April 3, 1861; Tri-Weekly Alamo Express (San Antonio)
The fashionable patriotism among secessionists is to claim the State in which they were born as their country. The great pity is, that this doctrine is only demonstrated by natives of the revolting States. By a review of the names of the conventionites or “Evergreens,” we see that a large portion of them were born in conservative portions of the country, to wit: Virgina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and we even see Massachusetts, the British Provinces and Germany represented. This kind of patriotism is too small, too contracted, to be held by any true American. When love of country becomes sectional, then farewell to national greatness. From a love of one particular section and dislike of another it will narrow down to the smallest limit possible to contain a mean selfish spirit.