n of 1832 became
Secessionists, though Nullification, the milder thing of the two, had
been too much for them to endure. They not only endured the more hideous
evil, but they embraced it. Between 1832 and 1860 a change had been
wrought such as twice that time could not have accomplished at any
earlier period of human history. The old Southern ideas respecting
slavery had disappeared, and that institution had become an object of
idolatry, so that any criticisms to which it was subjected kindled the
same sort of flame that is excited in a pious community when objects of
devotion are assailed and destroyed by the hands of unbelievers.
The astonishing material prosperity that accompanied the system of
slave-labor had, no doubt, much to do with the regard that was bestowed
upon the system itself. That was the time when Cotton became King,--at
least, in the opinion of its worshippers. The Democratic party of the
North passed from that position of radicalism to which the name of
_Locofocoism_ was given, to the position of supporters of the extremest
Southern doctrines, so that for some years it appeared to exist for no
other purpose than to do garrison-duty in the Free States, the cost of
its maintenance being supplied by the Federal revenues. Abroad the same
change began to be noted, the demand for cotton prevailing over the
power of conscience. Everything worked as well for evil as it could
work, and as if Satan himself had condescended to accept the post of
stage-manager for the disturbers of America's peace.

To take advantage of the change that had been brought about was the
purpose of the whole political population of the South. But though that
section was united in its determination to support the supremacy of
slavery, it was far from being united in its opinions as to the best
mode of accomplishing its object. There were three parties in the South
in the last days of the old Union. The first, and the largest, of these
parties answered very nearly to the Southern portion of the Democratic
party, and contained whatever of sense and force belonged to the South.
It was made up of men who were firmly resolved upon one thing, namely,
that they would ruin the Union, if they should forever lose the power to
rule it; but they had the sagacity to see that the ends which they had
in view could be more easily achieved in the Union than out of it.
They were not disunionists _per se_, but were quite ready to become
disunionists, if