The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-12-12

The line oil MISSOURI Will Ue Ike Tue VAL vi
Romulus-- death 10 Remus
No. 3 NATIONAL UNION.
But this subject should be regarded Ia
national view aud while the Liberty OF the
citizen should be steadily maintained, con-
s,ant eye should be kept 10 the preservation
OF the union. Both considerations are OF paia,
mount importance. On either foint there can
be no real question Of the public patriotism };
and while all aunts on one side 10 respect
to the state of certain species VI population
must be looked upon as enliieiy misplaced,
all adu.onitions on lbe other hand IN regard
10 the fragile nature Of the national conncxion
may be considered as equally superfuols,
There can be no doubt however thst our
friends 4, the soutlHsf are as sincerely at
iached 10 the union as ourselves, although
their sensibiIities are excessively keen or tie
subject of their slaves II is hue that the
'Gue,ions raised out Of the admission Of Ais
suuri have been pretty severe ira! Of Tue
princi PIES Of union, and thai HE extreme
pressure which has been made upon them
have somewhat conduced 10 cpeu their
seams.
But ON the whole our minds are mol 50 mor.'-
i'd as 10 enieriain any preposIerous appielso-
sions upon this score. Our iears upon tbs
point we confess are mol SO prophetic OF por-
tenious as some os the omens which have been
given Gu, might seem al first 10 warrant. We
hope better things aDa those thai b.long 10
our peace. We believe II will not be many
years before the state vi opinion will be entire
iy reformed a0j The subject regarded on ali
hands in very different. ight--snd that the
lime Will arrive when slavery viii rot only BE
acknowledged 10 be a Motai evil bu. repudi-
ated as a national abomnaiion. That this
reform must necessarily lie gradual is impies.
scd upon the mind no less by tie present staie
Of excitement than BY The n,yelefste nature OF
the mischief. Bn, The period vii YET come
when those who are mos, s;Ienuousiy opposed
10 The extension 81 slavery with al It's concou
liant inconyc niences will lie regarded as pub
lie beDeisCtors aud posieriiy VIII pay that
tribute 10 their u eniories which miscobceptIon
denies to theft philsnihropic aud patriotic GA
ertions.
Let Us not seal our eyes TO the signs OF the
times. A black cloud is rapidly gathering over
tie land which iheslen. not only to eiisce The
lustre If The war but TO obscure the glory OF
the nation. The electrified state OF The siIpos
piere is universally felt. The great agony
appears TO be approaching. The bolts OF
heaven are und,awn. and its attributes are &C
knowiedged 10 be ~ sbeysnee. II IN ib,s
fer,nentsI,on OF the elements The real friends Ut
the country, OF union and vi liberty Withdraw
their rrop,ious agency, ho. shall lis judg-
nenis be a'erIed, when It's warnings are 80
aud,bly abroad Those who are most
immediately Interested 10 ;be terrible ingre
dienis OF The explosion seem 10 be 10 mea-
sure incspacilaisd or precludsd by The very
Circumstance OF their vicinity 10 tie uAcbiei
from forming an adequate idea OF It's volcanic
eolnpositon-like the villages around Vesuvius
which are al once awakened and overwhelmed
by The torrents OF liquid lava
Tbefe is no exaggeTalon IN this statement.
Ii is neither o,ercharged IN regard 10 the pro-
babe feril or the apparent apathy. Fiom
their very position perhaps in regard TO this
interest The sla,eholding states can hardly be
supposed 10 be the most accurate judges oil
the principles OF tbs population, Which unior-
tunaisly stands loo nearly TO them IN the reia-
tioa OF property. While on the other hand
those sections of the UNION which ale most
happily exempted by the absence OF all in
aucements to compromise with lis complicated
evils, from isInperng with its peinlcious ten
denotes, are rendered by the mere felicity Of
their situation, and without arroganng any
peculiar merit from the circumstance, the nat
urat guardians OF the national tranquility
This Is portion of The subject however that
II may be unnecessary 10 pursue, into details
which il can be OF no material advantage TO
prosecute. Bullet the finn and honest cor
sictIon of the fact be accepted a, apology |
for thai zeal add interest manifested by many |
OF their representatives, on The general rela
lions Of this concern, which seem SO perfectly |