The sunshine will seem to have gone out of our life when we become two unfriendly nations.
"It is easy," said I, "for it gratifies some of the lower passions, to ridicule a whole section of the country for their act of secession or a disposition towards it; to boast that the South cannot do without us; to prophesy that they will get sick of it, and wish to return; to express wonder that they should feel so much hurt; to remind them that, if they will do as we have always counselled them, there would be no trouble; and there is a temptation to say, as friends in a quarrel will hastily say, Let them go.

But when they are irrecoverably gone, justifiably or not, I tell you, Mr.North, there will be mourning in our streets.

I know, indeed, that there are some among us to whom it will be a carnival; but--" "They will have a long Lent after it," said Mrs.North; "pray excuse me." "Ties of kindred," said I, "patriotism, Christian friendships, will not go down to hopeless graves without leaving behind them sorrows ending only with life.
"It appears to me," said I, "that our ship is where nothing but an immediate calm and then a change of the wind, can save us.

If we become two nations, it may be for judgment and destruction; and it may be for some great, ultimate good.

But it will be hard parting.