This is the suggestion of a humble private citizen as to the best mode of treating the secessionists. The expression is not elegant, nor diplomatic, but it is sensible and hits the bull’s-eye in the center. We presume that the man who used it had not a very clear idea as to the details of the process he proposed, taking only a rough and comprehensive view. But his idea is the correct one, and furnishes a good text for a brief statement of the policy that will kill out the disunion conspiracy, if anything can.
In the first place the general government must “hold ’em.” It cannot admit for a moment the destructive dogma that this Union can be broken up by one er more states. It cannot recognize South Carolina or any other state following her example as out of the Union, but must hold them to the performance of their constitutional duties and insist upon treating all their citizens as citizens of the United States and subject to the federal laws. This does not necessarily involve war. It certainly does not involve the invasion of any state by federal troops, and there will be no alarming amount of fighting under this policy, because the North will not make war on the South and the South cannot make war on the North, even if she is mad enough to desire it. Any state may withdraw its representatives from Congress and refuse to receive the United States mails and to operate the local federal courts. But the general government must continue to collect the revenue, and as Charleston, Savannah, Mobile and New Orleans are the only ports of any consequence that can be in the hands of the secessionists, it will be a very small affair to keep such fleets at these harbors as will conduct the matter with all ease, and if vessels are not allowed to enter and leave these ports with United States papers, then it will amount to a virtual blockade of the ports by the act of the revolutionists. Under such circumstances the South must either send its cotton overland to northern ports for shipment, at great trouble and expense, or it must keep it and learn to live on its great staple. The only active measure necessary on the part of the general government is to hold the southern ports. It may temporarily abandon the fortifications, as a matter of policy, except the few that command the approaches to these ports. Nothing more will be necessary on the part of the general government, except to keep such forces at Washington as will prevent an attack from crazy Wise and his madmen, if they should prove mad enough to attempt a John Brown movement there. Thus shall we “hold ’em.”
Then we may safely “let ’em fizz.” What can they do ? There will be no chance for them to fight unless they undertake a naval war against the fleets blockading their ports, and they will be obliged to build their ships and arm and man them first. They would undertake nothing of the sort, and would miserably fail if they did. They would have absolutely no fighting to do, unless they turned their guns against each other, of which there would lie some danger; or against the negroes, scared and maddened into insurrection by the general ferment around them. Clearly they could only “fizz,” while thus held, and that they might do tremendously, for they are adepts in the business, but it would not frighten anybody and would damage only themselves. But they will soon get tired of the operation, for it neither grows corn nor cotton, and even fire-eaters cannot live on patriotism alone, but must have “hog and hominy,” with an occasional dash of whisky besides, or they soon become the tamest of human animals.
The effect of ‘holding ’em and letting ’em fizz” must eventually be a grand “fizzle.” How soon this would come depends on circumstances, but it could not take a long time to bring it. It might be necessary to hold out an olive branch—perhaps several of them—to the rebels, and let them down gently from their dangerous elevation, waiving all the demands of hempen justice against the Yanceys and Toombses. But unless we very greatly misunderstand human character and the power that lies in the natural and commercial forces that unite this nation, the grand and final “fizzle” would speedily come, and would bring a lasting period of peace between the sections and of general loyalty to the government. If not—if events shall prove to the free states that an overwhelming majority at the South, after sufficient delay arid deliberation, are hopelessly alienated from the Union, and can only be held in it by force—then will be the time to consider the proposition for a peaceful separation of the Union, and the free states will feel reluctantly constrained to consider it and to cast about for methods of bringing it about with the least possible detriment to the two sections. But not a moment sooner will the proposition for dissolution of the Union be entertained.
Meanwhile, if the southern people insist upon following their blind leaders and bringing upon themselves all the real evils of secession, without any of its imaginary advantages, the only course right or possible for the government and the country is to “Hold ’em and let ’em fizz,” hoping and believing that they will soon exhaust their wild energy and “fizzle out.” The predictions of civil war and general confusion and bloodshed are mere chimeras of a diseased imagination. Only utter imbecility and folly in the general government can render fighting necessary. Let the government pursue the policy of passive resistance to the disunionists, and exhibit force enough only to maintain its right to collect the revenues at all the ports, but do that so strongly as to defy and silence resistance, and the whole battle is fought and won on the part of the government, and the country may wait patiently for time and nature to do the rest. If “old Abe” were now at the head of affairs and the true policy could tie at once inaugurated, there would be little doubt of its entire and speedy success in the salvation of the Union whole and intact. How much mischief may happen before the 4th of March, it is impossible to predict, but we believe it will not then be too late to save the Union by a wise, firm and vigorous policy, and that we confidently look for.
Springfield Weekly Republican, Springfield, MA
