Valley Spirit

We present in the columns of the Spirit, this week, copious extracts from our exchanges, all over the country, in relation to the secession movement in the South. We give the news on both sides as we find it. While one portion of the Southern people appear determined to set up for themselves, another portion, evidently the minority, tell us the disunion sentiment is rapidly losing ground and that the "great panic" will subside without "firing a shot." Our readers can peruse the extracts and judge for themselves how portentous are the dangers which threaten the Union.

That the South has just ground for complaint, and much danger to apprehend from a sectional administration of the Government, cannot be doubted or denied; but we do not believe that secession from the Union is the best remedy to right her wrongs. We put in no protest against her war-like preparations, we do no object to her arming her citizens, we have no fault to find with her for placing herself in a complete state of defense ready for any emergency that may arise requiring her to protect her honor, safety or property. That course is all right--that is patriotic. Thus far the South has now advanced and if she maintains her stand there she will find plenty of "aid and comfort" in the North. It is certainly much to her credit that amidst all the excitement and turmoil which prevails among her populace not a single act of resistance to the laws of the United States has yet been committed. While this is her position, and so long as she maintains this attitude, she will not only command the admiration of the North but will find no lack of willing hands and sympathising hearts to assist her in repelling any and every aggression that may be essayed against her constitutional rights. If the South, however, has made up her mind that we are bad neighbors and is determined to cut loose from us and nullify the laws of the land, without a good and sufficient cause to show for it, she may place herself beyond the pale of sympathy or support from any quarter and will have to depend on her own resources to "carry the war into Africa."

While we have no hesitancy in asserting that there is a strong feeling among the masses in the North in favor of the South, and no disposition to meddle with her affairs, we would not at the same time desire to conceal the fact that a portion--and a very large and influential portion too--of the northern people would readily plunge the country into civil war if they thought they could thereby inflict injury on the slave-owner. The tone of the Republican press, pretty generally, indicate this state of feeling. Their deep unmitigated hatred of the slave-holder is the moving spring of their policy--not because they desire the freedom or happiness of the slave--that is [sic] words without meaning to them--but because the Southern States are strongly Democratic in sentiment they would drive them out of the Union. The language of irritation and menace which the North is so fond of applying to the South is not very well calculated to allay excitement and restore good feeling between us and our Southern brethren. If the North would act in good faith towards the South and not set the bad example of nullifying the plain provisions of the Constitution and the laws of Congress this trouble would not now exist and peace, confidence and prosperity would be restored to the country. The blame lies at the door of the North--let us act righteously towards the South and we will bear nothing more of Secession or Nullification.