Wednesday, March 30, 2011

No Middle Ground, 3/30/1861

From the March 30, 1861 edition of the Covington Journal comes this reprinted piece about the future of border states, along with a remarkably sarcastic reply from the editor of the Covington paper.

The following, from a late number of the Cincinnati Commercial, is worthy of consideration:
"The Border Slave States are in a position that they cannot long maintain, indeed that cannot long be tolerable. They must speedily join the Secessionists - pass under the yoke set up at Montgomery, and commit themselves to the keeping of they tyrannous plantocracy of the Cotton States - or they must unequivocally and unconditionally remain in and stand by the Union. They can have all its guarantees in good faith and liberal measure, but in return they must abide by its obligations, maintain its dignity, defend its honor, obey and enforce its laws and identify themselves with it unreservedly. Otherwise they are not for the Union. Their contingent disunion policy is an indorsement (sic) of anarchy, and is insulting, as well as injurious, to the real friends of the Union." 


People of Kentucky, how can you no longer hesitate? Your present course is insulting to the "real friends of the Union" - Chase, Giddings & Co. Withdraw your sympathies from those terrible fellows of the "tyrannous plantocracy" and identify yourself "unreservedly" with the mild, pacific and equitable Black Republican government of the North. Do you doubt their "liberal faith and good measure?" Look at the men constituting the Executive Department, at the chairmen of the Senate Committees; at the representatives of the Lincoln government abroad. Can you longer doubt? Submit at once.

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