The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1852-09-09
epTroH On eEu. prRpcE
At The Union Meeting al Manchester, Ner
Hampshire, November 20, 1850.

Franklin PieTcej ana that gallant gentleman
was received with enthusiastic cheers. Dis
claiming any purpose Of making anything
like regular address, be said he never be.
fore was so much under the influence of con.
ficting emotions. There was much in the
appearance of the assembly which filed his
heart with joy; yet feeling of sadness OPP
pressed him when he cast his eyes over that
vast, calm, resolved multitude, and remem-
bered that they had gathered there to consid-
er question which for twenty years had
never been raised in any public body in our
country. That question was not whether
the Union should be perpetual, but whether
there should be disunion.
He was in the United States Senate when
that word was heard for the first time on
that floor, and never should he forget the
thrill of horror it sent through that body.
A deep and solemn pause eusued, and Sena-
tors shuddered as they slowly turned their
eyes upon the bold author of the appalling
suggestion. But he had now lived to hear
misses while one of the secretaries of the meet
ing was reading resolution in favor Of the
Union. This remark drew Kisses, and
General Pierce proceeded. They hiss a.
gain. Let the men who do it show them
selves. CUp rose two clergymen, the Rev.
Mr.. Foss and Rev. Mr.. Daviss. Here,
then (said Gen. p we have men who seek
to destroy the Union. Zone of them repli-
ed, "No. If you will let us explain, we
will show that we do not intend that. We
are willing to meet the question, however,
in any way Gen. Pierce continued: You
shall have your opportunity all in good time.
Let the discussion come, and he that is de-
feated must go to the wall and yield the
question. That is the way to manage such
matters in free country. There must be
no breaking up of the Government in case
of defeat. If we are precipitated into
war by fanaticism, we cannot conquer
Both sections of the country may be immo-
lated Neither could come out of the con-
test short of ruin. 1t is said that VIC Of the
North could bring two men into the field for
every one that the South could muster; but
1t would be found when the trial should
come, that the man who makes that boast
would not be one of the two men to 90 forth
to meet even the one man from the South
[Great cheering.]
Gen. Pierce said the men then in the
hall who had abandoned themselves to the
infatuation of disunion sentiments would
probably live to regret and repent of their
present course. In the coming days of de-
crepitude, when the infrmities of age shall
have crept upon them, they would gather
their children around them, and confess how
they were once betrayed into moral treason,
and, as legacy, say to them, "Stand by
your Union, and stand by your country. =
He said he deemed it unnecessary to 90 into
a formal argument in support of the Union.
The resolutions embraced all that could be
said on the subject. When the compromise
was first proposed in Congress, he had no
doubt that the Union would go down unless
the measures recommended were carried
The defeat of the first attempt overwhelmed
him with apprehension, understanding that
the compromise was intended to give to the
South, sense Of greater security for one Of
their rights than they felt they had for some
time past possessed. Who did not deplore
slavery? But lclut sound thinking mind
regarded that as the only cra n,htch c0nId
rest upon the land? The men who would
dissolve the Union did not hate or deplore
slavery more than he did but even 1cih it,
aee hdd Hred IN peace, prosperity, and secu-
Ttty from the Foundation Of oar institutions
to the present time. If the constitution pro
vided for the return of fugitive slaves, il
should be done. That was what he wanted
to do; that was what our fathers agreed we
should do; and that was what the friends of
the Union established by them wanted to
/ do. Kisses These (said Gen. P.) are
the arguments of the "higher law" l sup
pose
| These provokers of disunion claimed to be
men of humanity, with no other object than
humanity. They were the men who were
always preaching against war. Yet how
was peaceable dissolution of the Union to
be accomplished If one portion of the
; States could secede without violence, how
long would peace continue? The slaves
would escape; their owners would pursue
: them. If the slaves were protected In the
free States, the owners would pursue them
with armed forces. Troops would be raised
to resist them: battalions would be added to
battalions on each side, and the free States
would be the battle-ground, where such ar
mics would be found engaged beyond what
!, Napoleon ever saw in the most terrific of
!, his bloody battle-felds. 1t was the fear OF
such dreadful consequences that caused such
a universal revolution of feeling throughout
/ the Union when the original compromise
project failed. The eyes of the nation were
opened to the magnitude of the danger
Even those who opposed it in Congress fell
they were standing on the brink of preci
t pice. There seemed to be no step between
r disunion and faithful adherence to the
t compact of the Union. He knew that was
. the feeling. Members of Congress had con
fessed it. The resort to disunion as an ex
S pertinent to get rid of political evil would
: be about as wise as if man were to thinl
t of remedying broken arm by cutting hi
e head off. The danger which would havr
: existed if the compromises had not beer
t passed would now exist if they were defeated
e by the action of the opponents of those mea
t sures. They we're fairly within the scop
: of the constitution, and were to be obey
0 ed with the same fidelity as that sacret
instrument itself which all good citizen
must and would stand by while a plan
remained. Happily through heslowerin
clouds of the passing storm the white cliff
9 of concession were in sight, and the Joyful
cry was the Union-eternal Union
Gen. Pierce spoke with free and fer
g energy which created and maintained a livt