The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-02-27
DUBUQUE:
AY::::FEBRUARY 27, 1850
The Union: Shall it be Preserved :

The Union! Shall it be Preserved:
The dissolution of the Union is no longer treat
ed as purely theoretical question, resorted to
during the dull hours of tedious, monotonous
session OF Congress, to excite the passions or
kindle up the sumbering fires of PATRIOTISM
No; it has become alarmngly practical, if we
are to judge of the signs of the times from the
cool impassioned language and thoughts of those
whom the country and the world have hitherto
looked upon the purest and truest statesmen
The letter of the Constitution was the off
spring of that spirit of patriotism which lighted
the fires of the revolution, and this letter has
hitherto been regarded with more less of that
obligation which attaches to written law; but
another spirit is now abroad in the land, spirit
which regards not the solemn compact which
give birth to nation and which has bound us
together as people through many struggles in
peace and war. The letter of the Constitution
cannot and does not imbody this spirit Alrca-
dy has it left its tenement of words and gone a.
broad like the roaring lion pcrsonatcd in the
Scriptures, seeking whom it may dcvour.
Thousands and millions of men and women
who have been nurturcd and protected by the
Constitution, have become possessed by this dcs
troying Angel, and in obedience to his suggcs-
tons of evil, they are accumulating the fire and
faggot of discord and dissolution The men and
women of these days have not experienced the
sufcrings nor the hardships of their fathers and
mothers of the Revolution; they have not felt
the humiliations nor the degradation to which
conquered people are subjected. They have
been blessed with liberty without its price; they
have experienced the security of freedom with
cut sharing in the bloody trial by which it was
secured. Scarcely has the last vcstige of their
revolutionary sres departed from among them,
than they forget the solemn covenant by which
their political happiness has been GUARANTEED
by which their unity a people has been hith-
erto preserved, and as if desirous of prccipita-
ting themselves into the miscrics of a divided
household, they are now seeking to destroy the
very testament of their parents, by which their
prosperity and happiness have been transmitted
to them, and by which means alone could they
inherit the bounties accumulated by their labors
and watchings. Shall this Union be preserved:
This important question, for question it now is,
must be decided; how: Providence alone can
know
So far rs the action of the several States is
concerned this question is already decided, all
the so called free States, with the exception of
Iowa, having instructed their Senators in Con-
gress to resist the encroachment of slavery into
the territory acquired by the late treaty with
Mexico, and the slave States having in the same
official manner instructed their Representatives
to repudiatc such action upon the slave question
as mi ight exclude their property in slaves from
being recognised as It was first recognised by the
Constitution. With the one exception already
alluded to-, the North and South arc officially ar
rayed against each other and should the Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress obey their
instructions the crisis must soon come.
From the present constitution of the Senate,
we may infer that the Wilmot proviso will be
defeated in that body. This defeat ifit should
happen, may rctard any precipitate action upon
the part of the North and South, and may be
followed by moro healthy state of public opin-
ion, and public action. We shall not yield to
the suggestions of fanaticism upon this question,
but trust to the patriotism of the people to pre-
| serve the Union.