Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-07-28
TIE UNION.

To shake the pillars of the Unionl The
'Wilmot Proyiso' to shake the pillars of the u.
mon! | feel no apprehension. These fears are
idle; they are ridiculous. This Union, thank
God, is not in the keeping Of ambitious political
asPranls or disappointed politicians. This great
work OF Washington and his compatriots-,be
ark OF our safety, sPrnkled with the best blood
OF the Revolution, consecrated in the affections
Of our countrymen-this Union, in its strength
and IN its grandeur, will repose upon the hearts
of twenty millions Of frecmen; and when fac.
ionisls, agaors, and conspirators shall assail il
will remain as firmly and quietly seated on lis
foundation as do the eternal Alleghenies in The
midst Of a transient summer tempest.
Sir, | am a Southern man, Identified with
Southern institutions; | take common DESTINY
with my countrymen, whether for veal or fol
wo; | would live or would die, as thrust, by
the side Of my countrymen upon a proper occa.
sion; but as 10 this 'Wilmot proyso, as a practi.
cal question, regard it as of exceedingly slight
importance. stand by the rights of the South;
rePel this 'Proyiso,' as implying an offensive
disparagemeni: resist it, as having no warrant
in the constitution, in good faith or in equal Jus.
tice. But what is it, after alll OF what practi.
cal importance is III Where can it apply to the
real detriment of Southern interestsl Can New
Mexico become savehodng country? A sue.
cessiOn Of bleak and sterile hills and volcanic
mountains-fit only for pastoral life or mining o.
perations-wIh no land for cultivation, save on.
ly the narrow valley of the Rio Grande, which
winds its way asa riband amongst the rocks, bar
rem hills, and bare volcanic mountains; and that
valley packed with population for two hundred
years, beyond the capacity of the soil to support
but for the flock and herds that wander and
browze among the hills and mountains. Sir,
talk not Of perng this Union for New Mexico,
or the whole of Mexico, or the whole wide world.
This, the home Of our fathers, great free, and
happy-our own happy home--the home we
would transmit TO our chdren-to peril this;
and Tor what! For lands that no wise man de.
sired. No, sir; | had rather see New Mexico
and California engulled by an earthquake, rece-
ded to Santa Anna, or held in independence by
its own degenerate populations; had rather see
any or all of these than to disturb deeply the
harmony of this Union. Our first duty is at
home; our mission 'to promote the general well
fare, TO form more perfect Union, and TO Sc
cure the blessings Of liberty to ourselves and
our posterity.' To peril this Unionl 70 des.
troy it! 1t cannot be donel have an abiding,
never failing confidence in the virtue, good sense,
and patriotism Of our people to defend and pre-
serve it against all its enemies, foreign and do
mestc. Sir, what virtuous man, who loves his
country, and is proud of its glores and renown,
could suffer that image of its greatness that he
bears about with him in his heart to be dashed
to the earth as Il mirror, and shivered to pieces,
each fragment rejecting butthe broken fragments
Of divisions, sections, and States of this once
glorious aud happy republic! None, not one;
for all the broad lands that all the empires,
of all the earth could give him.
GEN. TAYLOR.
Sir, shall! support Gen. Taylor and support
him cordially, as the true representative of all
the great conservative characteristics Of the
Wing party. shall support him as man of
peace-as opposed to all wars of conquest-as
opposed TO that rapacious policy that would pick
a quarrel with aneighbor, and then seize his
goods. support him for his sound constitution.
al views in regard to the relative duties of the
respective departments Of the Government-
King Veto will not be put in chains; but conf.
ned to his proper sphere he will not be permitted
as morOuder, to make lorays upon every de-.
parIment of tho Government and upon every
public and private interest. support him also
because believe he will suffer the will of the
people TO become the law of people within con-
stiIutlonal limits; because believe that things
that lie before us in the unknown future may be
OF vastly more magnitude than all the transient
party questions Of the day; and because | have
confidence in his moderation and good sense
above all, in his moderation and right minded
ness. If have learned anything in public life,
It is that pure intentions and singIe.minde
with strong good sense, are worth more than
the most splendid abilities and the largest expe.
rience without them. 1t would be sad were il
otherwise. lie who seeks what is right and
seeks it with singleness of mind will rarely miss
It. What care whether General Taylor can.
not play at game of sophisms with expert and
dexterous political dalectcansl What care |
whether he can with metaphysical scissors"
"Sever and divide
hair 'twiXt north and northwest sidel"
What care whether he has exact and precise
views, (do we all have theml) upon many of
the transient and unimportant questions of the
dayl MightnoI Washington have been worried
in political metaPhysics-say the resolutions of
1913 and '99-by many knight of the green
bag, scarce out Of his teens" and one, too,
who would not have been entrusted by his neigh.
Dor with the trial of cause of the value of one
hundred dollarsl And yet the people entrusted
in the hands of that same Washington the hon.
or, the safety, and glory of this great Republic.
Were they unwisel
What do care TO know is, that his views are
moderate, conservative, national-all tending TO
peace, TO wholesome and gradual developemen,
and progress. He who has learned by expert.
ence the miseries and horrors Of war, if he be
agood man, will generally be the most strenuous
advocate Of peace as long as peace can be pre-.
served with national honor. Who so pacific as
Washington Who could have curbed the wild
passions and preserved peace during the phrenzy
Of the fIst French revolution but Washington
Who so powerful an advocate of peace on the