"Mr. Thorold" — I broke the silence, — "if the South should do
such a thing, what would happen?"
"There would be trouble," he said.
"What sort of trouble?"
"Might be all sorts," said Mr. Thorold, laughing; "it would
depend on how far people's folly would carry them."
"But suppose the Southern States should just do that; — say
they would break off and govern themselves?"
"They would be like a bad boy that has to be made to take
medicine."
"How could you _make_ them?" I asked, feeling unreasonably grave
about the question.
"You can see, Miss Randolph, that such a thing could not be
permitted. A Government that would let any part of its
subjects break away at their pleasure from its rule, would
deserve to go to pieces. If one part might go, another part
might go. There would be no nation left."
"But how could you _help_ it?" I asked.
"I don't know whether we could help it," he said; "but we
would try."
"You do not mean, that it would come to _fighting?_"
"I do not think they would be such fools.
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