The republic., 1851-01-02

| live together members Of the same family; can
| no longer continue the mutual guardians OF their
mutual happiness; longer be fellow -citizens
| OF one great, respectable, and hourishng empire
| .No, my countrymeu, shut your against this
| unhallowed language--shut your hearts against
| the poison which il conveys. The kindred blood
which flows in the veins Of American citizens-the
| mingled blood which they have shed in defence of
| their sacred rights -consecrate their union, and
excite horror at the idea OF their becoming aiiens
rivals enemies And, if novelties are TO be summed
believe me, the most alarming OF all novelties, the
wild Of all projects, the most rash of all at
tempts, is that OF rending in pieces. in order to
preserve our liberties and promote our happiness"
Few public questions have ever been discussed
| with greater display both of zeal and ability than
| that momentous question OF Union or Dsunion.
Indeed, this is far true that but little remains
to be said in relation TO IT which would prove either
new or striking TO such an assembly as this. But
feel that hazard nothing in asserting that all
| the reasons which have been at different times
urged in support OF our Federal Union, by the
most ingenious OF our public writers and speakers,
have gained additional strength every year since
| the foundations the Government were laid. Let
me, by way Of illustration merely, allude TO IA
| few of these Is not the Union desirable it
possibly could at any time have been, safe
guard against dangers from foreign and intiu-
ence? Its there not stnl apprehend the
most serious mischief from those terocious be-
tween the separate border States which would in
evitably spring up and be perpetually prosecuted,
were Disunion once TO occur? Would there be
danger of domestic insurrecton now, either North
or South, the efficient chec ks at present sup
piled by strong central Gov ernment to be sudden
ly and forever Withdrawn? Ia not the Union as inn
portant now as 1t ever was to our growth and pros
perity commercial people? 10 II not indispen-
sable to the accomplishment OF the hope now con-
fidently entertained of our becoming speedily, and
remaining permanently, the leading naval power
Of the world? Is it not apparent now as il was
formerly supposed to be, that the division of the
"a a distinct COnfedeTAClea
the organization OF a separate national Government
in each of them would be productive of enormous
pecuniary expenditures beyond what prove amply
sufficient Tor the maintenance OF our present sys-
tenn? But besides, it must be evident to the most
shallow thinker, that obstacles to the peaceful exc
cution of scheme Of disunion, (however cunning
ly that scheme may have been projected, or adroit-
ly urged upon our consideration have sprung up
even under the action of the Government itself,
since the formation of our Federal Union! Will
Of the wild abstractionsts of the present day
tell us what Is to become of our navy, If dis
union shall take place? What OF the army?
How the public lands to be disposed of? Who
is to possess the public forts, arscnals, dock
yards, &c. &c? Who to pay the public debt
Whois to fall heir to the millions now in the
tional treasury Is Northern Southern Con-
federacy to hold ownership Of the rich mineral
treasures of California, and the valuable fishing
privileges along the coast OF New England? What
power is hereafter to control the navigation of
inland seas and of our majestic rivers' Upon
what nice principle of political metaphysics are
TO divide between distinct and perhaps Confl1Ct.
ing sovercignties that priceless inheritance of ma
tional glory which has descended to us from
ancestors citizens Of United America? ? thou
sand other such questions might be propounded,
which would be at least as difficult of solution
these. May we not, therefore, venture to repeat
the language of him who, more than any other
man, was the father of our present Constitution,
and say every man who loves peacc-cvery
man who loves his country-every man who loves
liberty ought have it before his eyes, that he
may cherish in his heart due attachment tie the
Union OF America, and be able to set due value on
the means OF preservlngt It, But, alas! II Is notwith
standing true, with painful reluctance do confess
it,, that there 10 be found both in the North
and in the South, OF great intellectual power, of
the largest scholastic attainments, of extended in
tiuence, and of extraordinary energy of character,
who have become satisfied and are day and night
assiduously endeavoring to satisfy others, that the
Union established by our fathers has become
worthless thing-yea, worse than worthess-a
thing positively vicious in itsef-and containing
the seeds of multiplied mischief and degradation
hereafter to be realized, unless the work Of seces-
sion, which has been deliberately projected, shall
be presently accompli he'd. ] regret TO acknow
ledge that il is also true that the Republic has been
involved in great peril by these men and their
holy Vaccinations. fear that it is still in danger
indeed, j fear that that danger will not have
entirely disappeared for several months to come,
and perhaps not until closer association, and
n more thorough organization shall have been
effected among the friends of the Union North
and Ssuth, without regard to the ancient and
obsolete party issues which have formerly di-
vided the right minded men of the country from
each other, and which surely are of character
tirely subordinate to the question whether the
ton itself shall be subverted and wild anarchy and
confusion bear rule among US. Fanatcism-the
accursed lust OF power-sectional jealousy--the
lawless spirit of faction--contempt of the consti-
tued authorities of the Republicaversion social
observation-disclosures all the baleful
passions which seek their qualification amid scenes
OF intestine commotion and civil butchery-have
been within the last two three years most
mercilessy let loose upon us; and have indeed ragged
with 30 little restraint from any quarter until
Gently, that we have been actually menaced with
the utter destruction of all that hold most dear
or prize most highly, as a free, civilized, and
christian people. Those brothery ties which once
bound together the North and the South, the East
and the West have been threatened with instant
disruption, and that majestic ship of State in which
all our hopes a nation of freemen embarked,
has been by and by the world to- rock wildly,
and to toss convulsiveIy, amidst the fierce heavings
OF ocean which all the winds of Heaven seemed
united in discomposing.
"Una Eurusque, Notusque ruunt creberque procellis
AFRIcUs; ct vastos volvunt ad hora fuctus."
Never in the history OF nations have all the ele
ments of social mischief seemed To be more portcn
tously commingled; seditious haranguers of the
mobs OF great cities-mercenary and unscrupulous
writers for furious and fanatical newspapers and
acknowledgements of the iorum-dcmaeo
gucs of Legislative halls, and demagogues Of the
pulpit; ancient nullifers, modern secessionists-
higher law casuists of hyperborean regions-and
aspiring, restless, and dogmatizing swordsmen of
more sunny and genial cline bastard Alexan-
ders, following him of old with steps unequal,')
whose fiery and swelling souls are yet unsated
with the grim glory of arms, and who desper-
atey sighing for new fields OF renown and new IT,
ties of dignly-these, and their allies, have contri
buted to fill the public mind of the country with
alarm, with horror and CONSERVATION, and to con
vince those who have heretofore doubted upon the
subject that by far
''The most Internal of all evils here
is
"The sway OF petty tyrants in a state;''
il being made evident now, by several pregnant
proofs, recently supplied, that
tin all deadly things,
Which make men hate the emselves and one another;
la discord cowardice cruelty, all that springs
From Death the Sin born's incest with his mother,
la rank oppression in it's widest shape,
The Faction CHEF is but the Sutan's brother,
And the worst Despot's far less human ape
Surely the friends of peace and good order had
right to expect after the angry and contentious
scenes which marked the deliberations of Congress
its last session. that little respite from agi