The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-30

/
| HE UNION AS IT WAS AND AS 1T Is.--Our fathers
! In 1857 formed coniederacy, and adopted as the
! bond of Union the Constitution under which this
! Government exists. The preamble to that Con-
stitution is in those words: ave, the people of
the United States, in order to form d more perfect
union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquil
ty, provide for the common defence, promote the
general welfare and secure the BLESSINGS of liberty
to ourselves, and our posterity, do ordan and es-
tablish this Constitution for the United States of
America That preamble embodes the objects
for which this Union formed and the spirit
in which the States entered into il. II may, in
deed be called the essence of the Union, and Il
violation of it may, therefore, with propriety
he considered violation the Union, than sim
pie disregard Of any single clause Of the Consi-
tuition itself. True, there may continue union
Of these States long after the destruction of that
spirit, but it will not be the Union of our forefa-
Tiers. How strangely contradictory are the
terms of that preamble, and the history of the
present session Has its session produced more per-
feet union? Has it established Justice Has it en-
surcd domestic tranquility? Has it proridea for The
common defence Has il promoted The general
soetGue? Has it secured the blessings of liberty 10
ourselves and our posterity?
So far from it, it has severed that spirit of har-
mony and good will which could alone secure the
UniGn il has wantonly disregarded the plain die
tates of justice it has thrown a fire-brand into
our midst which has totally dc royed every thing
like domestic tranquility 1t nts turned its aggres-
aions upon one of the sovereigh States OF the con-
feieracy it has legisated for the ruin of one half
OF ne Union, and has laid the axe to the tree of
u trty. And this is the Union which Southern
aser are expected to fall down and WORSHIP The
.,airiotlsm, the magnarimity, and he chlvairy of
fathers is to be slandered w.ith the inputaton
tAat they forged the chains which we now wear.
Their names and their :" deeds of noble daring"
are appealed to in behalf of a Union which they
would have scorned, and we who protest AGAINST
such prostitution of the fruits of eir abors, are
denounced ms their unworthy descendants. Give
us the Union which they made for us, and we will
be the last TO abandon it. Debase that Union and
we are the first TO denounce it. We appeal to the
common sense Of Southern men. Tell us, do you
believe that the Union Of to-day is the Union of
1887 Do you believe that those noble patriots
who toiled night and day, and week after week, in
drafting Constitution, ever contemplated ITS
perverson to ends so unhallowed as those for
which it is now used Are you prepared to believe.
that our fathers knowingly enslaved their sons to
the selfish dctation of a fanatlcal majority? Then
how are we recreant to the obligations OF Ameri-
can citizens in arraying ourselves against such
Government We are enemies of the majority
which seeks to trampIe us under foot but they
who would silently submit TO the indignity are the
worst enemies Of such Government once
our boast.--Souihern Sentinel, Columbus, Ga.