This
secession has been written in the sky from the beginning of the world."
"Nay, brother Sheraton," broke in my mother eagerly "it was the union of
brothership that was written first in the sky."
He turned to her with the bow of a gentleman. "It is you ladies who knit
the world together with kindness," he said. "Alas, that men must rend it
with fighting."
"Alas!" whispered she.
Sheraton's own face was sad as he went on with the old justification.
"Jefferson would turn over in his grave if he saw Virginia divided as it
is. Why, Cowles, we've all the world we need here. We can live alone
here, each on his own acres, a gentleman, and all he needs of government
is protection and fair laws. Calhoun was right. Better give us two
peaceful countries, each living happily and content, than one at war
with itself. Clay was a great man, but both he and Webster were fighting
against the inevitable."
"That is true," interrupted Orme; "unquestionably true. Texas came near
becoming a colony of England because this country would not take her.
She declared for slavery, and had that right. The Spaniards had made
California a slave state, but the gold seekers by vote declared her
free.
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