Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-06-26
From he Ns,ionsi tstsiligsacer-N
THE fHpI1AL UNION.

1AOoAA4
The annexed brief article forces upon
our notice painfsl topic. How strange to
hea: people talking about "dissoiv,ng the
Union;" how very strange, especially 70
those ~hose memory goes back to the ume'
not very remote either, but 0eyohu ING
origin OF .nuliiicasioAr and Young Amer
lea" when reverence for "the Union was
a sentiment as deep - that which o. oid
guarded the ark Ofthe covenant b1t y nas
Come to pass that we see . leading paper o.
South Carolna avowing its hostility TO the
Union Of the States, irrespective OF all OBJ
;ects or Influences "a deaire per sc Tor dis
union: and similar desire has sprung up
and is proclaimed BY ultra fanatics OF the
North. How greatly must those disloyal
factioni.ts be encouraged by the present
porte utous state of evaporation and STRIFE
which they have so successfully stirred up,
aud how hopefully and industriously they
are now tanning the embers OF discord INTO
fame
This /. a subject OF such solemn import
that III Z very idea Of its becoming necessary
AT any time or under any circumstances 70
saw word abou, it fills US with repusiiahce.
/ The fiippancy with which the possio'Hty o.
the dissolution of the Union has come 10
Be spoken of in many quarters is enough 10
| make the bones Of the dead fathers OF our
Gnvernmcnt .burst their cerements ~
us Il is 40 appalling that we dare hardly trust
aurs. hes 10 contemplate il. And yet to
remain altogether silent while the dire event
I Il u,ensced in leading journals OF the coun.
try. and held to be not only possible, but
desiraba would be, we fear, to disregard
our duty az anxious defenders of our Con-
s,i,ution. We have no vain hope that our
feeble voice can do much to arrest the pro-
sress ofthai balefnl spirit which has become
SO rife--a spirit which has had its birth in
ambition, was nourished BY the Mexican
war, and put on its logi ririiis at the pas
saye of the Nebraska bill. But. thank
Heaven, there are still presses everywhere.
| able and true, tba, dare uphold the power
| of the Union to maintain itself against eth
or Northern or Southern fanatics, and II
] was 10 introduce the folio wing article from
one of them that we have ventured upon a
subject which we consider almost too sacred
/ to be touched:
FROM TuE PHILADELPHIA LEDGER.
The talk abou, des.r Dying the Uaion, of
which we hear 50 mucn in slavery ag'.
\ ,atiuns, is really iLcipient treason, and
needs only some overt act 10 render those
I who entertain such notions liable 10 the
/ penalties of the law. The writers, orators,
/ and demarogues who discuss SO glbly the
I advantages or disadvantage OF separation
forget that the United States is Govern
/ ment, and not only a Government, but
/ within it's sphere ore Of the strongest in the
I world. As the Federal Constitution does
| not contemplate even tie possibility OF its
own dissolution, il makes no provision for
such suicidal act, and consequently il can
not be perpeira,ed unless through treason.
which treason the Union-loving people oil
these States will never permit to be con-
summated Are these sacatics insane en-
/ ouph 10 think that the vast mass Of the go.
Die will calmly look on while a iniserab {
minority, by dissolving the Union, ruins dom.
este prosper t. AMI hazards the ssccFs S. oil
this great problem of free Government
! Do men sit idly by and see incendiaries fire
/ their dwellings Does the traveller bare
/ his bosom to the knife Of the highwayman!
Do true and faithful children gaze, with
folded hands, while an insane brother in
diets on their common mother the parriei-
dal blow.
We thank God that the Union Of these
States is still regarded, by the great body
OF the population, with higher aud nobler
feelings than those of mere selfish interest
that the cclJ-blooded question whether, in
the widespread wreck of fortunes which a
dissolution would produce, the personal
aims Of the qaerist might not be advanced,
is not asked except by O few idea!ogists
fanatics, or prohgate adveniurers; that the
Constitution IS stillrevered not only for the
material prosperity it has caused. not only
because il wa the work of Washington ana
other patriotic ssges, but in consequence
of the belief that il once destroyed the cause
Of self. government and progress, and there
fore of humanity in general, will be put
back for centuries, if not forever: for sure
ly, if nations ofthe same lineage like those
eoalesced in this great Republic cannot re.
main in concord without interfering with
the local institutions ofeach Other, how can
il be expected that people OF alien race ant
language can ever become united in the
bonds of peace; or how, without that peace
can the world ever be regenerated Ifthit
Union is broken up, farewell to the idea
of self-government