Hi.
Imho when the populace as a whole begin meeting in small groups, or in secret outside of government administration, civil war is nigh.
5.56mm
And you saw reports of such meetings where?
I find it most curious that at this late date in 1859, Harper's editorials are most concerned with farmers' economic problems in the mid-west and most hopeful that good weather will result in rapid improvement there.
Harpers is also concerned that Washington DC is borrowing too much money but seems happy to report that President Buchanan's Treasury Secretary Cobb (DEM-GA) has borrowed less than feared.
I've seen no hint anywhere in Harpers of increasing sectional rivalries or political churning over questions related to slavery, abolition or even "money flows from Europe".
The Higginson correspondence in post #3 is interesting but doesn't hint at what is coming.
Not at all clear what Sanborn means by July 4 to "raise the mill".