Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-03-14

cnt moment. For when we look upon The
scenes that are passing around MS, and dwell
| upon The pages of bis parting address, his
palernal cOunsels would seem TO be not
meey the offspring of wisdom and fore
sight, but the voice Of prophecy, furclellug
/ events aud warning us Of The evil 10 come.
! Forty years have passed since this imper-
ishable document was given 10 his country
men.
The Federal constitution was then re-
garded by him as an experiment. and he
SO speaks of il in his address; but an ex-
pertinent upon the success of which The
best hopes Of his country depended. and
we all know that he was prepared 10 law
down his lite il necessary, to secure tn Il
! a full and fair trial The trial has been
made. 1t has succeeded beyond The prou-
dest hopes Of those who framed il. Every
quarter Of the widely extended nation has
! felt its blessings, and shared in the qeneral
prosperity produced by its adoption. But
amid the general prosperity, and splendid
success, tie dangers OF which he warned
US are becoming every day more evident,
and the signs Of evil are sufficiently appsr-
ent to awaken the deepest anxiety in the
bosom Of the patriot. We behold system
ATTIC efforts publicly made to sow the seeds
Of discord between different paris Of the
United States, and TO place party divisions
directly upon geographical distinction; 10
excite the south against the north, and the
north against the south and to force into tie
controversy the most delicate and exciting
! topics ;-topics upon which it is impossible
that large portion of the Union can ever
| speak without strong emotion. Appeals,
! tnu cnpctanfltr IL, -,
esis, IN order to influence the election the
Chief Magistrate, as If it were desired that
| he should favor particular quarter Of The
country, instead or fulfilling the duties or
his station with impartial Justice 10 all -
and the possible dissolution of the Union
I has at length become an ordinary and IN
miliar subject of discussion. Has the warn
! ing voice OF Washington been ior0otton
OF have designs already been formed to sew
er the Unions Let it not be supposed that
| l lmpute to all OF those who have taken an
active part in these unwse and unprofta-
bic discussions, want Of patriotism o. OF
! public virtue. The honorable feeling of
State pride, and local attachments, fnd n
! place in the bosoms Of the most enlighten-
ed and pure. But while such men are con
scious OF their own integrity and honesty
| OF purpose, they ought never to forget that
the citizens of other States are their poliii-
cal brethren: and that however mistaken
! they may be, in their views, the great BODY
Of them are equally honest and upright
with themselves. Mutual suspicious and
! reprolches may in time create mutual hos
| tility, and arttul and designing men will al
ways he found, who are ready to foment
! these fatal divisions and to iu1ame the nat
ural jealousies Of different sections of the
country. The history of the world is full
Of such examples, and especially the histo-
! ry of republics.
What have you to gain by division and
| dissenslons' Deude not yourselves with
the belief that breach once made may be
| afterwards repaired. If the Union is once
severed, the line of separation will grow
wider and wider, and the controversies
which are now debated and settled in the
| halls Of legislation, will then be tried in the
fields of battle, and determined by the
! swegd. Neither should you deceive YOUR
selves with the hope, that the first line of
separation would be the permanent one, s.
! that nothing but harmony and concord
| would be found IN the new associations for
med upon the dissolution Of the Union. -
| Local interests would sill be found there.
and unchaslcned ambition. And if The rec
objection Of common danger, in which The
| people oil these United States ctood side by
side against the common Toe tic memory
OF victories won by their united valor; the
prosperity and happiness they have enjoy
ed under the present constitution the
proud name they hear as citizens OF this
great republic; il all these recollcctons
and proofs OF common interest are not
strong enough to hind us together as one
people, what tic will hold united the new
divisions Of empire, when these bonds have
been broken and this Union discovered p
Ihe first line OF separation would not last
Tor single generation; new Fragments
would be torn off; new leaders would
spring up; and this great and glorious re
public would soon be broken info multi
tude Of petty States, without commerce,
without credit; jealous OF one another -
ARMED for mutual aggression; loaded with
taxes TO pay armies and leaders seeking
aid against each other from foreign powers /;
nsul'ed and trampled apon by the nations
OF Europe, until harrassed with conflicts,
and humbled and dehased in spirit. they
would be ready to submit 10 the absolute
: dominion Of any military adventure, and
tn surrender their liberty for tie sake OF re-
pose Il is Impossible to ool; on the con
sequences that would inevitably follow the
destruction Of this government, and not
feel indignant when we hear cold calcua-
tons about The value of the Union, and
have so constantly before US a line Of con-
duct so well calculated to weaken It's ties.
There is too much at stake to allow pride
or passion to influence your decision. New
er for a moment believe that the great body
of the citizens of any state or states can
deliberately intend TO do wrong. They