The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-06-06
From the Frankfor, Commonwealth.
TIE AMERICAN QUESTION.
TIER FROM REV. DIR. BRECKENRIDGE.

THE AMERICAN QUESTION.
LETTER FROM REV. DIR. BRECKENRIDGE
Dsnville, Ky, April IS, 1855.
MY DEAR SIR:--You are aware that have
received two c0mmuL ications, both Of them
signed BY number Of the most respectable
citizens Of your town, amongst whom re.
sognize many old personal friends. nrging me
to address the people at the capital Of the
State upon that great American question
which so deeply engages the attention Of the
whole community. may add, that many
similar invitations have been sent TO me, and
still continue 10 be sent, from various and
widely separated portions Of the Common
wealth, signed in the aggregate by very
large number Of persons. And il is, no doubt,
known to you that, within this month, was
prevailed on, under peculiar circumstances
IN both instances, to speak on this subject
in Cynthiana and in Lexington. The object
Of this communication is, In the first place,
t,sly in this public manner, that il does not
appear TO me to be my duty to accept these
invitations and, in the second place, to per-
form the duty which they, and many other
eonsi eratons, do seem to me require, in
the distinct expression of my principles on
the subject itself. In doing this, tmay save
the necessity Of future explanation to say,
that | avail myself of the proofs sheets of an
article written by me for periodical, pub
lished in another State, which has not yet
been issued; and to add. that if supposed
there was the smallest doubt Of the issue of
this contest in Kentucky, or that my seryi-
ces we're comparable in value to the estimate
put on them by partial friends, | should pur.
sue very different course from the one have
now adopted.
Politics have assumed a new, and, to the
old managers Of parties and elections, most
unexpected phase. Many things have CON
spired to produce this result and men will
no doubt give this or that explanation of the
movement we are witnessing, according to
the point Of view from which they consider
it. Many effects may be produced by the
movement itself, and men will appreciate
those effects. aud endeayor TO promote or pre-
vent them, according to their views Of gene
raj politics, Of the interests Of society, and
of the proper destiny Of our great country.
The intense and peryading power Of the
movement itself can no longer be matter Of
doubt. And to the calm observer various ell
ements are manifest which render its future
progress altogether inevitable. Amongst
these decisive elements may be stated that
the augmented force Of the movement itself,
acquired BY its own previous triumphs, and
the greater homogeneousnes of the spirit of
il, to the portions Of that country remaining
to be subdued. than TO the portions already
conquered. Il will encounter no difficulty
equal to the intense Democracy Of New
Hampshire. Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Mich
igan; the widespread political immortality
Of New York the Democracy Of Virginia
the settled anti-slavery sentiment Of Massa-
ehusetts; the hereditary Whigism Of Kentuc-
Ky. Yet all Of these are mastered BY the
granier spirit Of the new movement. What
barrier remains to arrest its irresistible ca
reers
It is infinitely absurd for the opponents Of
this vast movement Of the human mind to at
tribute j, to unworthy or Insignificant causes.
IL is ridiculous for its friends to imagine that
II can exhaust itself upon subjects that are
feeble aud indistinct. Ii nav aim at what
Is wrong. or what is unattainable; but it can
mol avoid aiming at what is great and per-
maHent any more than il could have been
produced BY anything thatwas feeble. indirect
or base. A great many people do not receive
such shocks from such causes; nor when re-
ceived. do they terminate without immense
results.
What we behold is a vast and apparently !
spontaneous uprising Of the spirit Of Ameri- I
Tan nationality. Beneath Iliat we behold the .
restoration Of that primeyal spirit Of Profess
tant civilization, IN which the country itself 4
aas originally created. And still beneath 1
iha, we behold the renewal Of that profound
'ense Of The Overwhelming necessity Of oar
National TniOn-shich was the grandest
,gtbiiti II our National Revolution. These
ire the life and heart and soul Of this gigan-
ic movement. American Nationality, Pro.
esisnt Civilization, National Union. The
oBntry believes all three Of these are IN dan
,er. Men may say the country is deluded. I
But that does not alter the case so long as
he country thinks otherwise. The country
> resolved that all danger TO all Of them shall
e thoroughly removed. Men may say, tie
ouniry i misled but ghat Of that, 50 long
) tie country IL resolved 10 be National,
and Uuitedi n
The country Is Thoroughly convinced that
cannot trust the perpetuation Of its nation |
liiy. is Protestant civilization, and Union ,
: one people, any longer to tie keeping nf
xisting parties, 10 their ordinary action and
0 the country Las, Tor the time at least, set
side all parties. Men may say this IS mere /
but what does the country care
D. The saying Of men whom il rejects as un- /
forthy d being trusted with its destiny IN
Q great efisisi The country resolves to
tie Union of these States. They
tho are faithful 10 the Union had better take
p The same great parable; they who are not,
light IN ihe judgementof The country tobe in.
isctiminately crushed. The country deter
llnes that its Pr0testanteiyilizatio is its ORR
NAL, rs most precious, aud its must vital
Inheritance ; and believing il to have been be.
faNrN IL uFuunsRs On eurf0uvd ~ a4ifh ale. .