The French proverb says, 'It is the first step that
costs.' Seceding involves the necessity of seizing the forts. If they
who do this embarrass other persons in their lawful rights, they must
risk the consequences; but if they secede from the government, the
question is, Do circumstances justify a revolution? for secession is
revolution. Is revolution justifiable in the present case?
"But not to discuss that question," said I, "all that I wished to say
was this, that our government seems admirably suited for a people who
will behave well under it. We can take care of isolated cases of
rebellion. But if any important part of the country rises up and
departs, it is exceedingly difficult to know what to do. Prevention is
excellent; but cure is next to impossible. So long as there is a general
acquiescence in the exercise of executive power against
insurrectionists, one or more, we have a general government; but when
States depart, we are a house divided against itself. We find that we
have been living, as it were, not so much under paternal authority, as
under fraternal rule. If broken irretrievably, the alternative is to be
divided, or for one part of the country to coerce its neighbors and
brethren.
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