The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-11-10
The UnIon.t

bitterly denOuncs the Union and express, some
thoughtessly and others sincerely without
doubt, desire for its dissolution. 1t is sin.
gular fact that persons so dramatically opposed
10 each other in all their views and principles as
the Northern and Southern advocates Of disu-
Mon, should come 10 the same conclusion on
subject of vital importance. II is no less sim
gular that the reasonsb by which they are brought
TO this conclusion in direct confict-the
sOutherner cOntending for dissolution because
he would Perpetuate slsvery-the Northerner
cOntending for dissolution because he would
bring slavery to an end. -
Dissolution and Freedom Dissolution
and Slavery" These are the notices respect
lively adopted, but neither Of these would we
wish to have inscribed on any banner waving
over our heads. Our motto should rather be
"Union and Freedom" We value the Union,
and value it most highly, for the sake of Free
dom. We believe that by the preservation Of
the Union the cause of freedom will be most
traly advanced and most certainly secured.
Imagine for a moment that the wish Of the
disuniOnists could be grstifed and the great
confederacy be blOken up; what would be the
efteet2 "The security and perpetuation Of the
slave-instiiutiOn," says the Southern disunion-
isi.
Are you certain that such would be the re-
su!tl Think you that if the bands which unite
the North and South were broken, and broken
because Of difference Of opinion upor the in
sutuiion Of slavery, that institution would be
safer than nOw1 Could You prevent your slaves
from passing the boundary, wherever that boun-
dsry might be, and, once passed, could you re.
claim them7 Surely not Every day and ev-
cry night the boundary line would be crossed BY
iugitives, and nota hand north of the boundary
would be put forth to arrest their course, and
not a foot from the South would be permitted
to cross the boundary in pursuit. Say you thai
you would then resort to war and compel a res
uiution7 Are you confident that you would
have the power to compel restitution That
question could only be answered after years of
terrible conflict, and during that conflict do YOU
think the slave Institution would be entirely Sc
eare1 Would not period of war be a period
OF Imminent danger TO slavery7 And how long
think you, that the States Immediately south of
the boundary would be willing to bear the dis
orders and anHieties consequent upon the con-
slant escape OF slaves in time of peace and
the terrible devaststiOns to which they would
be necessarily exposed In time Of warl Not
long, you may rest assured Rather than be
subject to such trials they would speedily re-
nounce all connection with slavery and unite
themselves with the Northern confederaey.-I
State after State would abandon the Southern
section, the institution would co nj inualIy move
further South, be driven within smaller and
smaller limits, until from dire necessity, the few
States which continued TO hold slaves would be |
obliged TO give up the institution, or the blacks,
then become overwhelmingly predominant in
numbers, would claim and by force would OBJ
tain freedom.
Utterly futile would be the endeavor to per- |
Petusts slavery by dissolution.
Fright" says the Northern disunionist, ga
dissolution of the Union instead of strengthen
ing would weaken and ultimately destroy the
Institution, and therefore am in favor of dis
solution"
Pause for moment You say you are in ia.
Sor OF dissolution Of the Union, because Il
would help the cause of freedom. Are YOU
sure 1t would help the cause of freedOml Sup
pose that the Union we're divided into two great
confederscies, and that the Southern confedera-
cy could be compelled, either by war or by the
and dangers consequent upon
the compression of slavery within limits con-
'ih1aly growing narrower and narrower, to
emsnciPate the negroes, would the cause Of
freedom necessarily be advanced thereby You
Desire freedom for the black man for the sake of
the black man. You wish him in a condition
IN which justice will be done him But will
'osuce be done him In community in which
emancipation is the result of compulsion and
aaneerf We fear not, for what makes the es-
'ential evil Of slsVeryl Is II not that low state
d public sentiment, that blindness 10 the lights
o. the black man and the duties of the white +,
man. which makes slavery possible1 And /.
Wherein lies the essential good of freedom7 IL /,
. not IN that high Christian state Of public sen.
imsai' that clear perception Of tho rights and
Iaties Of all men, which makes slavery impos- \
tblel Let a community be compelled TO give ;
p the slave system, though still retaining tbs
Pirt which the existence Of slavery indi-
ates, and the essential evil Of slavery will re.
main. The slavehOlding spirit is in that CON- !,
annty stiil, and the black man, though free, I,
I'LL feel it. The slavehoIding spirit is by no !,
leans confined 10 slave States or 10 sIaveboId-
re- and there are shareholders who have far les
this spirit than many non-sIaveh olders. But, ,
wherever this spirit exists il will manifest ITSELF
nd II IL Peryade a community, though the
anne Of slave never be pronounced, the black n
ian Will feel the evils of slavery. What the :,
'1e friend Of freedom must desire is that Chris i;
II we may 90 speak, of public senti- =
rent which appreciates the rights, understands ~
be duties, and rejOices In the welfare of all !.
len. -
This desirable end, this radical change of X,
nbic opinion, viii be effected far more rapidly, N
E bsieve, II the Union Of the States be con- ..
nued than IL II be dissolved. With eyerv cl
'sr the different parts of our country are
ought nearer and nearer together. The in. HI
sased and rapidly Increasing facilities of sd
ssei are making the inhabitants of remotest .,,
etions neighbors. Citizens Of States most a.,
ise'y separated meet more and more frequent At,
and are getting to understand each other bet. IN
= Not an improvement In the material, 90,
oral OF intellectual condition Of society can M
"sae IN one part Of the Union withou o..