Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-08-29
What will Congress dor


The Baltimore American of Yesterday thus con-
cludes an able article under the above head:
aWhlst the extremists of the North are urging
the revolutionary scheme Of stopping the supplies
in order to enable the majority in the House of
Representatives to override the coordinate branch
es of the government it would be n failure in the
legitimate workings Of cause and effect if there
were not those at the South ready to accept the
controversy in its most cmbittered form, and to
aggravate into results destructive to the nstitu
tions of the country. IF there are those at the
North who confidently predict that the House is to
arbitrarily seize the powers Of the whole govern
nent, and by the tyranny of a majority enforce
its terms at the peril Of stopping the progress of
government there are others at the South who as
unhesitatingly accept the truth Of the prediction,
and declare that disunion is the only remedy with
which such a course can be met.
1t is an easy thing TO talk about dssolving the
Tnion-indecd it has become SO easy, that with
certain class Of politicians it is the only subject
that they trouble themselves to talk about--but
the doing of the thing will be different and more
dangerous matter. vast majority of the people
Of this country do not and cannot be brought to
recognise dsunon as the cure for any evil that
possibly arise under our political system. They
may be exc ted and Gxaspcrated by sectional agi-
tators, and lose, for a moment their just apprcca-
ton of the value of the Union and of their i'm
perative obligations to keep it intact, but the
crisis that sees disunon actually attempted, the
moment in which any one State peaccably or
forcibly seeks to leave the Union to which
it is indissolubly bound that moment will also
see the awakening OF a public sentiment
springng from all sections of the land, and per-
vadng all classes, which will declare that disunion
is not and cannot be n remedy; that it is itself a
disease which needs curing, and can never be
cepted by men who have an opportunity to reason,
or the liberty to decide that in short il can
never come but as the terrible result Of civil war,
and the contemplation Of such possibility ought
not to enter into the calculations of people whose
national privileges guarantee to them freedom,
teach them the duty of union and forbearance, and
insure to them n constitutional and pcaceable mode
Of settling their grievances.
We regret that so much Of this talk of disunion
comes from the South It's tendency is to weaken
and distract the friends of the South, and expose
them TO the contempt of the North. No man who
inteligenty looks at the circumstances of the coun
try, who considers the multiplicity and strength of
the ties that bind il together, and rightly appre-
ciates the difficulty Of making two antagonistic
nations of people who together fought for and
obtained their liberties, and who together have
grown from weak colonial dependencies into the
most powerful republic that has illustrated the
history of the world-but must see that disunion
is not a thing TO be coolly resolved upon by con-
yentions hippantly discussed by politicians, and
carried out with delberation that win allow the
smallest details to be settled with the same
in case Of mercantile partnership, dissolved by
mutual consent.
Who is TO decide where the line Of demarcation
is to run that will make this side native aud the
other foreign territory. VIII Virginia recognise
the Ohio as the boundary which makes the State of
Ohio foreign soil ? Will Maryland cut herself of
from Pennsylvania, because a surveyors line run.
ming through the woods, aud over which the iron
horse now passes a hundred times a day without
stoppage, marks the exterior limit Of Southern ter
ritoryy or. will we, after spending our energies to
reach the Ohio assent TO cut ourselves Off from
the civil, social, and commercial benefits that de-
pend upon the most intimate connexion with the
country beyoudY win Kentucky thus separate
herself from Ohio? Missouri from Illinois, Indi-
ana, and Iowa?
How are 10 be settled the important and intricate
questions that would arise from the right TO navi-
gate rivers running parallel with or alternately
through free and slave States, or the management
Of railroads in a similar condition. and where
would be the end of the causes of annoyance and
quarrel that would constantly be produced by
the strange and unexampled condition in which
the country would find itselrg Above all, how are
those who are now countrymen, friends aud bro
theirs TO learn to treat each other as aliens, stran
gers and enemiesy
Isit not evident, from the difficulties that rise
up on moinentary contemplation of the subject,
that disunion is not the quiet peaceful, and prac-
teal remedy that some would have us believe
and that II can only commence In open war, and
be perpctuated in strife ? The truth is that dis.
union is not a remedy for sectional excitement but
only an aggravnton Of the infection. Ii would not
free either section from the causes Of complaint,
whilst il would increase the power Of each to in
jnre and annoy the other.