January 28, 1861, The Charleston Mercury
Certain phlegmatic of the South, to call them by the tenderest name, have had a great deal to say about the rashness and hot haste of South Carolina in seceding from the Confederacy. But this is the language of cowardice borrowing the speech of impudence. South Carolina would not consult her sisters, as if her beautiful and indignant sisters did not refuse her appeal for consultation. They would neither act for themselves nor counsel with her. Such was the language and decision of the politicians, at least. We have great hopes that the people of these sister States will soon speak a different language. But South Carolina gave long notice before hand, that, with the election of LINCOLN, she had resolved on secession. Why did they not counsel with her when she declared that resolution? But we have some faint recollection that this sentiment, which looked to secession as the only remedy, was entertained and declared by some of these very politicians. It was understood among all of them that LINCOLN’s election would endanger the Confederacy – so well understood that the New York merchants, who well knew what the danger was, devoted themselves to the one effort of defeating LINCOLN. Did these phlegmatics of the South feel less upon the subject than the New York merchants? One thing is certain – if, as our timid friends augur, this revolution shall turn out to be a bloody one, at least all the bloodshed will be on the hands of those tardy phlegmatics, who refused to counsel with South Carolina – who would do nothing themselves, and threw cold water on the zeal of those who strove to do. They had their warning – they should not be taken by surprise. The non-performance, in a time of national crisis, which shelters itself under the cloak of its dignity, is at once impudence and cowardice.