Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-04-26
How to Preserve the Union.

How to Preserve the Union.
Andrew Jackson never spoke more wisely or
truly than when he penncd the following extract
from his Farewell Address. There are class of
politicians, who affect to believe that Union meet
ngS gotten up for the purpose OF protesting the
most ardent devotion to the Union and OF making
patriotic professions in wholesale way is the prn-
cipal machinery which is destined effectualy to kill
off at one and the same blow ''the abolltonlsts of
the North and the disunonists of the South -
With such men, mans patriotism is tested by the
strength with which his lungs can execute their ia
vorte key-note-his loyalty, by the sophomore
fervor with which he can repeat the language of
Webster in that high sounding clmax-''Liberty
and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!'
These persons, who seem to have studied very
thoroughly certain passage in Roman history, in
which the geese figure conspcuously as the savlors
OF the city, should not forget, that that patriotic
and artless fowl was held sacred by the Romans
for Cabling on the approach to the citadel, of
their real enemies and by their hoarse cries arous
ing from slumber the defenders of the city-the
Northern Gauls As to whether this immortal
anseric host likewise made the air resonant with
their harsh dscord when Marlius sailed forth to
repel the invaders, history is strangely silent. If
such be the fact, silence on this point may be set
down on the score that gratitude to the bird, for
deliverance from impending ruin, smothered the
vexation occasioned by its want of discrimination,
in sounding the same note for both friend and foe
in breath. But if History should ever be call
ed on to sketch off the remarkable sayings of the
Southern Soi-distant Unionists, she will be found
reversing the picture and represent some OF them
at least, giving but feeble alarm at the assaults
of the mad fanatics from whom the danger to the
Union comes while they concentrating all the
venom of their hiss upon those who are striving to
preserve the foundation stone of the Union, which
the immortal jackson in the following lines declares
to be ''the affections Of the people; IN tie security
gioes to life, liberty and property IN e0ery quar-
ter Of the country; and IN the traternol attachments
eohich tie people Of the several States bear to one
another as members Of one political family, mutu-
atty contributing to promote the happiness Of each
other :-Arkansas State Gazette.
But the Constitution cannot be maintained,
nor the Union preserved, in opposition TO public
feeling, by the mere eXertIon of the coercive pow
ers confined to the General Government. The
foundations must be laid in the affections of the
people; IN tie security giVes to Ite liberty, char
octer and PROPERTY IN eUery quarter Of the country
and in the fraternal attachments which the citizens
of the several States bear to another, mem
bers of one political family mutually contributing
to promote the happiness of each other Hence
the citizens of every State should studiousy avoid
every thing calculated to wound the sensbiity or
offend the just pride of the people of other States,
and they should trown upon any proceedings with
in their own borders, likely to disturb the tran
guilty of their political brethren in other portions
of the Union. In country extensive as the
United States, and with pursuits so varied, the in
ternal regulations of the several States must fire.
quently differ from another in important par
ticuars and this difference is unavOdably ncreas
ed by the varying principles upon which the Amer
can colonies were originally planed principles
which had taken deed root in their social relations
before the revolution, and therefore of necessity,
influencing their policy, since they became free
and independent States. But each State has the
unquestionabIe right to regulate its own internal
concerns, according to its pleasure; and while
it does not interfere with the rights of the people
of other States, the rights of the Union, every
State must be the sole Judge of the measures pro-
per to the safety of It's citizens and promote
their happness-0rd all cfOrts on the part Of the
people Of other States to cast 0duna upon their in
stitutions, and all measures calculated to disturb
their rights Of property or to PET IN jeopardy tier
peace and internal tranquility, are IN direct opposi
ton to the spirit IN achich the Union acaS formed,
and must endanger It's safety. Motives of philan-
thropy may be assigned for this unwarrantable
interference; and weak men may persuade them
selves for moment that they laborng in the
cause of humanity and asserting the rights of the
human race but every one, upon sober refec
ton, will see that nothing but mischief can come
from these improper assaults upon the feelings
and rights of others. Rest assured, that the men
found busy in this work of discord, are not worthy
of our confidence, and deserve your strongest
probation"