Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-01-08
THE NORTH OF THE HE t r1Sl 5

Some good christians and right good republicans ask,
what's the Union worth, if State may withdraw from at
pleasure'
Surely this other question is twice as ust what is the
Union worth H. instead of being cementcd by the alice
ton and the harmonzing interests of its members,
De hed together only by force and fear by hedge OF
bayonet reekng with the blood of ten thousand saugh-
tered citzenS Yes, with the blood not of conscious
gaeiactor not OF traitors who in midnight privacy have
P'oed ihe overthrow OF governments but Of honest and
pauOuc farmers and of farmers, who have thought
they were obeying their countrys call raying under
the banner OF their native State defend her from what
verify seemed to them, lawess foreign aggression Such
would even be the case ii State standing upon her So
vereignty should resolve through her constituted autho-
rues, and under the solemn forms of her constitution
quit the Union. No matter whether she has right 10
secede or not what would the Union be WORTH either to
her or TO the other States, il she 10 be kept
by such means! Let us fancy the above christian
ana notion carried out into practice aud then
contemplate the picture.
Suppose that State of average size, whose people
are about as brave and fond of liberty our people
ordinarily determines by seeding from the Union
to escape from what she deems unconditional and ntole.
rabe oppression! Military force applied subdue her
She struggles with an energy proporioned TO the courage
and love OF liberty that have ascrbed her peoples
some thousands OF them, and many OF their
are slain; the devastaons usual in war; attend the move
mens oil the armies crops cut for forage, Todder
down in the march, anuihated in fields OF battle The
struggle, however, is unavailing the revolving State il
obliged 10 submit. Then, what would otherwise have
been revolution, stgmaised reJeii0n-her most cm
nen and probably most vrtuous citizens (or none Others
could have carried the State along with them) suffer the
death oil traitors; many other executions, either formal
summary as policy or evaporation rules the hour, aer
the land; banishmcnt con6scaon and terror conclude
the scene.
And now what is that state? A conquered province
With what feelings do her people regard their masters still
called il in moekery, their brethren? With hatred bitter
undying, mpacabc such as Cue tyran enemies ire
bly, by of the ties that united them They are
bowed beneath worse than foreign yoke which, if the
spirit oil freedom be not extinct in their hearts, nothing
armed and threatening egons will prevent them from
throwing OIL Indignation at their wrongs perpeually
ranking in their bOsoms, will descend the children and
generation after generation, with than the perscve
rance because with than tho animang spirit of Po
land, will renew the effort at emancipation
.Frcedom's battle begun,
Bequcathed from bleeding sire son,
Tho bafed OFT, isnever won."
But let US drive this dreadful picture from our minds
glad hatyet awhile, at least it exists in fancy Shout,
1t ever he realized by the madness of such coercion
some men contemplate, the consequences the othe
States will be scarcely less bad Standing armies will
their attendant expenses and dangers-dstracted councils
arising from the sympathy of some and the luminosity
others towards the oppressed Satehe overawing OF the
State Governments into implicit and crouchng submission
to the federal power-consoidaio monarchy-wil
be The natural series OF events consequent upon that
measure.
Infinitely, OH inconceivaby better would be- to hi,
such a dissatisfied State go in peace! Her secession
would doubtless produce Inconvenience especially she
were maritime, and system of high duties on impore,
goods were kept up in the other States Her error,
would then be the medium ofsnuggng. But the duties
did not exceed 10 or 10 per cent this Inconvenience wout
not be ie: for she would probably have levy them her
sell TO at least that amount The greatest
would at last, not at first be her side and the very
rs haze that might dim the horizon ler foreign rcla
lions, would make her sue for e-union.
10 tho first question then, answer that the Union
worth more than any estimate. To the second
mat II IS worth less than nothing. EUGENIUS.