The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-28

4 Gentlemen Happily have you chosen
the 22d of February as a time for the Amer
lean people to come together, to interchange
congratulations upon the political blessings
we enjoy, for they will come together upon
the birth day OF him, whose counsels and
(. conduct were, under Providence, among the
PRINCIPAL causes of their acquisition, The day
and the object are in beautiful unison; and
though cannot accept your invitation, yet
nv heart will be with you, for IN devotion
TO the Union, and in reverence for the mem
ory of the greatest of its advocates and foun-
] ders. whose warning voice, in its defence,
now speaks to US from the tomb, yield TO
none of all.the mighty throng, who, on that
day, and from ocean to ocean, will thank
God that he gave them such country to
love, and such countryman to lmItate IN
life, and honor in death.
A leader in war, ruler in peace, and first
in both, and always patriot citizen, obeying
the law like the humblest, even when clothed
with the highest authority, accepting power
with reluctance, and surrendering it with
alacrity, he guided his country through the
perilous crisis Of the revolution, and through
the still more perilous crisis, threatening civil
anarchy that followed it, till his hopes and
labors were crowned by Constitution and
Union, when, in the expressive language Of
our own armorial scroll, have made us one
from many, and which now govern and pro-
tect a mighty community, reaching from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, and enjoying larger
measure Of prosperity in possession, and OF
true greatness in prospect than ever before
fell to the lot of a people. lie has passed
the great trial Of human opinion, and history
has pronounced judgment upon his career
and his character, and of all the heroes and
statesmen, the memory of whose deeds has
not persisted with their days, and whose
names are inscribed upon the long annals Of
mankind the highest and the purest, is the
name Of Washington.
Our Liberties were purchased by toll, and
trial and trouble, and by sacrifice in lite and
Of life itself, fare even in the most splendid
efforts of human patriotism 1t is good
while we look around upon our prosperity
and greatness, to look back upon their feeble
origin to the services and sufferings of our
} fathers, and of him who led them, and who
justified the confidence Of his country, by a
life devoted to her cause. And especially
is it good thus to contemplate the present,
and recall the past, when strange doctrines
= are abroad, when that present is pronounced
oppressive, and the future intolerable, and
the evils, whether felt or applehended, only
to be averted by the dissolution of the con-
federacy, and the breaking up of the govern
ment In the Farewell Address, the mott in-
pressive monument of wisdom and patriotism
ever bequeathed by citizen of his country
the retiring statesman pointed out with pro-
phetc sagacity the dangers that might dis
turb our Union, and especially those sec
, tional feelings, inseparable indeed from an
extensive community, which, when once ex-
cited by sense Of injury or injustice, yield
with difficulty to the suggestions Of wisdon
) or moderation.
} Bnt he did not foresee, and history fur
ishes no such example, that in time OF
profound peace, in state of progress and
prosperity, such as the sun never shone upon,
with power enough to protect ourselves
against the world, and with renown enough
to make US proud of our country, with sys-
tenn of laws which imposes few restraints
upon individual freedom as is compatible
with social order, and with system OF gov
eminent created by all and directed by all,
and which assures to each equal rights and
equal hopes in its administration, and with a
future the most glorious, ii not marred by
our own Discussions, that ever invited peo-
pie to exert their energies, offering the richest
rewards for their encouragements with all
these motives for national pride and gratlfl-
cation, questions have arisen for decision,
which, by assuming sectional character,
having given rise to an excitement hereto
fore unknown in our history, and which
threatened to destroy our magnificent politi-
cal edi6ce, not leaving one stone upon an
other to mark the beatty Of the design, or
the skill OF the builders.
When the Desert and the Jordan are
passed, and we have reached the promised
land, we hear the portentous, cry-"io your
tents, oh Israeli" And we are called upon
to rend asunder this great confederation, and
, to scatter its fragments to the four winds OF
, heaven, committing its destines to the way
ward passions Of rival and independent com
munites, who will have points enough Of
contact for the future, as well in posl'on and
character as in interest, and recoections
enough, Of real or imaginary injuries of the
past, to excite all those angry feel ngs which
, lead to national contests, and render them
the 6crcer and the bitterer when once called
into action.
!, We are placed together with the essen
tial elements of identity, and with no nat
ura bolnda les to separate US, along which
| dividing line may be traced, and if we
cannot live together in peace with general
= government extending over all, and protect
e ing each by the power of all, how are we to
live together, fol so we must live, at least
in position, when our bond is broken, anc
we are left with no common umpire but the
# last umpire Of nations, with which God in his
G judgment has so often punished the Offence
/. of mankind He, who cannot read the ans
f wer in the history Of human experience, vii
I soon read in his o Sn. should this fatal con.