The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-12-06

4
Ifeei fellow citizens. to be quite needless, for any
purposs Of affecting your votes now or your sdgmenl
and acs Tor The future, that should add word to lhe
esouDns before you and 10 the very able addresses by
which they have been explained and enforced All That
would have said has been better said In all that would
have suggested, this great assembyso true and ample
representation OF the sobreiy and principle, and busi-
and patriotism OF this city and lis vicinity may
Judge from the in which you have responded TO
The sentiments OF preceding sIeakersbas far outun me
In all had felt and reflected the supreme import
anse OF this deliberaoD, on the reality and urgency OF
the peril on the Indispensable necessity which exists
that an effort be made and made al once combining the
best counses and the wisest and most decisive action
of the communityan effort to turn away mems thought
from those things which concern this PaIt or that part 10
those which the whole OF our Americato turn
away mems socitude about the small politics that shall
give State administration this year TO one set and next
to another set, and FIX on the grander politics by
which nation isto be held togetherto turn away mems
hearts from loving one brother OF the national house
bold, and hating and revng another, to that larger user,
and wiser affection which folds the whole household to
its bosonto away mems conscience and sense oil
moral obligation from the mordd and mad pursuit OF a
single duty, and Indulgence Of single sentiment, 10 the
practical ethics which all duties recognised, by
which all duties are reooncled and adjusted and subor
dnaed according to their rank, by which the sacredness
Of compacts ia holden to be real the virtue OF
passion and the supremacy Of the law declared as abso
lutte as he luxury Of felt TO be sweet-to turn
away mems ey es from the glare OF the lights oil phan
thropy ahey call it philanthropy some Of whose ends
be spec0us but whose means are bad fat abusive
speech ierocily Of temper, and resistance 10 law and
whose fruit il il ripens 10 fruit will be woes unnumbered
10 bond and ree-lo turn all eyes from the glitter OF such
light the steady and unaerable glory OF that wisdom,
that JUSTICE and that best philanthropy under which the
States of America have been enabled and may still be
enabled 10 live together in peace and grow together INTO
aected on these hngs you have ouun my warmest feel
ngs and my best thoughts What remains, then but that
Congratulate you At least This auspcious indication
and take my leave One or two suggestions, however,
you will pardon 10 the peculiarly OF the times.
concur, then, first, citizens. with one of the
in expressing ny soa una that
wise men, know do moi this and some not quite
good wise deny that they see il know very well
that TO sound false alarm is shallow and contempt.
BILE thing But know also that TOO much precauon
is safer than too little, and believe that less than the
utmost is too little Better, is SAID, 10 be Tidcued
for too much than TO be ruined by too confident
security. have, then, profound conviction that the
Union is yet In danger Il is true that II has passed
through peril within the last few monlhs-such a
peril that the future historian of America will pause with
astonshmenl and terror when he comes to record H.
The sobriey of the historic style will rise to eoqusnce-
to pous ejacuaton-to hanksgvings TO Almighty God
he sketches that and the virtues that trumphed
in IT, .Honor and praise" will he excaim, o the EN-
nent OF all parteso Clay, to Cass, to Fooe, to
Dickinson, TO Websier-who rose that day 10 the meas
of true greatness-who remembered that they had
country to preserve we'll local constituency 10
gratfy-who laid all the wealth and all the hopes oil
illustious lives the altar OF hazardous patriotism
who Ieckoned all the sweets oil present popularity or
nothing 10 comparison OF that more exceeding weight OF
glory which follows him who seeks TO compose an agi-
tated and save sinking Ian" f"
night, and there is seril still And what do mean BY
this believe, and rejoice to believes that the general
subject Bat1wnr }eIf- SOD -@heae nr thin raaseadeo
lies is that while the people sleep h posisnss as aSs ,b
press, will talk and write us out OF our Union. iss
while you sleepwhe the merchant is loading his ships,
and The farmer gathering bis harvest ana ,he music 81
stepped in the enjoyment OF that vast and various good
which common government places within our reach
there are influences that Sleep and which are cre
and "A
poisoned breath. before we yet perceive our EVIL pght
this Union may melt frost-wsrk in the sun DO we
sufficiently appreciate how omnipoen Is opinion IN the
matter OF all government! Do consider especially in
how true il is the creator, must be the uphoder
and may be the destroyer oil our united government Do
often enough advert TO the distinction that while our
State exist almost of necessity and with
effort IRON within and without, the UNION oil the States
is totally different creation-more delicate, more at-
fetal, more recent far more truly mere production oil the
reason aAd the w--standIng IN Tar more need OF an
ersurroundng care to preserve and repair ~ ana urge
il along ITS highway do we reflect tnai while lne peo'
not T. Puribus Unum-but one single and uncompound'
ed substance speak and while every influence that
possibly help to hold asocial existence
uty OF interest, closeness OF kindred, contgulty ol
place. old habit, the ten thousand opportunities of
daily ntercourse-eveything is operating to hold such
State together that must exist whether we Will or
not and cannot but by annihiang de-ihe people OF
America compose totally different community COM
muny miscellaneous and widely scattered thatthey are
many States, not one Siate-or II one made up oil many
which still co.exist that numerous influences of vast
enersynnuences OF situation, OF political creeds, oil EN-
ploymepts OF supposed and real dverses oi material
neresiend evermore 10 draw them asnnder; aud that
il il not as in single State, that instinct, CUSTOM long
antiquity ,closeness OF kindred, immediate contguty the
personal intercourse o daily life and the like, come IN 10
make and consolidate the grand incorporation whether
we will or not but that is to be accomplished by care
fally cultivated and acq ared habits and states oil eeng;
by an enlightened dlscernment OF great interests en-
bracing n connen and future age by voluntary de-
termination To love- honor and cherish by mutual toer-
ance by mutual indulgence Of anohers peculiarte
by the polite and careful withdrawal oil our alien
ton from the offensive particulars in which we differ and
BY the most assiduous developement and appreciation
and contemplation OF those Things wherein we are alike
do reflect, ought, that II is only hus-by yaue
ties OF expedens, by prolonged and voluntary eouca
tonal pocessthat The hue and strong spint oil NATION
Atty be made 10 penetrate and animate the scarcely
congruous mass and the full tide OF American ieeng
ill the mighty hearth
/ have sometimes thought that the States IN our sys
tenn may be compared the prmordial PARTICLES OF mat
ter--indyisble indestructble, mpenetabe natu
in their own independent identity while the Uaion IS an
artificial aggregation of such partcles-a sort oil foreet
\ state, some have said OF ie--a complex STRUCTURE
made with hands, which gravity, atron, time, ram
dew, FROST less than tempest and earthquake CO op
crate TO waste away, and which the anger oil 1901,
the laughter Of fool, may bring down IN an houf-'
system Of bodies advancing slowly through resisting
ment liable 10 arrest its motion--a beautiful, YET 1ag
creation, which breath can unmake as breath ma
made IT,
4 And now, charged with the trust OF holding togethe
such nation as this, what have we seen What do w
see to-day Exactly this Ii has beep for many months-
i years | may say, but assuredy for long season-th
peculiar infeicy tsay rather terrible mlsorune) OF TN