[Marshall] Texas Republican, August 25, 1860
Sectional hatred is increasing. Should Lincoln be elected, it will culminate. The Union will not survive the shock for it will be taken throughout the entire South, as a formal declaration of hostilities; an endorsement of Black Republicanism with all its enormities.
For several weeks past, we have furnished our readers with as circumstantial and minute accounts of what has transpired throughout the State in reference to the late excitement as we have been able to gather from our exchanges, letters, and from other sources. We have done this with no desire to add to the excitement already pervading our entire borders, nor with a view of gratifying a prurient, vitiated, sordid taste for the horrible; but have been actuated solely by the purpose of placing those who read our paper in possession of that character of information which would enable them to measure the extent of the danger, and cause them to institute such vigilance, in due season, as would prevent its recurrence in those districts of the country which have not been visited by calamity. We have been satisfied that there has been a great deal of exaggeration in much that has been published. Men, usually prudent, partake of the alarm which exists around them, and lend a credulous ear to many things which would wear a different appearance if carefully and critically examined. Hence if they write from places that have either been visited or threatened by incendiary movements, (but particularly the latter), their letters partake of the character of their feelings. Added to these exaggerations, a thousand unfounded reports have been set afloat of towns being burned down, or attempts at burning, persons being put to death, or developments made, which have had no real existence. It is a remarkable fact, that in the very places which have been desolated by incendiarism, there has been, from all that we can gather, less sacrifice of human life, an exhibition of greater prudence, and a manifestation of a better spirit to respect the proper regulations of society, than in many other places where no such causes have existed. But aside from exaggerations and false rumors, there has been and still exists great reason for apprehension, and the exercise of the greatest vigilance. Towns, stores, mills, and farm houses have been burned down. In many localities negroes have been found in the possession of poison and with unusual quantities of powder and fire arms. We say unusual, because there are planters in this State, who have very imprudently been in the habit of permitting their negroes to hunt with fire arms. These are startling realities. Within the last two months nearly a million of dollars worth of property has been destroyed by fire, about seven hundred thousand dollars of this amount in the Northern district of the State. This wholesale destruction has occurred at a time of unparalleled distress in the country. The crops in a large portion of Texas are almost an entire failure. In many counties sufficient corn has not been raised for bread. Relief committees are being formed in many places to relieve the distress, and meetings held and resolutions passed invoking the Governor to call the Legislature together to endeavor to obtain the passage of a stay law to prevent ruin. Our rivers are down, and we can get nothing from abroad. And at a time like this, our towns, with their deposits of provisions and merchandise are destroyed, and the inhabitants rendered penniless by the torch of abolition incendiaries.
We wish our friends abroad, throughout the Southern States, to properly understand and appreciate our condition. All the investigations that have taken place in the burnt district, have shown that there has been a deep laid, well matured, mysterious plot, to compass the destruction of a portion if not the entire State. Our situation to-day may be that of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi to-morrow. We also want the substantial men of the North to understand this question, and to realize in all its enormity and direful consequence, this unnatural war upon the South. It commenced with the invasion of Virginia by John Brown, and has been fomented by the fanatical sympathy of Northern men with the atrocious crime which led to his execution. They festooned their houses with the emblems of mourning, bells were tolled, and every evidence given of popular sympathy. Sixty-eight members of Congress endorsed the Helper book, proclaiming the same traitorous sentiments, and not a single one of the entire Black Republican delegation had a word of reproof to utter against John Brown. Let Northern men, if they have any patriotism left, behold the fruits of these things, and ask themselves where it is to end? It is in the power of conservative men in that section to put down this spirit, and to restore the country to the position it occupied in the earlier and better days of the Republic. The South has been devoted to the Union, but that spirit, under these continual assaults, is rapidly dying out. Men now speak of disunion not as a mere possibility, but as a “consummation devoutly to be wished.” Sectional hatred is increasing. Should Lincoln be elected, it will culminate. The Union will not survive the shock for it will be taken throughout the entire South, as a formal declaration of hostilities; an endorsement of Black Republicanism with all its enormities.