Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-05-15

pedCes
are sure, that our State Governments and indiv. |
dual energies will work out for happiness, |
such as DO other people have yet secured.
The importance Of this benefit is easy to be un |
derstood, by considering the sure and tremendous
miseries which would follow disunion. For our |
selves, we fear, that bloody and mournfu as hu-
man history now is, sadder page than has yet
been written, might record the sufIarings of this
country, should we divide ourselves into separate
communities. Our impressions on this subject are
SO strong, that we cannot resist the desire Of
municating them 10 others. We fear that our
country, in case OF dsunion, would be broken in
to communities. which would cherish towards one
another sngularly fierce and implacable enmities.
We do not refer the angry and vindctive feelings
which would grow out of the struggles implied
in separation. There are other and more per-
nanent causes of hatred and hostility.
One cause, we think, would be found In ihc
singularly active, bold and enterprispg spirit,
which actuates this whole country. Perhaps, as
apeople, we have no stronger distinction, than
thirst for adventure and new acquisitions. quiet,
co I'd, phlegmatic race might be divided " it'll COM
par atiyely little peril. But neighbourhood Of
restless, daring, all-grasping communities, would
| contain within itself the seeds Of perpetual hos
tiiity. Our fevcrish activity would break out in
endless competitions and jealousies. In every TO-
reign market, we should meet as rivals. The same
great objects would be grasped at by all. Add to
this, that the necessity Of preserving balance
OF power, would lead each republic 10 watch the
others with suspicious eve; and this balance
could not be maintained, in these young and grew
ing communities, easilyas in the old and station
airy ones OF Europe. Among nations, such as we
should form, which would only have begun to
deveIope their resources, and in which the spirit
OF liberty would favor an indefinite expansion,
the political equilibrium would be perpetuay dis
turbed. Under such influences an irritable anu
almost just,iiable sensitiveness TO one anoher's
progress would tester into uiirelen,ng hatred.
Our neighbours's good would become 10 US curse.
Among such communities there could be no love,
and be no real peace. To obstruct one another's
growth would be deemed the perfection of policy
Slight collisions OF interest, which must perpetu
ally recur, would he exaggerated by jealousy and
hatred into objectionable wrongs; and unprin-
cipled statesmen would find little difficulty in swell
ling imaginary grievances into causes of war.
When we look at the Characteristic spirit of this
country, stimulated as il is by our youth and ca
pacites Of Improvement, we cannot conceive OF
more active springs OF contention and hatred than
would be created at once by disunion into Sc
parate nations
We proceed 10 the second and very Important
consideration. Our possession OF a common Ian
guage, which is now sn unspeakable good, would,
in case OF disunioD, prove great calamity !;
for 1t would serve, above all things, &c multiply
ljealousies and exasperate bad passions. In Eu-
rope, different nations, having each its own LAM
} guage, and comparatively small communication,
, can act but little on each other Zach expresses
its own self-esteem and It's scorn of other commu-
mites in writings which seldom pass its own
bounds, and which minister TO its own vanity and
prejudices without intlaming other states. Bal
suppose this country broken up into contiguou:
nations, all speaking the same language, al! en-.
Toying unrestraned freedom of the press, ant, all
giving uttcrance 10 their antipathcs and recria
nations IN newspapers, which would Fly through
all on the wings Of the winds Who can Sc, bound.
TO the madness which such agents of mischie
would engender' It's TACT, Zoo well known
that feelings Of luminosity among us towards Grea
Britain, have been kept alive chiefly by few pub
LEGATIONS from the latter country, which have beer
read by very small part Of our population. What
then are we TO expect in of our disuniol
when the daily press of each nation would pour
forth on the neighbouriHs Communities unceasins
torrents OF calnmny, satire, riiicue, and nvective
An exasperating article from the pen OF distn.
guished man in one republic, would in less tlian
week have found its way to every house ait, cot
tGge in the adjoining States. The passions OF ;
whole people would be knded at one moment
and who OF can conceive the intensity O! hatYe,
which would grow from this continued, madden
ing, Interchange Of incorporate and unneasure,
abuse?
Another of dscor3, in case Of our scpa
ration, is almost too obvious 10 be mentioned
Once divided, we should form stronger bonds Q
union with foreign nations than with one anotbe !
That Europe would avail itself OF our broken con
,iion TO establish influence among us; that bel
! ligerents in the Old World would strive 70 enlis
Us IN their quarres; that our eagerness for com
nercial favors and Inonopoies would Law US one:
TO their intrigues; that at every quarrel amen,
. ourselves we should be willing to receive aid from
abroad, and that distant nations would labor TO in
crease our dependence upon themselves by iniia
ming and dividing US against each other: thes
are considerations too obvious 10 need exposition
and as solemn and monitory as they are clear
From disunion, we should reap, in plentiful har
vests, destructive eDmes at home, and degradin:
subserviency to the powers Of Giuseppe.
} We pass TO another topic, particularly WORTHY
OF notice. In case of separation party spirit Oh,
worst foe OF free states, would rage more furious
ly in each Of The new and narrower coinmuuitie
than II now does in our extensive Union, and tbi
spirit would not only spread deadly hatred throup,
: each republic, but would perpetrally embroiJI
with its neighbours. We complain OF party rae
even now; but IL is mild and innocent compare,
with what we should experience, were our Uni
on dissolved. Party spirit, when spread over
large country, is far less enyenorned and ruinou
than when shut up in small states The historic,
OF Greece and Rome striking illustrations O
this truth. In an extensive conmtiniiy a marty
depressed on one spot, finds sympaihies and poyy
eriul protectors in another; aud if not, it lind,
more generous enemies at distance vim mill.
gate the violence Of itsnearer foes. ghe fury at
tending elections is exceedingly allayed, by the
knowledge that the Issue does not depend on one
or another city district, and tina. failure in one
place is not the loss of tho Cause. II may be adj.
ded, that in large country, pafty spirits neres.
sarily modified and soened By the diversity OF in
forests, views, and Characters, which must prevail
among widely scattered people. II is also ma
small advantage that the leaders OF Parties viii
generally be separated from ono another by con.
siderable distances, will move IN remote spheres
instead OF facing each Other, and engaging rsrpet
ually in personal debate and conflict, Suppose
these circumstances reversed; suppose tho country
broken into republics small. as 10 adrni, PEI
feet unity and sympathy among Inc monbors of ~ >
same party as to keep the leaders Of opposite par
tics perpe ,uaiiy in one anciera SIGHT and hearing
! az 10 MAKE the fate OF elections dependant on ds.
mite efforts and votes in psrfirulor plaees. and
VINO can calculate the increase OF personal sninos.