Buffalo Morning Express, December 24, 1860

To the great and growing empire of the Northwest, the mouth of the Mississippi river as a commercial outlet, is of vast importance. It extends for nearly three thousand miles through the most fertile section of the world. Its tributaries are numerous and open upon its right and left a wide range of territory which is increasing rapidly in population and trade, and which seeks a market through this outlet. This invests the Father of Waters and its mouth with a value that cannot easily be estimated. The people who inhabit the Mississippi valley and the fertile regions penetrated by its navigable tributaries, are awakening to the possibility that they may be interrupted, if not entirely cut off, in their commercial interests and relations, by the establishment of an unfavorable government under secession, which may usurp authority over the mouth of the river and control its trade. Such a result would be unfortunate, if not fatal, to the region of [the] country dependent upon this outlet, and the people begin to speak out in behalf of their interests. The millions of people who inhabit the vast and fertile region tributary to the trade of the Mississippi, will never permit themselves by any contingency to be cut off from the commerce of the world. To the great marts beyond our own borders they must and will go—"peaceably if they can—forcibly if they must." Such is the spirit of the Northwest, and when secession attempts to eject the jurisdiction of the United States from that great outlet, there will be a tornado of indignation there which will force its way to the Gulf in spite of all opposition.