
North, and even in the
Border States, that we are too small and too weak to maintain a separate nationality.
This is a great mistake.
In extent of territory we embrace 564,000 square miles and upwards.
This is upwards of 200,000 square miles more than was included within the limits of the original thirteen States.
It is an area of country more than double the territory of
France or the
Austrian Empire.
France in round numbers has but 212,000 square miles.
Austria in round numbers has 218,000 square miles.
Ours is greater than both combined.
It is greater than all
France,
Spain,
Portugal and
Great Britain, including
England,
Ireland and
Scotland, together.
In population we have upwards of five millions, according to the census of 1860; this includes
white and
black.
The entire population, including
white and
black, of the original thirteen States, was less than 4,000,000 in 1790, and still less in '76, when the independence of our fathers was achieved.
If they, with a less population, dared to maintain their independence against the greatest power on earth, shall we have any apprehension of maintaining ours now?
"In point of material wealth and resources, we are greatly in advance of them.
The taxable property of the
Confederate States cannot be less than $22,000,000,000. This, I think, I venture but little in saying, may be considered as five times more than the Colonies possessed at the time they achieved their independence.
Georgia alone possessed last year, according to the report of our Comptroller General, $672,000,000 of taxable property.
The debts of the seven
Confederate States sum up in the aggregate less than $18,000,000; while the existing debts of the other of the late
United States sum up in the aggregate the enormous amount of $174,000,000. This is without taking into the account the heavy city debts, corporation debts and railroad debts, which press and will continue to press, a heavy incubus upon the resources of those States.
These debts, added to others, make a sum total not much under $500,000,000. With such an area of territory — with such an amount of population — with a climate and soil unsurpassed by any on the face of the earth — with such resources already at our command — with productions which control the commerce of the world — who can entertain any apprehensions as to our success, whether others join us or not?"
’
