And in acting in this wise, these States, strange to say, have themselves stated the problem of abolition.  No one thought of it, it may be said; every one respected the constitutional limits of their sovereignty.  They would not have it thus; they carried the question into the territory of Federal right and Federal relations; they exclaimed:  “Secure the extension of slavery, and perish the United Stales!” If the United States had perished, there would not have been maledictions deep enough for those who had committed such a crime.  The United States will not perish; but they will long remember with gratitude what they owe to the secessionists of 1860.  When the hour of emancipation shall have struck, and it will strike some day, the secessionists of 1860 will not probably speak of their rights to indemnity; they have just given a quittance of it in cannon balls.

The third fact remains:  Is it true that, in all the hypotheses, the cause of the negroes has just realized such progress that the ultimate issue of the contention can no longer be doubtful?  This is most obvious.  Let there be separation or not, slavery has just entered upon the road which leads to abolition, more or less rapid, but infallible.  If there be no separation, this immense progress will he effected with more wisdom and slowness; violent means will be averted, the benevolent influence of the Gospel will pave the way for progressive and peaceful transformation by preaching, to the slaves as to the masters, more of their duties than of their rights.  If there be separation, emancipation will be accomplished much more quickly and more calamitously.  Servile war will break out; ultra abolitionism, to which hitherto the prudence of the North has refused all real credit, will be no longer restrained by the prudence of a people desirous of shunning bloody catastrophes; sustained by the increasing animosity which will inflame the two Confederacies against each other, it will find means of introducing into the South appeals to revolt, and will multiply expeditions like that of John Brown.

But let us leave these generalities, and examine nearer by, from the stand-point of emancipation, the four or five hypotheses which we have signalled out most plainly, and between which seem to lie the chances of the future.

I shall examine first of all the one whose realization is evidently pursued by the able men of the extreme South.  The question is, after having speedily gained over the North, thanks to Mr. Buchanan, to arrive as quickly as possible at something which shall have the appearance and authority of a fact accomplished.  Audacity, and again audacity; upon this point, the politic and the violent meet in unison to-day.  It has seceded, it has invaded the Federal property, it has trumped up a government, it has given itself a President, it is about to have an army, it is already attempting to represent itself officially at the courts of the great powers.