The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-09-09
DISUNION.

DISUNION.
AT recent Wing meeting in Norfolk, Captain
Watts produced the following historical remin-
iscence:
As auxiliary to this partcnlored party Mr..
Watts took view of the disunion party which is
erecting it's snaky crest in South Carolina and
made some stirring appeals to the patriotism of
all who heard him to cherish the Union, as the
palladium of Liberty and the guarantee of the
countless blessings which were the peculiar boon
OF Heaven to our country. In the course of his
Discussion of this branch of his discourse, Mr.
Watts referred to an interesting Renaissance of
history TO shew the feeling which actuated the
South on similar occasion, in 1903. During
that gloomy period, the New England States
were driven almost to desperation by the oppres-
sive operation of the measures which Mr.. Jeffer-
sons administration had adopted as the alterna-
tive of war with one or both of the great belli-
gerent powers. The whole country suffered
but New England more than any other part, for
her commerce, which was her main stay, (she
having no manufactures then, and not desiring to
be forced into them was swept from the ocean !;
her ships were useless, and lay rotting at her
Wharves, while her hardy seamen were left with
out employment. Her camors were loud and
bosterous, and few restless spirits called out
for s.cessiOn In the winter Of that year, the
Virginia Electors who were elected by the peo-
rlc to vote for Mr. Madison, met at Richmond,
and afe their business over, they adjourned
to partake of dinner in commemoration Of the
occasion Of their meeting. Judge Roane pre-
sided, and the toasts were specially drawn up to
| reflect the sentiments of Virginia. One of tlles
| was in these words:
1.-The Union: It must be preserved. 1t is
treason to secede."
If it was treason" to secede in 1903, in the
opinion of Spencer Roane and other eminent ex-
Founders OF Virginia doctrines. in 1905 could il
be anything less IN 1874? Where was the sim
| ilariy between Massachusetts in the former and
South Carolina in the latter year! What did
South Carolina complain of2 The Tariff! He
| showed from resolution of her Legislature 1--WE
| forget The date, but it was while Massachusetts
! was exclusively commercial and net manu-
featuring Sta,e-and did moi want to be onel that
no State in the Union had been more ultra in
her views of the protective policy han South Ca
| rona and that no man in the Congress of the
| United States, in 1916, had labored harder to
promote that policy than the great Sou Carolina
statesman, John G.. Calhoun--eveu against the
will of what the chief manufacturing
States. But little fall in cotton, (Which Mr..
w. showed was not the result of the tarff.) was
| made the pretext for convusing this Union to its
centre, and the great body of the States were to
sacrifice their dearest interests, to raise the price
of cotton few cents in the pound, and even then
be unable to accomplish that mighty object!
But that argument was no longer relied on,
aad TEXAS was to be made the great pivot
| upon which the " treason" was to turn Texas,
with or without the Union," was already the war
Cry.
Mr.. Watts declined touching the Texas ques-
ton. That humbug had exploded; and he passed
on to the Distribution question, which he handled
with great address, and quoted high democratic
authority for its orthodoxy as well as its expe-
diency.