Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-01-15


with their properly and effects Of all kinds
to any territory owned by the u. States
had been asserted at the time when III.
Constitution was submitted, for ratiGca.
:! ton, TO the States, that instrument would
not have been adopted, nor could the Union
have been formed. If the union of the
State. can only be preserved by an uncon-
I ditional surrender of clear constitutional
rights, secured 10 It's members, if the
Federal Government, instead Of a system
of liberty, equality and law, is 10 be per.
verified into an engine of force, oppression
1 and fraud, then, indeed has the day arrived.
when the South, at least, must pause, in
sorrow md anguish, 10 calculate its value.
The crisis, though impending, is not yet
come, and the evil hour of disunion, SO
much to be deprecated, may, it is devoully
to be hoped, be forever averted- Non in
terventicn is all the South has ever asked.
and, however reasonable the request, il
has been more than once coldiy, if not in
dignantly, refused. The time for reason
and argument seems TO have gone by, and
the perpetuity of this mighty republic,
with all the countless blessings which tits
capable Of imparting, must now rest upon
the firm, united, temperate. but determined
action Of the Southern States; and TO this
end, il is believed, 10 be the duty Of tie
representatives Of the people of Maryland
10 reflect the sentiments of their constim-
ents. bv the solemn declaration, in advance,
Of the unalterable determination of this
State, in the event Of the passage, by Con
gress. of the " Wilmot Proviso," or any
similar scheme, to make common cause
with the South, and 10 resist TO the end,
the execution of a measure so palpably
violative of her rights and so pregnant
with injustice, disgrace and degradation
Governor Crittenden says:
81 can entertain no apprehension for the
fate Of this Union.
The approach Of any danger TO il would
be the signal for rallying TO lis defence
the first moment of lis peril would be the
moment of its rescue. persuade myself
that there will be found i'll Congress, on
the exciting subject which has given rise
TO the late agitation and alarm, rise for
6carance, and a rise patience, that will
secure US from danger; and that the very
men, who, in the heat and contention of
debate, have spoken most boldly the Ian
guage of defiance and menace to theUnion,
will not be hindmost in making sacrifices
for its preservation.
The Union has further security, in the
parental care and guardianship Of its pres
eni Ilustrious Chief Magistrate, and, far
above all other securities, it has the all
powerful public opinion and affection of
the people.
70 Kentucky and the other western
States in the Valley Of the Mississippi,
the Union is indispensable TO their COM
mcrcial interests. They occupy the most
fertile region of the world, eloquently de-
scribed by celebrated foreigner as the
most magnificent abode that the Almighty
ever prepared as dwelling-pace for
man. These States, already populous
and productive, are rapidly increasing, and
in no long time must become the most
populous and productive portion of the
United States. They are remote from
The sea; antto enable them, with any ad-
vantage, to dispose of their boundess pro.
auctions and purchase their supplies, they
will require the use of all the channels
and avenues of commerce, and of all the
markets, ports, and harbors, from Boston
TO New Orleans. Under our present T.
Mon we enjoy all these facilities, with
the further advantage Of a maritime force
capable to protect, and actually protecting
our commerce in every part of the world.
Dsunion would deprive us, certainly,
to some extent, and most probably TO
great extent, of those advantages and of
that protection. cannot enlarge on the
subject. 4 moments reflection will show
the ruinous consequences of dlsuniOn 10
the commerce of Kentucky and the other
western States. The most obvious con-
sideralons Of interest combine, therefore,
with all that are noble and more generous,
10 make the Union not only an object Of
attachment, but Of necessity to US.
Kentucky is not insensibie TO the causes
which have produced so much sensibilitY
and irritation with her brethren Of the
southern States, nor is she without her
sympahies with them. But she does not
permit herselfto harbor one thought against
the Union. She deprecates disunion as
the greatest calamity; she can sec no
remedy in it-none, certainly, for any
grievance as yet complained Of or TO be
Kentucky viii stand by and abide by
the Union 10 the last, and she will hope
that the same kind Providence that ena-
bed Our fathers to make it will enable us
TO preserve IT, Oar whole history has