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Valley Spirit: December 26, 1860 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Letter of the Hon. Howell Cobb to the People of Georgia, on the Present Condition of the Country
(Column 01)

Summary: Very long letter from Cobb in which he states that the "Object which the black republican party has in view is the ultimate extinction of slavery in the United States." He believes that he must "impress upon you [the people of Georgia] the hopelessness of any remedy for these evils short of secession."

Rev. R. J. Breckinridge on the Political Crisis
(Column 01)

Summary: States that "the time is past when I can do anything towards directing the passions of our countrymen."

News of the Week
(Column 02)

Summary: South Carolina voted to sever all connection with the Federal Government and declared the state out of the Union. The Republicans continue to refuse to make any compromises to save the Union.

The Union Dissolved
(Column 03)

Summary: The Spirit bemoans the fact that the Union is dissolving. The crux of the disagreement is that the Democrats "maintain that our government was formed by white men to be controlled by white men for the prosperity and happiness of their race." The Republicans, however, argue that the black man "is entitled to equality with the white man."

Full Text of Article:

The death-knell of our glorious Union is resounding through the land. The present United States are dissolved, broken up--the noblest Government on the face of the earth, with all its elements of wealth, prosperity, happiness and power, have at length been sacrificed by the madness of fanaticism. Every honest and unprejudiced mind must see, and acknowledge with a feeling of mortification, the true source of our national troubles and deep disgrace. To narrow it down the cause must appear as absurd as the Lilliputian war about the end at which the egg should be broke before it is eaten. The Democratic party maintain that our government was formed by white men to be controled [sic] by whitemen for the prosperity and happiness of their race. The Republican party contend that the negro is entitled to equality with the white man--that he must be included and recognized in all our institutions, and have a vote and voice in all our state and national affairs. This is the question--this the delusion that has dissevered and ruined the country and threatens to involve the white man in bloodshed. Must we lose our own freedom in an attempt to free the negro? It ought to require but a very trifling amount of common sense to settle this question justly and forever, but then--

"Faith, fanatic Faith, once wedded fast To some dear falsehood hugs it to the last."

Northern fanaticism rules the hour--sectional hate and abolition rage have goaded the South to that point where forbearance ceases to be a virtue, and impel them to demand that they be allowed peaceably to withdraw from a confederacy in which they have the equality or safety. Even this poor boon is to be denied them if the wishes of their implacable enemies prevail. They must be coerced to stay where they are and put up with all the wrongs and continually heaped upon them and not dare to resist or avoid the assaults on their Constitutional rights. The North may violate the Constitution, and resist the Laws of Congress, and then appeal to its "higher laws" in justification of its treason, but for the South there is no appeal--the gibbet and the bayonet are the remedies proposed to subdue her into obedience to the mandates of a Constitution that a northern "higher law" has trampled under foot time and again.

The South demands nothing more than equal rights in the Union. To this she is entitled but northern fanaticism is in the ascendancy and all her appeals have been insultingly and doggedly denied. Her next and only resort is secession, but the moment that is proposed the long smothered howl for her blood wells up. The Republican party, backed by a few renegade Democrats, are clamoring for an army to murder our brethren of the South, and for what?--because they will not consent to consider the negroes their equals? Could madness go further? Has it come to this that we must be forced to remain in an abolition confederacy and consider negroes our equals or be shot down like dogs?--Strange and fearful are the times upon which we have fallen and no mortal eye can see whither we are drifting. If the flames of civil war are once kindled in the land who can tell where it will end--who can say what destruction of life and property it will involve? Heaven forbid it and grant our rulers wisdom to devise measures to avert so great a calamity to the whole nation. If we cannot live together in peace let us part in peace and not stir up civil strife and imbrue our hands in the blood of our fellow-citizens. No matter what may be the stagnation in business--no matter what States may secede--save us from that greatest of all calamities civil war--the most terrible, relentless and inhuman of all wars. If we solemnly reflect on the destruction we are about to draw down upon us it must make us pause in time and put forth every effort to create harmony--reestablish fraternal feeling among our countrymen and restore the Union.

The South Carolina Sovereign Convention--Secedes from the Union
(Column 04)

Summary: The minutes of the meeting that voted for secession.

Rumors from Washington
(Column 05)

Summary: A number of short rumors, including General Scott's efforts to conciliate the states and Cass' resignation letter.

Why the Black Republicans Want War
(Column 05)

Summary: States that the Republicans want Buchanan to start a war so that Lincoln won't be blamed.

Origin of Article: Pennsylvanian

Slight Fire
(Column 06)

Summary: There was a small fire in the Baptist Church, but it was discovered before it had made much headway.

Election
(Column 06)

Summary: An election was held for Directors of the Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank.
(Names in announcement: John Huber, S. R. McKesson, T. B. Wood, Andrew Banker, L. S. Clark, S. R. Fisher, Isaac Hutton, B. F. Nead, H. H. Hutz, Speakman Hicks, James Eyster, B. Y. Harnsher, J. B. Miller)

Cumberland Valley and Franklin Railroad
(Column 06)

Summary: Statistics for the railroads. The Franklin Railroad runs from Greencastle to Chambersburg and from Hagerstown to Chambersburg.

Married
(Column 01)

Summary: Married on December 20th.
(Names in announcement: Rev. M. Snyder, Jacob Wingert, Catharine Hoover)

Married
(Column 01)

Summary: Married on December 18th.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Wesley Howe, William Orr, Mary Immel)

Married
(Column 01)

Summary: Married December 6th.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Z. A. Colestock, John Brubaker, Elnora Brandt)

Married
(Column 01)

Summary: Married on December 20th.
(Names in announcement: Rev. W. R. H. Deatrich, Martin Branthaver, Susannah Sollenberger)

Died
(Column 01)

Summary: Died on December 16th, aged 36 years.
(Names in announcement: Elizabeth Hetrick)